The new editorial and events initiative celebrates commerce media throughout the month of January. As part of our focus on the sector, The Drum has launched the Commerce Media Awards, which are now open for entry.
The Drum has officially launched Commerce Media Month, a new annual content initiative dedicated to the commerce media industry.
It’s a sector experiencing rapid growth. According to WPP Media’s annual ad spend forecast (released last December), commerce media accounted for 15.6% of global ad spend in 2025, surpassing the budgets spent on linear and connected TV.
Retail media networks commanded the greatest share of the market, taking $174.2bn in 2025, with WPP projecting that figure will rise by 11.3% in 2026.
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Over the next month, The Drum will delve into what’s driving this shift. We have created a dedicated Commerce Media hub, positioned as an unmissable destination for commerce and retail media content. The hub will feature on The Drum’s homepage throughout January, bringing you exclusive interviews, features and podcasts on the sector, as well as columns from specialist contributors including Kiri Masters and Andrew Lipsman.
It will also bring you the latest news from key events in the Commerce Media calendar, including CES in Las Vegas and the National Retail Federation’s Big Retail Show in New York.
Masters and Lipsman have collaborated with The Drum’s editorial team to create the definitive Commerce Media Power List, which will celebrate the most influential people in the space today. It will be published on January 28.
Finally, The Drum has launched the Commerce Media Awards, which will shine a spotlight on brands, retailers and tech innovators.
The Awards are now open for entry, with the deadline for submissions set for February 25, 2026. Roger Dunn, Diageo’s global retail media lead, will chair an all-brand jury. Winners will be honored at an exclusive ceremony in Miami later this year and celebrated across The Drum’s global channels, reaching a worldwide marketing audience.
Find out more about the Awards and how to enter.