Enough about the ‘science.’ Let’s get to the ‘art’ of retail media

This is an excerpt from Spotlight, SMG’s monthly commerce media newsletter. To read the entire edition and to be notified when new editions are published, subscribe on LinkedIn. 

Hello, and welcome to Spotlight, the commerce media newsletter from the pioneers in connected commerce at SMG. I’m Samuel Knights, the CEO of SMG.

A bit about me: I joined SMG from Procter & Gamble more than a decade ago, in 2012. For the past five years, I’ve led SMG as CEO, overseeing our teams working in partnership with both retailers and brands in the U.K. and North America. It’s been an incredibly exciting time to be a first-mover in retail media and to watch the industry evolve so rapidly.

I’ve long talked about the “science” of retail media versus the “art.” Honestly, we may never fully resolve debates related to the science of retail media. Technology is always evolving, and those shifts will continue to affect the “how” of the industry.

But if we allow ourselves to think bigger, the conversation can move closer to something that’s long been close to my heart: the “what” of retail media. If retail media can drive brand metrics, why aren’t we talking about the art of it the way we do with traditional TV advertising?

People celebrate great TV creative because it moves emotions and builds brands. Yet, with retail media, we’ve built all the infrastructure to do the same, and we rarely discuss its power to emotionally connect with consumers.

The reality is, retail media has all the ingredients for brilliant customer experiences. You just have to put them together. You can reach consumers in a multi-channel, sensory way: show them a YouTube ad, address them on social media, target them with in-store messaging, give them a product to try, and follow up afterward.

It’s entirely possible to use retail media for top-of-funnel objectives, especially as traditional advertising formats decline in relevance. In this new world, how do brand marketers tell stories that truly reach customers? For most Retail Media Networks, first-party data is now table stakes. Everyone has it. The conversation must shift to how we use that data. That’s the art.

If you’re a brand, you might be thinking: “How do I find groups of consumers that need certain types of products?” Or, “How do I advertise to new demographics that I want to grow my business in?” Maybe: “I’ve got this message I want to use in my advertising, but how should I tell it?” That’s where creative targeting and seamless, cross-channel storytelling come in, leaving lasting impressions on audiences.

We’ve spent years discussing measurement, metrics, and technology. That’s important and will always be part of the equation. But it’s time to balance the science with more art, using retail media not just as a performance channel but as a genuine brand-building platform that creates unforgettable customer experiences.

Connect with Samuel Knights on LinkedIn!