Retail media: 5 of the industry’s biggest questions, answered

1. How can I effectively measure and prove the ROI of my retail media spend?

You want to make sure that your investment is driving incremental sales and not just capturing conversions that would have happened anyway. We get it.

Proving the ROI of retail media spend is messier than it should be, thanks to inconsistent metrics and attribution models across platforms. Each retailer uses its own methodology, which is often incompatible with external tools, so it’s hard to see true incremental lift or benchmark performance against other channels.

To fix this, you’ve got to take control of your own measurement story. Yes, retail media is fragmented. But with the right strategy and tech stack, it’s possible to create a unified view that reflects real-world outcomes and ROI. Start by defining what your own north star is, whether that’s sales lift, new-to-brand acquisition, or lifetime value, and build consistent benchmarking around that.

Push for unified measurement frameworks and prioritize incrementality testing – through geo-based experiments, audience holdouts or matched-market analysis – to isolate true media impact.

Closed-loop reporting is one of retail media’s big strengths, but not on its own. To really understand what’s working, brands need to plug into ‘clean rooms’ – spaces where retailer data can be matched with brand-side insights and third-party analytics. That’s when things start to make sense across platforms and you get a proper, joined-up view of performance.

2. Which retail media platforms should I prioritize?

Choosing which retail media platforms to prioritize is about finding the right fit for your audience, your objectives and your budget. Yes, the big players like Amazon Ads, Walmart Connect and Tesco Media get most of the headlines – and for good reason: they offer scale, data and built-in purchase intent. But chasing reach alone can be a trap.

Think beyond the giants. Category-specific platforms such as Boots Media Group or Ocado offer deep engagement with high-intent shoppers in niche but valuable environments. Meanwhile, partnerships with retailers that share your brand’s values or target demographics often deliver better ROI than broader buys.

The best retail media strategies are omnichannel, combining on-site placements with in-store activations, off-site programmatic, and loyalty data. But don’t spread yourself too thinly. A focused, test-and-learn approach on a few key platforms will teach you more (and waste less) than trying to cover everything at once. Prioritize platforms that give you transparency, strong reporting, and a clear link between spend and sales.

3. How do I balance brand versus performance marketing on retail media?

That’s the million-dollar question. The answer isn’t either, though: it’s both. Too many marketers splash the cash on upper-funnel video or double down on sponsored products to chase short-term sales. But the canniest players are building full-funnel strategies that work together, not in silos.

It’s not about splitting spend 50/50. It’s about designing a media mix where brand fuels performance and performance reinforces brand. Streaming video on Amazon or CTV via Walmart Connect can spark awareness with the exact audience primed to buy later. Follow that up with sponsored listings or dynamic display retargeting and you’re nudging shoppers down the funnel with intent.

The trick is to use the retailer’s first-party data to segment smartly. Combine it with your own CRM to create audiences that reflect real customer journeys, not just one-off transactions. Then test, learn and model what’s actually driving impact across the funnel.

4. What’s the best mix of ad formats and channels to achieve my goals?

What are you trying to achieve? If you're after awareness, lean into high-impact display, sponsored brand placements and streaming video where your brand can show up big and bold. Or want to drive conversions? Sponsored products, on-site search and dynamic retargeting are your go-tos. But the magic happens when you connect the two.

The smartest brands are layering formats across the journey: video or homepage takeovers to grab attention, mid-funnel display to keep interest warm and lower-funnel search ads to seal the deal. Add in off-site programmatic and you’re following the shopper wherever they go.

Don’t forget in-store, either. Digital screens, shelf media and loyalty-based targeting bring it all together. It’s not about being everywhere, just in the right places with the right message at the right time. And, as ever, test relentlessly and optimize ruthlessly.

5. How do I integrate retail media with my broader media and marketing strategy?

Take it as read that retail media shouldn’t be treated as a bolt-on channel any more. It’s a full-funnel force these days and is only set to get more powerful, with its rich cache of first-party data, closed-loop measurement and direct access to purchase moments. To make it work as part of the bigger picture, make sure it feels consistent to shoppers wherever they show up. So align your creative, messaging, and targeting across channels – from TikTok to Tesco.

And use the insights from retail platforms to inform broader planning: which audiences are converting? What products are trending? Feed that into your social, search and even your above-the-line campaigns. At the same time, use your brand campaigns to fuel upper-funnel momentum in retail environments.

Most importantly, ditch the siloed KPIs. Your shopper, media and brand teams should be working off the same playbook, with a shared view of what success looks like.

Explore more in our Retail Media for Drummies guide.