Retail · Concept
Woolworths WLiving: the customer at heart.
A strategic concept for Woolworths that connects loyalty, engagement, first-party data, retail media and commerce into one customer ecosystem, starting with the glass of its Tyger Valley flagship store.
- WRewards
- Retail media
- Transparent LED storefront
- Stores and online
- First-party data platform
- Woolworths LIFE
- Stores
- 500+
- Sales value from WRewards members (Woolworths' figure)
- 65%+
- Higher average basket value (Woolworths' figure)
- 30%
- Departments on the glass
- 9
The 65%+ and 30% figures are Woolworths' own statistics about its WRewards members. They are not Hello Brand results.
A campaign concept.
Chapter 1 of 8
The brief
Woolworths wanted to explore how to grow beyond products, stores and transactions by connecting the customer assets it already has into one source of value.
Who it is for. Woolworths customers and WRewards members, plus the suppliers and brand partners who want to reach them.
What Woolworths gets. More loyalty and revenue: supplier-funded media in store, online and in the app, a single permission-based view of the customer, and glass that works as a measurable media channel before the shopper walks through the door.
Woolworths already owns most of what a connected ecosystem needs. The opportunity is not to build new assets but to connect the ones it has.
- Client
- Woolworths Holdings
- Status
- Concept, 2026
- Hello Brand's role
- The engagement and intelligence layer
- Channels
- In store, online, the app and checkout
- First pilot
- The Tyger Valley flagship store, Cape Town
- On the glass
- Transparent LED film, up to 4,000 nits
Store, sales and basket figures supplied by Woolworths.
The idea
The infrastructure already exists. The shoppers already exist.
Frame a concept called WLiving: a single view of the customer that links loyalty, engagement, first-party data, retail media and commerce. WRewards drives participation; engagement adds meaning at every touchpoint; retail media lets brands reach shoppers in context; commerce turns that into baskets; and data turns every interaction into better decisions. The first step is the most visible one: bringing the store to the glass.
- One permission-based customer view
- Loyalty that engages, not only discounts
- Supplier-funded media that pays
- Intelligence that informs decisions
- Turn every pane of glass into a media asset
- Make every customer journey measurable
Chapter 2 of 8
The glass: an intelligent digital storefront
A pilot at the Tyger Valley flagship store, proposed as South Africa's first intelligent digital storefront: transparent LED on the glass shows what is inside the store, changes by time of day, day of week or season, and measures who stops to look.
On the glass, and in the hand
The window shows the season's collection while the store stays visible behind it; the app picks up the same shopper with rewards and offers.
From the mall to the aisle
The storefrontVinyl LED turns the glass into a dynamic digital canvas. 
The mall entranceThe shopper journey starts before the store. 
The aisleEvery surface becomes media; every journey becomes measurable.
Visualisations from the retail media proposal (May 2026).
Every department becomes a media channel
From the entrance to the checkout, each department's glass carries its own story: digital glass, retail storytelling, audience analytics and media inventory in one.
Visualisations from the concept: tailored content for every time of day, season and occasion.
The glass itself
- Transparent LED film
- P6.25, 1000 by 400 mm or 2000 by 200 mm panels, 3,000 to 4,000 nits
- Holographic mesh
- P6.25, 1500 by 250 mm or 2000 by 240 mm, 2,000 to 4,000 nits
- See-through
- More than 90% transmittance: daylight still comes in
- Light and thin
- 2.5 mm, about 5 kg a square metre
- Easy to install
- Self-adhesive, no steel frame: stick, connect power and signal
- Built to last
- V1 flame retardant, UV resistant for more than 8 years
- Always on
- 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, updated remotely
- Uptime
- 99.9%, cloud-managed content
Chapter 3 of 8
The shopper's journey, start to finish
From the glass outside the store to the next, more relevant offer: every shopper interaction becomes measurable.
Six steps
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Shop in store or onlineThe Woolworths app carries personalised offers, rewards, content and notifications wherever the shopper is.
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Engage with WRewards and offersMobile and in-store interaction, gamified challenges and bonus point multipliers make WRewards a reason to interact.
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See relevant brand contentSupplier-funded retail media reaches shoppers in context: digital screens, shelf-edge, sponsored placements and in-app offers.
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Buy and earnInstant value drives action, and rewards are redeemed in store, online or with a partner.
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Take part beyond the storeThe Fun Run, community events, competitions and experiences: customers shop once a week, but life happens every day.
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Return to more relevant experiencesEvery interaction feeds a cycle that captures engagement data, analyses behaviour and personalises the next offer.
Discover (in-store moments spark interest), engage (mobile and in-store interaction), reward (instant value drives action), redeem (in store, online or with a partner), repeat, and stay loyal for life. Touchpoints include QR activations, mobile engagement, smart rewards, gamified campaigns, seasonal experiences, family journeys, pet engagement, wellness participation, recipe journeys and community participation. Each one feeds a cycle to capture engagement data, analyse behaviour, personalise offers and optimise results, with frequency, retention, basket size and emotional loyalty all set to rise.
Chapter 4 of 8
WRewards: from loyalty programme to lifestyle participation
WRewards already contains tiered shopper structures. Hello Brand extends them into experiential unlocks, gamified participation, supplier-funded engagement, community experiences and measurable loyalty behaviour. By Woolworths' own figures, WRewards members contribute 65%+ of sales value.
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Entry experiences
Loyal
Welcome rewards, points acceleration, birthday treats and member-only offers.
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Premium engagement
Ambassador
Exclusive event access, partner rewards, early access to new, gamified challenges and bonus point multipliers.
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Exclusive access
VIP
VIP concierge, luxury experiences, private events, personalised rewards, priority access and higher earn and redeem.
Inside the app, screen by screen
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Join WLivingShoppers join their lifestyle channel: stay informed, stay inspired, stay in the Woolworths community.
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Life. Better. Every day.The home screen opens on points, offers picked for today, and one tap to scan a receipt, rewards and vouchers.
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Check in every dayA daily check-in earns points, every department sits one tap away, and boosts double the points on chosen products.
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Play to winDiscover today: a chance to win a R10 000 Woolworths gift card, then channels for healthy living, fashion, beauty, pets and tech.
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Climb the tiersBadges, challenges and vouchers show progress, and the more members engage, the more they unlock: Essential, Signature, Premier, Platinum.
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Points become valueWRewards shows the points balance as money to spend and the distance to the next tier.
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One profile for everythingPoints, vouchers, tickets and saved offers sit in one profile, with the next tier in view.
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The card in the walletAt the till, the WRewards member card is in the wallet, with the points balance and savings beside it.
App screens designed for the concept. Two tier ladders appear across the concept's versions (Loyal, Ambassador, VIP and Essential, Signature, Premier, Platinum).
Ways to play and earn
- Scan to win: scan in store for an instant chance to win
- Spin to win: spin the wheel for rewards
- Missions: buy three fresh salad items and earn bonus points
- Stamp collections: the coffee trail, six stamps for a free coffee
- Limited-time double points on wellness products
- Bonus rewards: spend over a set amount, earn bonus WRewards points
- Badges: Early Bird, Healthy Choices, Weekend Warrior, Pet Champion, Top Reviewer
- Reward unlocked: R100 off the next shop
- Watch and engage
- +10 to 50 points
- Click and explore
- +20 to 100 points
- Play and win
- +50 to 500 points
- Survey and feedback
- +20 to 100 points
- Share and refer
- +100 to 300 points
- Purchase and spend
- R1 = 1 point
Points through participation, as designed for the concept.
Chapter 5 of 8
Every part, in detail
Not a replacement for Woolworths systems but an additive layer on top of them, resting on a first-party data foundation that is secure, compliant, scalable and measurable.
One customer view
Connect every touchpoint into a single, permission-based picture of the customer. Hello Brand's role is an engagement and intelligence layer (content and experiences, gamification and rewards, community and events, personalised engagement, insights and intelligence) as the exclusive B2B and B2C engagement infrastructure partner for Woolworths, on top of the core ecosystem of stores, online, the app, WRewards, financial services, Absolute Pets and acquired businesses.
Shopper behaviour, basket insights, store interactions, digital engagement, transaction data and loyalty signals flow in; supplier partnerships, targeted campaigns, measurable outcomes, incremental revenue, stronger loyalty and deeper insights flow out.
Media that pays500+ stores
Supplier-funded retail media that reaches shoppers in context, in store, online and in app:
- In-store media: digital screens, shelf-edge, audio and in-store activations.
- Woolworths online: sponsored placements, banners, search and content hubs.
- Woolworths app: personalised offers, rewards, content and notifications.
- Checkout and commerce: offers at checkout, in-app purchase, and scan and go.
One platform across every Woolworths channel and 500+ stores nationwide: shopper-centric, measured in real time, easy for partners with simple activation and transparent reporting, privacy-safe and built to scale.
The glass, end to end99.9%
- Display technology: locally procured, imported and custom-made digital signage, built to specification.
- Content distribution: cloud-based software to manage, schedule and change content at the click of a button, securely hosted for 99.9% uptime.
- Content strategy: design principles, artwork and a team that publishes content across the network.
- Implementation and support: national installation, maintenance and technical support.
- Media planning and selling: packaging and selling space on foot traffic, target market and campaign objectives.
- Audience analytics: impressions, dwell time and engagement measured in the real world.
Intelligence that decides
In-store interactions, mobile app engagement, online behaviour, delivery and last-mile data, WRewards activity, campaign and content engagement, partner and supplier data, social and community participation, loyalty and transaction data, and customer service feedback generate participation trends, shopper preferences, seasonal behaviours, loyalty progression, category engagement, dwell analytics, campaign interaction and family lifestyle insights.
Intelligence dashboards and behavioural overlays (household lifecycle, purchase frequency, basket composition, seasonal and location intelligence, loyalty progression) turn that into smarter decisions, greater personalisation, stronger loyalty and new revenue streams: one of the most valuable first-party retail intelligence assets in Africa.
Chapter 6 of 8
Who it is for: we already know her
She trusts Woolworths with some of life's most important choices. But most of her day happens beyond the stores.
- Health conscious
- Family focused
- Digitally connected
- Time poor
- Experience driven
She values convenience, quality and brands that genuinely add value to her life.
Every aisle, a different mindset
The store is already segmented by audience: each department meets a different shopper, so each can carry different brand partners.
- Wellness
- Health-conscious shopper
- Kids cereal
- Family decision maker
- Coffee and tea
- Urban professional
- Ready meals
- Convenience shopper
- Beauty
- Affluent lifestyle consumer
- Plant-based
- Modern conscious consumer
Chapter 7 of 8
Woolworths LIFE: where the concept went next
By mid-2026 the idea had grown from retail media into Woolworths LIFE: a customer relationship platform that does not stop at the till. Relevance is the new reach.
Today's store ends at the till
The customer journey runs from the entrance through fresh food, fashion and beauty to the checkout. Then it stops.
Today's retail was designed for selling. Tomorrow's retail is designed for relationships. Woolworths already owns the most valuable asset: trust. The opportunity is not finding customers. It is knowing them better.
Imagine if every step created value
A seamless experience. Personal. Relevant. Rewarding.
- Welcome: personalised when you arrive
- Offers: relevant to you, right now
- Coffee: your favourites, one tap away
- Brands: discover, engage, be inspired
- Community: connect with what matters
- Events: exclusive access to experiences
- Rewards: earn as you shop
- Recipes: inspiration for every occasion
Mobile first, context aware, private and trusted: your data, your choice.
Customers shop once a week. Life happens every day.
The strongest customer relationships are not built through transactions. They are built through habits.
- Morning
- Fitness plan, breakfast ideas, a daily wellness goal
- Midday
- Lunch ideas, a rewards reminder, personalised offers, quick shop
- Afternoon
- Family planning, community news, events near you, click and collect
- Weekend
- The Fun Run, community events, competitions and experiences
Visualisations from the concept.
The participation engine
Most marketing creates awareness. WLiving creates participation.
- 1. Discover: customers find relevant content, ideas and opportunities.
- 2. Engage: they explore, learn and connect with what matters to them.
- 3. Participate: they join, share, review, complete, attend and contribute.
- 4. Earn: they receive value through rewards, benefits, recognition and exclusive access.
- 5. Belong: they become part of a community that understands them.
The most valuable customers are not the ones who watch. They are the ones who participate.
Every interaction creates intelligence. Data should not start after the purchase. It should start the moment someone arrives: shopping, browsing, scanning, coffee, events, rewards, till slips, competitions, recipes and the app all feed one customer view. First-party and permission-based, real time, POPIA compliant by design, and measurable.
Four levels of connection for brand partners
Start where you are. Scale as your ambitions grow. Every level includes verified shoppers, POPIA compliance and real-time insight.
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Discover
Lite
Introduce your brand: QR registration, a welcome experience, instant rewards, WRewards integration and challenges. For launches, sampling and seasonal campaigns.
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Engage
Advanced
Build participation: adds a digital passport, till-slip upload, leaderboards and a WhatsApp journey. For national campaigns and seasonal promotions.
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Connect
Professional
Create community: adds a loyalty wallet, membership, event access, CRM integration, reporting and first-party data ownership.
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Lead
Elite
Own the category: adds AI personalisation, category exclusivity and a national roll-out. For category leaders.
Chapter 8 of 8
What we proposed
WLiving as the connected ecosystem, with Hello Brand as its engagement and intelligence layer, and a first pilot that turns the Tyger Valley flagship's glass into measurable retail media. Start here, scale everywhere. This is a concept: no results yet.
Four steps to the pilot
- 1. Discovery workshop: align on objectives, opportunities and success measures.
- 2. Site assessment: identify the high-impact glass and its technical requirements.
- 3. Pilot plan: define the scope, timeline, commercial model and how it will be measured.
- 4. Launch and measure: deploy, activate and optimise for impact and return.
Start small. Prove value. Scale nationally.
- Phase 1 · Pilot stores
- Launch in six high-value Woolworths stores with premium audiences, in Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban.
- Phase 2 · Measure and optimise
- Prove shopper engagement, brand lift, sales uplift and advertiser demand, and optimise in real time.
- Phase 3 · Expand
- Grow through regional clusters, mall integration and category sponsorships into a national roll-out.
How it would be measured
Woolworths WLiving pilot dashboard
What it would measure
12 weeks, six pilot stores · sample
- Sample
186,420
Shopper behaviour
- Sample
6.8%
Engagement rates
- Sample
14
Brand participation
- Sample
+R46
Basket influence
Shoppers
- Sample
186,420
Shopper behaviour
Shoppers who stopped at the glass for three seconds or more
- Sample
6.8%
Engagement rates
Shoppers who stopped and then scanned, played or opened an offer: 12,677 in all
- Sample
+11.4%
Loyalty uplift
Visit frequency of WRewards members who took part, against members who did not
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| W1 | 11,240 |
| W2 | 24,100 |
| W3 | 38,015 |
| W4 | 52,645 |
| W5 | 67,915 |
| W6 | 83,755 |
| W7 | 99,870 |
| W8 | 116,360 |
| W9 | 133,280 |
| W10 | 150,660 |
| W11 | 168,270 |
| W12 | 186,420 |
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Beauty | 41,280 |
| Coffee and tea | 36,950 |
| Ready meals | 33,470 |
| Wellness | 29,615 |
| Plant-based | 24,860 |
| Kids cereal | 20,245 |
of shoppers who stopped went on to scan, play or open an offer
Brand partners
- Sample
14
Brand participation
Supplier brands that ran content on the glass and in the app
- Sample
9 of 14
Supplier appetite
Pilot brands that asked to book again after their first run
- Sample
86%
Campaign repeatability
Repeat runs that matched or beat their first run's engagement rate
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| W1 | 6 |
| W2 | 8 |
| W3 | 9 |
| W4 | 10 |
| W5 | 11 |
| W6 | 11 |
| W7 | 12 |
| W8 | 12 |
| W9 | 13 |
| W10 | 13 |
| W11 | 14 |
| W12 | 14 |
- Lite 6
- Advanced 4
- Professional 3
- Elite 1
of pilot brands asked to book again
Sales and attribution
- Sample
R148
CPM performance
Cost per thousand measured impressions in month 3, excl. VAT
- Sample
+R46
Basket influence
Higher average basket for shoppers who engaged with a brand offer
- Sample
72%
Measurable attribution
Offer redemptions matched to a WRewards member and a till receipt
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| M1 | R163 |
| M2 | R154 |
| M3 | R148 |
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Engaged with an offer | R512 |
| Did not engage | R466 |
- Member and receipt 72%
- Receipt only 19%
- Not matched 9%
Rand values excl. VAT. Figures tagged Sample are for illustration only: not results from this or any campaign.
Bringing the store to the glass, before the customer walks through the door.
Related work
Stories that used the same services, or worked in the same sector.
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PepsiCo
A proposed year-round retail-media pilot for PepsiCo's portfolio, built around a food-court screen at Tyger Valley with measurement and roving activations.
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Tyger Valley
A retail media network at Tyger Valley in Cape Town, launched in October 2026: large LED screens at the food court and Woolworths entrance, ten brands per loop.
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Pick n Pay
A proposed Pick n Pay Connect pilot that links football, rugby and Formula 1 sponsorships to scan-and-play games and verified purchases in store.
