European Supermarket Magazine

The Client

ESM – European Supermarket Magazine is Europe's premier publication dedicated to the grocery sector. A must-read for senior managers and top-level executives within the grocery retail industry, as well as those supplying to it, ESM boasts an experienced team of award-winning journalists. Renowned for its comprehensive coverage, ESM focuses on the competitive European grocery market, with a track record of excellence, including a nomination for The Drum Online Media Awards.

With a sharp focus on supermarket product lines, it delves into crucial areas like supply chain management, retail technology, sustainability, and more, providing valuable insights and interviews with industry leaders. For manufacturers and suppliers seeking visibility in the European supermarket industry, ESM offers cost-efficient advertising solutions and is the go-to platform to capture the attention of supermarket businesses across various channels.

The Challenge

ESM initially approached us regarding our Publisher Plus platform to embark on a platform refresh. The ESM team sought a partner with a proven track record and specific expertise in the publishing industry. Given a tight deadline, they required full confidence in their platform's ability to meet their clients' and users' needs.

Having experienced challenges related to site stability, page speed, and advertising delivery in the past, they were in search of a platform and a team they could rely on. Their key concerns included common advertising issues such as viewability, effective targeting, and reporting. This project's successful delivery was critical for their business, providing a solid foundation for their future growth plans.

The Strategy

In line with our standard Publisher Plus projects, we initiated a series of design and scoping sessions with the ESM team. These sessions encompassed wireframing, user flow planning, and layout design. Subsequently, we undertook the site's reconstruction using modern tools, resulting in significantly reduced page sizes and a notably faster new site.

Subsequently, we embarked on the reconstruction of the site, leveraging modern tools. This effort led to a significant reduction in page sizes, resulting in faster performance for the new site and apps. We maximised front-end performance, ensuring a swifter site and reducing future maintenance overhead as new features and updates become necessary.

The Outcome

Given the project's stringent timeline, effective communication was essential. We collaborated closely with the ESM team, maintaining transparent project status updates for all stakeholders. This trust developed throughout the project empowered the ESM team to readily embrace our recommendations for implementation and process enhancements.

The Impact

Since the launch of the redesigned ESM website, there has been a remarkable transformation in site performance. Site stability is no longer a concern, even when their articles go viral, and page loading times have been reduced substantially.

Notable improvements in advertising delivery across the site have substantially enhanced targeting capabilities and greatly improved viewability metrics. This not only benefits their advertisers but also prioritises the consent and experience of site visitors. We are optimistic that these enhancements will further boost audience engagement and subsequently lead to increased advertising revenue for the ESM team.