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Target Media Solutions, Inc. and Connections announce merger to create family lifestage retail media marketplace.

We’re excited to share the press release below announcing our merger with Target Media Solutions.
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Target Media Solutions, Inc. and Connections announce merger to create family lifestage retail media marketplace.

The combined business represents some of the most-loved life- stage retailers, spanning bridal, pregnancy, young and growing families. This merger brings together two of the most established and respected players in the offline media, and in particular, the package insert sector into one united team harnessing many years of category experience, contacts and know how.

Richard Downey, SVP of Connections, says “We are beyond excited to announce this merger. We have been working with the TMS team for many years and have always admired their knowledge, tenacity, and helpful nature. Earlier in 2025, we started tentative conversations about joining forces, and those early conversations have led us to this fantastic conclusion. The whole Connections team looks forward to getting to know the TMS client and customer base, and we are honoured to get the chance to work with great people such as Ingrid Brown and Joe Fitzgerald.”

Connections is an Atlanta, Georgia-based business specializing in the management and monetization of retail media programs for companies such as Carters Inc., Shutterfly, and Saks OFF 5TH. The merger with TMS adds the retail programs of Similac, Petco, David's Bridal and many more to the united portfolio making the collection of programs the largest collection of Mom and family focused retail programs to be found in North America.

Joe Fitzgerald, EVP Operations & Business Development of Target Media Solutions, says, “We couldn't be more excited about our merger with Connections, another respected leader in the lifestage marketing space. This strategic union enhances our capabilities in insert media and allows us to leverage additional innovative ideas and cutting-edge technology.
Having collaborated closely over the past several years, it became clear that we are stronger together than as separate entities. By combining our advertiser and marketing program relationships, decades of industry expertise, and technological strengths, we are creating a more powerful, synergistic organization—one that will deliver even greater value to our clients.”

The merged agency, operating under the name Connections, is eager to engage with retail programs interested in generating significant incremental revenue by leveraging their e-commerce or digital inventory through complementary, non-competitive advertising partnerships.

Please reach out to Richard Downey at richarddowney@exactconnections.com 

Your Next Best Customer Already Shops DTC - Are You in the Box?

When someone buys from a direct-to-consumer brand, they’re not just making a purchase. They’re demonstrating behavior. Intent. Trust.

That’s the moment Connections helps brands capture - by placing offers and product samples inside ecommerce packages from over 50 premium retailers.

These high value consumers have already proven they’ll buy from brands beyond Amazon and Walmart. They’re opt-in, online-savvy, and ready to engage again.

By advertising in the packages of other DTC brands (Carters Inc., Shutterfly etc) you’re tapping into a network of high-value, high-intent buyers — in-home, distraction-free, and in the mindset to purchase.

It’s targeted. It’s scalable. And it’s built on data that ensures you’re not wasting media dollars on anonymous scrolls or unproven clicks.

If your brand is selling DTC, you should be advertising with other DTCs. Let’s talk about how we help make that happen.

Monetizing your audience post checkout

One of the most common and obvious third-party advertising relationships that retailers enter into is the post-checkout ad format.

This is often in the form of a pop-up ad unit that is served immediately after the customer has completed their online order. It is usually a selection of relevant and algorithmically selected advertiser offers.

These partnerships generate a significant amount of incremental revenue for the retailers that host them, and AdTech companies such as Rokt and Uptick are among the fastest-growing in the sector.

Retailers can block specific advertisers and/or verticals that they believe do not align with their audience, or are brands and categories with which they do not wish to partner.

If you are a retailer looking to take your first steps in the area of post-checkout monetization, or if you are a retailer already seeing the benefits of a partnership such as this and are looking for additional, complimentary, non competitive ad partnerships reach out to us here at Connections and we would love to answer any questions you may have.

Connections brings like-minded brands together in powerful ways. (And it’s science!)

Studies show that when brands team up, the impact is real:
✔️ Equity transfer elevates both partners
✔️ Strong brand fit drives stronger response
✔️ Advertising support boosts perceived value

Even emerging brands gain traction when paired with trusted household names. Advertising campaigns associated with high value brands consistently outperform solo efforts on recall, ROI, and consumer trust.

🔗 Meta-Analysis on Co-Branding Effectiveness, 2021 
🔗 State of the Art in Co-Branding Strategy, Baumgarth & Huber 
🔗 Co-Branding and Brand Equity: Park et al. 

At Connections, we turn research into results - leveraging trusted ecommerce packaging and digital extensions to deliver brand stories where they matter most: in the home. A few smart pairings? Huel reaching health-conscious families through Carters Inc. packages, and Naked Wines delighting stylish shoppers via Saks OFF 5TH packages. Strategic, seamless, and seriously effective.

Ready to partner up? Let’s connect.

PIP Series: Part 5: How to track and attribute your package insert campaign

PIP Series: Part 4: A full turnkey solution

As Connections continues its series of articles covering some of the most asked questions regarding how to set up a money-making package insert program (PIP) we turn to a subject that is just as important as the selling of the advertising campaigns themselves and that is the back end operations that go into ensuring that the campaigns happen as planned.

One of the understandable concerns is always around the fulfillment of these package insert campaigns once booked.

Obtaining full buy-in from the personnel in distribution centers (DCs) and warehouses is a crucial component that a successful PIP campaign cannot function without. With years of experience in setting up PIP projects from scratch, here are a few of our top tips:

1) Overcommunicate - Including the DCs in the process from the start enables an open dialogue where processes can be mutually agreed on and the success of the PIP can feel like a commonly owned objective. Not just something the DC staff have had foisted on them.

2) Introduce a collated envelope when required - As the PIP starts to grow in popularity, there will come a point where the number of loose inserts becomes too much for the DC team to handle. When this happens, Connections gathers all the inserts and collates them into a branded envelope, so the DC staff only have one item to insert at a time, rather than multiple items.

3) Get ongoing feedback - Advertisers need to know that their campaigns are running as planned. For them to be reassured—and to measure the response accurately—they need to know how many ads have been distributed and when the campaign is scheduled to end. Regular check-ins with the DC staff ensure that this information is always up to date and can be communicated in a timely manner.

Connections are a one-stop shop for all prospective PIP partners. From sales to logistics. From reporting to accounts. 

PIP Series: Part 3: How do you ensure that only the right brands make it into your package

One of the most common objectives that we have heard from prospective retail partners over the years has been a concern about the quality of advertisers that may be placed into their packages.

Minds immediately turn to direct mail campaigns and door-to-door advertising.

Undoubtedly, the e-commerce companies do not want their brand devalued or to run the risk of annoying their customers by partnering with brands or campaigns that do not accurately reflect the customer experience they want.

At Connections, we have a two-step process to ensure that no advertising campaign will ever make it into one of our PIPs without repeated sign-off by the ecommerce company.

Step 1 - As soon as our sales team starts a conversation with a prospective advertiser, we ask for approval from the retailer to continue the dialogue. If we don't receive that approval, the conversation with the prospective advertiser ends there.

Step 2 - Then, once the green light has been given for us to continue our conversation, there is a non-negotiable stipulation that the campaign creative has to be seen and cleared by the retailer before the campaign can be confirmed.

This simple two-step process ensures the type of complementary, non-competitive partnership that is a win-win for all parties.

If you are a retailer that has been nervous about accepting third-party advertising into your packages, get in touch, and we would be happy to help you generate meaningful incremental income straight away.

Carters 2024 Impact Report

Carter’s (@Carter's, Inc.) just released their 2024 Raise the Future impact report—and it’s a powerful reminder of what real brand purpose looks like in action:
🔗 Read the full report

At Connections, we’ve had the privilege of partnering with Carter’s for over six years. We’ve seen firsthand their commitment to families, communities, and sustainability.

The 2024 highlights speak volumes:
👕 99% of apparel meets OEKO-TEX® STANDARD 100—safe and free from harmful chemicals
📦 60%+ of packaging now made from recycled content
❤️ Nearly $35 million invested in families and children since 2021

PIP Series: Part 2: How much might a package insert program be worth to us?

Package Insert Programs (PIPs) are an extremely effective way to generate incremental revenue for your e-commerce business.
Working with a specialist PIP expert, such as Connections (US, Canada), will instantly generate additional revenue through complimentary, non-competitive advertising partnerships with well-known, trusted brands like HelloFresh, Chewy, Harry's, and many more.
As marketing budgets contract and many ecommerce businesses are being asked to do more with less, the introduction of meaningful incremental revenue from the launch of a well-managed PIP is a desirable option for all ecommerce businesses.

The packages are being sent out regardless of whether they contain revenue-generating advertising collateral or not. So, for no additional cost, e-commerce companies can start using this additional revenue stream to plug the hole that may have resulted from reduced marketing budgets.

One of the questions we get most often here at Connections is: How much money could I expect to generate if my e-commerce company were to launch a PIP?
The answer to that is one that nobody ever wants to hear! And that is 'it depends'.

 
It depends on the sector your ecommerce company operates in, the volume of packages your business sends out on a monthly, quarterly, and annual basis, the level of advertiser appetite for your audience, and, of course, the CPMs (cost per thousand) that Connections is able to obtain from advertisers.

However, Connections is always trying to help potential PIP partners to understand the 'size of the prize' and to that end we have developed a revenue calculator.

Simply follow this link https://exactconnections.com/tools-retail-revenue-calculator and input the information as requested. The calculator will then generate a ballpark figure for what your program could be worth.

 
Once you have done that and you are ready to talk, please feel free to get in touch. https://exactconnections.com/join-connections

We look forward to hearing from you soon.

Connections and Logistics

The Insert world is constantly evolving—just like the logistics industry. That’s why strong partnerships between Connections and logistics providers are essential to ensure the Insert program runs efficiently and reliably. Companies like FitzMark play a key role in this process, offering a full range of freight services, from LTL(less than truckload) to FTL (full truck load), to help meet the unique needs of advertisers. With the logistics landscape changing rapidly, staying up to date can be challenging—but it’s also where the right partners make all the difference.

Having someone with a logistics background on our team gives advertisers and clients a distinct advantage. Through tools like Dash for load tracking and advanced bar code programs, Connections can now offer full visibility from online or in-store purchase all the way to the customer’s doorstep. Advertisers can track their inserts from the moment they leave a distribution center, through placement by a distribution employee, to final delivery. This level of transparency has transformed the insert experience, giving both advertisers and customers real-time insights and confidence in every delivery.