CPG-specialized Instacart Ads team
The Instacart Ads agency for CPG brands ready to scale.
Instacart Ads is a retail media network built for CPG, and most Instacart agencies only run Sponsored Products. Sequence runs the full Instacart Ads stack: Sponsored Products, Display, Brand Pages, Search & Browse, Coupons & Promos, and Caper Carts (Instacart's AI-powered smart-cart in-store format). Built for CPG brands including Heinz, Nestlé, Catelli, Liquid I.V., and Duracell. $500M+ in revenue managed.
What is Instacart Ads, and why does CPG specialization matter?
Instacart Ads is a retail media network built almost entirely for CPG brands. Roughly 90% of its ad spend comes from CPG, which is why category specialists outperform generalists.
Instacart Ads is Instacart's retail media network: the advertising platform that monetizes the Instacart Marketplace, Instacart-powered retailer storefronts (1,000+ retailer partners including Kroger, Costco, Sam's Club, Aldi, Wegmans, Publix, Sprouts, and most major US grocery chains), and in-store Caper Cart screens. A retail media network is ad inventory a retailer sells on its own shopping surfaces, targeted with its first-party purchase data. Roughly 90% of Instacart Ads spend comes from CPG — food, beverage, household, and personal care — which makes campaign structure, bid logic, and promo mechanics different from Amazon Ads and Walmart Connect.
The Instacart ad stack: Sponsored Products (keyword-targeted ads in search and browse), Display (banner placements on category and homepage), Brand Pages (custom landing pages for the brand on Instacart), Search & Browse (premium category-level placements), Coupons & Promos (price reduction promotions tied to Instacart+ members), and Caper Carts, Instacart's AI-powered in-store smart carts that carry ads on the cart screen while the shopper is in the aisle. Caper Carts is the underexploited wedge: most "Instacart agencies" haven't onboarded it yet.
Built for CPG brands already selling through grocery retail, either 1P (selling inventory directly to the retailer) or DSD (direct store delivery) and using Instacart Ads to convert shoppers online and in store. Sequence runs retail media programs for Heinz, Nestlé, Catelli, Liquid I.V., and Duracell. Sequence also holds Walmart Connect Partner Network, Target Plus Approved Partner, Roundel Retail Media Certified, and Amazon Ads Verified Partner status.
Instacart Ads vs. Amazon Ads vs. Walmart Connect: which is best for CPG brands?
Three retail media networks, three different shopper bases. Here is where Instacart wins for CPG brands, and why it belongs alongside Amazon and Walmart rather than in place of them.
| Dimension | Instacart Ads | Amazon Ads | Walmart Connect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Network size (annual ad revenue) | $3B+, +19% YoY | $56B (2024) | $3.4B+, +25% YoY |
| CPG category share of ad spend | ~90% (CPG-native) | ~25% | ~55% |
| Shopper context | Grocery basket (weekly trip) | Mixed (Prime + general) | Value + necessity |
| Retailer partner reach | 1,000+ retailers (Kroger, Costco, Aldi, more) | Amazon only | Walmart only |
| In-store advertising | Caper Carts (AI smart-cart) | None | In-store screens (4,600 stores) |
| Coupon / promo integration | Native digital coupons and promotions | Limited (Subscribe & Save) | Walmart+ promos |
| Typical Sponsored Products CPC | $0.40–$1.20 | $0.80–$3.00 | $0.30–$1.50 |
| Competition density | Lower (CPG-focused, less crowded) | 2M+ active sellers | ~150K sellers |
What are the six Instacart Ads formats?
Most agency pages cover Sponsored Products and stop. Here are all six formats Sequence operates, with the mechanics, CPC ranges, and best-fit CPG categories for each.
Sponsored Products
Keyword-targeted and auto-targeted ads in Instacart search results and on category browse pages. Typically 55% to 70% of Instacart Ads budgets.
Display Ads
Banner and rich media placements on the Instacart homepage, category pages, and shopper app. Targeting uses Instacart's first-party shopper data: purchase history, dietary preferences, and household composition.
Brand Pages
Custom landing pages on Instacart with featured products, brand story, recipe integrations, and promotions. Premium real estate for established CPG brands.
Search & Browse
Premium top-of-results placements for high-priority categories and tentpole moments (the Super Bowl, back-to-school, and holidays). Reserved category-level slots, sold via direct deals.
Coupons & Promos
Native digital coupons and price reduction promotions tied to Instacart shoppers' baskets. Coupons trigger on add-to-cart, abandoned-cart, or repeat-purchase signals. The CPG promotional workhorse.
Caper Carts
Instacart's AI-powered smart shopping carts deployed in select retail partners. Brands advertise on the cart screen while the shopper is in the aisle. Caper surfaces promotions, recipe pairings, and category recommendations based on what is already in the cart.
What does Sequence's Instacart Ads management include?
Nine services. One team. One invoice. Everything needed to run Instacart Ads end to end, from Sponsored Products to Caper Carts to attribution that ties results back to Amazon and Walmart.
Instacart Sponsored Products Management
Keyword research, campaign architecture, bid optimization, budget pacing, negative keyword harvesting, and search term mining. We build the structure in week one, optimize weekly, and scale monthly. CPG category nuance baked into the strategy layer.
- Keyword harvesting from Instacart search terms + category competitor analysis
- Campaign structure: branded / non-branded / category / seasonal / competitor
- Bid and budget optimization in Pacvue, Skai, or Instacart Ads Manager
- Negative keyword harvesting weekly to protect spend efficiency
- SKU velocity-aware budget allocation across the portfolio
Display + Brand Pages
Banner placements, rich media, custom brand pages with featured SKUs, recipes, and promotions. CPG-native creative.
Display · Brand PagesCaper Carts Campaigns
In-store smart-cart advertising for impulse categories, complementary cross-sell, and recipe pairings.
In-Store · CaperCoupons + Promos
Native Instacart digital coupons, price reduction campaigns, trial offers, and repeat-purchase incentives.
Coupons · PromosCatalog + Listing Optimization
Instacart-specific image specs, copy, attributes, recipe tags, and dietary flags. Built for the Instacart search algorithm.
Catalog · SEOCross-Retailer Expansion (Connected Stores)
Optimize visibility across Instacart's retailer partners: Kroger, Costco, Aldi, Wegmans, Publix, and Sprouts. Different shopper bases, different bid strategies. We architect campaigns per retailer cluster.
Kroger · Costco · AldiCross-Channel Attribution
Instacart + Amazon + Walmart Connect + Target Roundel unified. See how Instacart Ads drives Amazon Subscribe & Save halo and category brand search lift. AMC bridge + Instacart Ads measurement.
Instacart + AMC + RoundelPerformance Reporting + QBRs
Executive dashboards across all six Instacart Ad formats. Weekly metrics, monthly deep-dives, quarterly business reviews (QBRs) on full multichannel ROAS, not Instacart-only performance.
QBR · DashboardsAI-Search Discovery for CPG
A growing share of CPG shoppers start product research on ChatGPT and Perplexity, with queries like "best organic snack for kids," "healthiest peanut butter brand," and "gluten-free pasta comparison." We optimize your brand to be cited in these answers so your brand appears in those answers before the shopper opens Instacart. Same team also runs your Instacart Ads and Caper Carts placement.
AI Search · AIO · GEOInstacart Ads case studies: CPG brands Sequence has scaled
Work across beverage, hardlines, and sporting goods.
Liquid I.V. (Unilever)
Instacart Ads expansion strategy across the $100M beverage portfolio. Sponsored Products + Display + Coupon stacking for the hydration category — including Connected Store optimization across Kroger, Sprouts, and Wegmans for differential bidding.
Duracell Batteries
Cross-marketplace activation including Instacart Sponsored Products for the battery category — strict MAP enforcement, repeat-purchase coupon stacking, and in-store Caper Carts pilot. 98% MAP (minimum advertised price) compliance maintained through year one.
Callaway Golf
Cross-marketplace media architecture spanning Instacart's sporting goods category, plus the rest of the channel mix. Top 10 SKU strategy with category-specific bidding and seasonal promo stacking.
How does a Sequence Instacart Ads engagement work?
The same pattern as every Sequence engagement, adapted for Instacart's ad format mix and retailer-cluster bidding.
Audit
Full Instacart Ads account audit: campaign structure, keyword coverage, format mix (Caper Carts and Brand Pages coverage), retailer-cluster bidding, and cross-channel attribution gap analysis. Free, no pitch.
Plan
90-day integrated roadmap: campaign architecture rebuild, format mix expansion (Display + Brand Pages + Caper), retailer-cluster bid strategy, coupon stacking plan, and attribution stack setup.
Activate
We restructure Sponsored Products, launch Display and Brand Pages, stack coupons, and onboard Caper Carts for impulse categories. One weekly dashboard across Instacart, Amazon, and Walmart from day 30.
Compound
Weekly bid + budget optimization, creative refresh every two weeks, monthly retailer-cluster performance review, quarterly business reviews on full multichannel ROAS. Performance improves as cross-channel data accumulates.
Instacart Ads FAQ
What is an Instacart Ads agency?
What is Instacart Ads?
Is Sequence an Instacart Ads partner?
What ad formats does Instacart Ads offer?
What are Caper Carts and how do brands advertise on them?
How is Instacart Ads different from Amazon Ads or Walmart Connect?
What's the typical Instacart Sponsored Products CPC?
Can Sequence work alongside my existing Amazon or Walmart agency on just Instacart?
Does Sequence handle Instacart 1P vendor relationships?
Ready to run the full Instacart Ads stack?
Free Instacart Ads audit. We'll show you exactly which formats you're missing, where Caper Carts could add basket lift, and what cross-channel attribution changes about your numbers.
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