‘No longer just for retail’: Experts on retail media’s new frontiers

Leah Sallen, managing director of commerce media, VML: “One of the most exciting shifts in retail media is the rise of networks built by non-retail companies (travel platforms, food delivery apps and ride share services), capitalizing on years of rich first-party behavioral and transactional data. Companies such as Marriott, United and Uber are among those recognizing what retailers already have: a gold mine of data monetization. Where these companies stand out is their engagement with consumers at high-frequency, high-intent moments (booking a trip, ordering dinner, taking a flight), making them powerful environments for brands to influence decisions outside of traditional retailers. The evolution pushes the definition of retail media beyond just retail-owned properties, turning any data-rich consumer-facing platform into a media network. For brands, it’s a new kind of opportunity: access to premium first-party data and high-context placements, all while still driving conversion, whether that’s at shelf, in cart or online. The future of retail media isn’t just retail. It’s wherever the purchase journey starts.”

Bolu Akindoyin, chief operating officer, Miai+: “We’re seeing great potential in merging gaming IPs with retail experiences. In a project for a gaming client, we blended sneaker culture with gaming. To create an immersive retail environment, we executed shop window takeovers, point-of-sale (POS) activations, and gaming lounges. This increased dwell time and drove consumer sentiment and brand love. Retailers can look to similar activations to create deeper connections with consumers through immersive, interactive touchpoints that drive engagement. The future of retail media lies in creating these hybrid experiences that resonate with generations Z and Alpha, combining gaming, culture and retail in ways that go beyond traditional advertising and media.”

Bobby Stephens, principal, Deloitte Digital: “A critical (and frankly irresistible) opportunity in retail media networks (RMNs) is marrying first- and zero-party data from loyalty programs with targeted advertising. Imagine: your favorite store knows you love oat milk and, thanks to your loyalty data, serves you a buy-one-get-one-free offer right as you stroll past the dairy aisle or browse in that section on your app. It’s as if your shopping cart is reading your mind (but less creepy and more convenient). By syncing retail media with loyalty programs, retailers can serve up personalized deals that feel more like a wink than a sales pitch. This boosts conversions, keeps customers coming back, gives advertisers measurable ROI and delivers a better CPM.”

Claude Spasevski, senior vice-president, data and retail media, Equativ: “Shoppable video ads seamlessly link media and commerce, especially when extended to CTV. They turn storytelling into action by merging rich creative with real-time shopping, allowing viewers to move from inspiration to transaction instantly. It’s a fusion of high-impact video environments and first-party retail data, driving measurable results through immersive, closed-loop campaigns.”

Alice Beecroft, senior director, global strategy & partnerships, Yahoo: “Major loyalty schemes such as Nectar360 are already making their mark on the media landscape through RMNs. Now, more sector-specific outlets are starting to get in on the game. B&Q is a recent example that has started its own retail media offering. When it comes to creating more relevant ads for consumers, these more specialist shops have invaluable data, specifically when targeting specific groups. As more retailers enter this market, the aggregation of data will become essential for making the most of every insight for every transaction possible. Platforms that can aggregate data from various retail media sources and provide insights without intermingling retailer data will be the golden goose of adtech. With aggregation, smaller retailers can get greater value from their data without needing to compete in terms of scale with the major RMNs, while advertisers will gain access to a fuller market picture than before.”

David Fieldhouse, head of commerce UK, GroupM: “One of the most exciting innovations in retail media right now is the use of retailer first-party data for omnichannel campaigns via data clean rooms. These secure environments allow retailers, brands and agencies to safely analyze and activate shopper data without compromising consumer privacy, and to collaborate with client data within the same environment. By unlocking aggregated, anonymized data, clean rooms allow advertisers to deliver far more precise, personalized campaigns, breaking down siloes while staying compliant with privacy regulations.”

Chelsea Noronha, strategist, Social Chain: “Employee-generated content has quickly become a staple in retail social media, and it makes sense. Store teams often reflect the very audience brands want to reach, and many are already tapped into local scenes and subcultures. When they show off products, it feels more honest because people trust those who look and live like them. But as brands lean more heavily into it, a few risks are showing up. Featuring (and hiring) based on looks alone tends to produce samey content that lacks cut-through. And asking staff to act like creators (especially if they grow in influence) without added pay or recognition can become a route to resentment. The opportunity’s huge, but requires care. Content should feel proactive, not scripted – people doing what they genuinely do, not strictly following a brief. When brands get that balance right, employees become some of the most credible voices in the mix.”

Prateek Gupta, managing director, commerce and retail media, Omnicom Media Group UK: “A key opportunity is the expansion of off-site retail media, where retailer data and audiences power activation across the open web, CTV, and social platforms. This allows brands to reach audiences beyond retailers’ ecosystems while tying back to closed-loop sales outcomes. That’s a fundamental shift, turning retail media into a full-funnel engine, not just a lower-funnel tool. Equally exciting is the rapid evolution of in-store retail media. With the rise of digital screens and ads on handheld devices, physical retail is becoming a dynamic media environment. As LHF regulations tighten, brands will seek compliant, high-impact ways to remain visible. Expect a surge in innovation and focus on compliant, high-impact in-store placements. The biggest unlock will be connected commerce planning, where trade, shopper and digital budgets converge, while using the power of retail data for driving better outcomes across brand and performance.”

Dan Maguire, director, retail media, Gale: “Retailers will no longer be judged solely by what scans in their stores, but by how effectively their media drives incremental sales for national brands, wherever those sales happen. We’re already seeing loyalty ecosystems begin to blur across verticals. Sooner than you think, if I serve an ad for a beverage in a grocery app and you buy it at a convenience store, I’ll be able to measure that impact with precision, not directionally, but directly. As retail media evolves from an ad channel into a true commerce engine, we’ll see a rise in retailer-agnostic attribution frameworks and incrementality standards that mirror how programmatic media matured. Attribution is shifting from ‘Did it sell here?’ to ‘Did it sell because of us?’”

Fred Seddon, director, head of commerce center of excellence, Kepler: “The future of retail media is full-funnel and no longer just for retail. Amazon is leading the way by transforming its DSP into a true end-to-end platform, integrating branding and performance across Prime Video, Twitch, NFL, NBA, Native, and Display. For many of our clients, Amazon DSP is now our primary programmatic platform, thanks to its powerful proprietary audiences and expanded premium inventory access. This shift reflects a broader industry evolution: retail media is becoming just ‘media,’ as major players like Walmart (with Vizio) and others like Costco, Intuit and United Airlines expand their data into mainstream adtech. What once lived solely in the lower funnel is now driving brand and performance results across verticals, bringing efficiency, scale and measurement under one roof.”

Carli Feinstein, managing director, Craft & Commerce: “One of the most exciting shifts happening in retail media right now is the push to make in-store media programmatic. Retailers and third-party platforms alike are starting to introduce in-store media like screens, shelf tags, audio and even print into the same systems used to buy and optimize digital ads. That means brands can use real-time data and targeting to reach shoppers in the aisle with the same precision they’re used to online. For CPGs, especially, this is a big deal. In-store media has historically been locked up in rigid trade plans, disconnected from broader brand strategy. But now, we’re getting closer to true omnichannel planning, where retail and brand media work together, and campaigns stretch seamlessly across screens and stores. As more networks embrace this, the old lines between shopper, brand and performance media start to blur. That’s where things get really interesting.”

Chris Camacho, chief executive officer, Cheil UK: “An exciting near-term opportunity is the rise of in-store programmatic. We’re talking digital screens, shelf-edge displays and smart carts that serve dynamic, real-time creative, personalized by location, time of day or even weather. It is the missing link between online targeting and physical presence, turning bricks and mortar into a living, breathing media channel. With footfall data, loyalty insights and predictive AI, brands can finally optimise in the moment, not just post-campaign. This is not the death of the store. It is the reinvention of it, as a responsive, data-fuelled media environment where every square meter works harder.”

Sarah Lawson Johnston, managing director EMEA, Vudoo: “Off-site commerce is emerging as the next frontier, turning publisher and influencer content into shoppable surfaces. ‘Retail media’ no longer refers only to a retailer’s own channels, but is expanding into third-party ecosystems rapidly. This means shoppable campaigns are activating across various publishers, social platforms and creators’ content, meeting the consumer where they already spend time and attention and capturing intent in the given moment. This year, RMNs are reaching the limits of their own inventory, making off-site opportunities a priority. The focus is evident: turn every touchpoint into a point of purchase while extending influence and closing the loop.”