Breaking down silos, working together, and putting commerce media at the core of customer experiences

How do we make retail media more additive to the customer experience? That’s the thought I was left with after The Commerce Media Stack, a Group Chat session I participated in during ADWEEK House at POSSIBLE. 

I joined leaders from across every corner of the industry: Lisa Valentino (Best Buy Ads), Lauren Weinberg (Supergoop!), Carolina Cespedes Virguez (GoGo squeeZ U.S.), Mark Grether (PayPal Ads), Anne Hallock (Mirakl Ads), Joshua John (Yahoo), Evan Moore (NBCUniversal), and Ryan Joe (Adweek).

For those who know me well, you’ll know I don’t believe retail media is simply about ad sales. It is so much more than that. At ADWEEK House, the conversation centred on how we break down silos to ensure that wherever a shopper is engaging, we’re creating something genuinely valuable, whether that’s in-store, online, or off-site (or a combination of all three). That means building experiences (retail entertainment, retail trial, real brand building) and not just ad placements.

And that’s where the opportunity lies.

As retailers and Retail Media Networks, this is one of the biggest areas we need to focus on. It’s also something I hope we’ll see much more of as commerce media matures. Because if retail media is going to continue its trajectory, it has to evolve beyond transactional thinking and into experience-led commerce.

Another major theme coming out of POSSIBLE this week is the need for stronger collaboration. That can take many forms: closer alignment between ad tech partners and commerce networks, deeper partnerships between retailers and advertisers, or simply better ways of working together across the ecosystem.

“With over 300 RMNs in the market, there is an opportunity to consolidate and create what we’ve called an ‘RMN of RMNs,’ said Lisa Valentino, President of Best Buy Ads. “If you just look at the partners on this group chat, we’re bigger than any version that’s out in the market. Even if we just did that collaboration right here in this room, we win.”

The reality is, retail media success has always depended on three parties: the retailer, the advertiser, and the shopper.

The retailer is responsible for creating brilliant campaigns. The advertiser is investing in them. But both only succeed if they are truly centred on the shopper. Without that focus, we don’t create standout campaigns. We don’t generate the flywheel effect that drives sustained investment. And most importantly, we don’t deliver the kind of experience that keeps customers coming back.

“We want all of those things to be broken down because consumers don’t know which channel you bought something on,” said Lauren Weinberg, CMO of Supergoop! “It’s about the message you want to say to them. For brands, it’s about knowing where we’re serving the most effective message to consumers.”

That’s why collaboration isn’t “nice to have,” but fundamental.

What’s been particularly encouraging is hearing a growing acknowledgment across the industry that this isn’t about walled gardens anymore. It’s not about operating in isolation. It’s about breaking down those barriers and bringing everyone together to deliver better, more effective commerce campaigns.

Because the industry is at an inflection point.

Brands are now well-versed in working with retail media networks. But with that familiarity comes higher expectations, and rightly so. They’re the ones investing the budgets, and they’re demanding more in return. More transparency in data. Greater depth in measurement. Clearer, KPI-driven outcomes.

And we’re starting to see the industry respond.

Whether it’s through the development of IAB standards, the emergence of network-style buying solutions that simplify access across multiple platforms, or moves toward more standardized measurement frameworks, progress is happening. But there’s still a long way to go.

No one has the silver bullet just yet. But evolution starts with integrating your commerce media organization closer in line with business goals. Without this synergy, networks fail.

“What you have to do instead is make sure that while you’re driving profitability, you’re also accelerating the flywheel of the core business,” said Mark Grether, SVP and General Manager, PayPal Ads. “For example, in our case at PayPal, whenever we run an advertising campaign on-site or off-site, it is an opportunity to mass-distribute the PayPal buy button. We’re helping to fuel the growth of the core business in addition to driving profitability.”

The direction is set. The conversations are happening. The pressure is building. And the industry is moving, collectively, toward a more connected, transparent, and effective future.

This is definitely a space to watch.