Simon Property Group launches retail media network built on mall Wi-Fi data

September 3, 2026 · Digiday

Almost 4,000 digital screens across more than 200 Simon Property Group shopping centers now anchor Simon Media Network, a retail media network the mall operator launched last week. Simon, which posted $6.4 billion in consolidated revenue according to its annual report, said the network draws on visitation, transaction and consumer-engagement data gathered through its Simon+ loyalty program, the ShopSimon marketplace, other digital channels and third-party providers. Under separate terms of service, shoppers who connect to Wi-Fi at Simon properties consent to geolocation data collection that Simon says it uses for security, traffic counting and consent-based advertising linked to their location within a mall. "We have tremendous insight, consent-based, in terms of location behavior," said Jared Blechman, Simon's chief revenue officer, who oversees the company's media, advertising and experiential marketing efforts.

Campaigns placed through Simon Media Network can run across the on-site screen network, experiential activations in the centers, and off-platform channels such as connected TV, digital and social, all measured against a control group for incremental visits and transactions. Blechman calls it an audience intelligence product that lets brands identify shopper segments before a campaign starts and verify the business results afterward. Eric Lamb, svp of enterprise solutions at out-of-home ad tech company Vistar Media, said the move fits a wider pattern of mall operators, retailers and entertainment venues turning physical foot traffic into ad inventory, citing ICSC findings that 91% of consumers shopping for back-to-school this year expected to spend in physical stores, matching the 91% who reported in-store purchases during the last holiday season. Buyers in retail, financial services, travel and auto can use Simon's managed-service or self-service tools to plan against that audience and measure whether it drove business, on property or off.