Inside SMG’s approach as the first truly connected commerce agency

The world of commerce media is moving fast. Blink and there’s a new Retail or Commerce Media Network being announced, another AdTech partnership, or yet another “must-have” platform. With so much noise, it’s easy to lose sight of the basics: how do retailers and brands actually build something that lasts?

That’s the question we’ve been working on for nearly two decades at SMG. Long before retail media became the industry’s buzzword, we were focused on the same thing we are today, helping partners turn media networks into profitable, shopper-first businesses.

But what does that actually look like in practice? Here’s the reality of how we work.

1. Consultancy: Providing the Roadmap 

A lot of our relationships start with consultancy. It’s where we roll up our sleeves and take a hard look at what’s really going on inside a business. 

Sometimes that means assessing the nuts and bolts—organizational design, revenue models, AdTech, first-party data. Other times it’s about spotting growth gaps across categories like beauty, travel, grocery, or entertainment. Our job is to figure out what’s working, what’s holding you back, and how to accelerate.

We’ve consulted on more than 100 projects in 10 global markets, and here’s something worth pointing out: not every consultancy turns into a long-term embedded partnership. And that’s intentional. If the best advice is to refine what you already have, that’s what we’ll tell you. If the right path is to scale quickly, we’ll show you how. It’s not about forcing a model, but rather, it’s about finding the one that fits your business goals.

2. Embedded Services: Our Bread and Butter

If consultancy is about building the blueprint, embedded services are about execution. This is the core of SMG: we place our expert teams directly inside a business to run the Commerce Media Network—at whatever scale makes sense.

That might be a handful of commerce specialists supporting a specific function, or it might be a full team running the network end-to-end. Either way, the goal is the same: build, operate, and grow a network that performs.

Here are a few numbers that bring this to life:

• $2.5 million traded daily across our networks
• $416 million delivered in incremental revenue to partners
• 7 Commerce Media Networks run globally, making us the first truly connected commerce agency

And the partnerships last. Walgreens Boots Alliance has been with us for more than four years, The Very Group for twelve, and Co-op for seven. On average, the networks we onboard double in size within two years. That’s proof of what happens when expert embedded teams and retailer ambition align.

3. Plan-Apps: The Tech That Keeps It All Together

Even the best strategy needs the right tools. That’s why we built Plan-Apps, our proprietary operating system for commerce media.

Plan-Apps was designed for one purpose: to make retail media work better for both retailers and brands. It gives retailers a clearer way to manage yield and orchestrate channels. It gives brands the closed-loop planning and measurement they’ve been asking for. And it gives everyone the transparency they need to trust the results.

Today, 8,000 users and 4,821 brands rely on Plan-Apps. It has data from more than two-dozen retailers. We’ve evaluated over $1.6 billion in media through the platform. But the real story isn’t the numbers—it’s the fact that Plan-Apps takes what can feel like chaos and makes it manageable. Campaign planning, activation, optimization, measurement—it’s all in one place.

Why SMG?

Here’s the honest answer: retail media isn’t one-size-fits-all, and neither are we.

At SMG, our people are at the heart of everything we do. Guided by our values—Stay Honest, Stay Hungry, Stay Foolish, and Have Fun—we empower our 500+ commerce media experts to think differently, lead with passion, and continuously grow. 

Staying hungry means we are ambitious and always seeking new opportunities to improve our offering for both clients and colleagues. Staying honest reflects our commitment to integrity and straight-talking, ensuring trust and transparency in every interaction. Staying foolish means embracing curiosity, challenging convention, and innovating boldly, just as we did when we pioneered the first shopper media planning and buying service for brands. 

And by making sure we have fun, we create a vibrant, welcoming culture where teamwork, celebration, and connection thrive. Together, these values shape a community where our people feel supported, inspired, and empowered to do their best work.

So, our experts have learned from running more than 10 networks across different verticals that no two retailers face the same set of challenges. Some need a reset on their proposition. Some need a new go-to-market strategy. Others need a team to run the whole thing. Our model flexes to fit.

And we’re not afraid to say where the industry is headed. In-store media is the next big unlock. True omnichannel execution—digital, in-store, onsite, offsite—is what will separate the winners from the rest. Creative storytelling, shopper-first thinking, and precision planning are what will keep networks profitable.

That’s why we’ve delivered more than half a billion dollars in incremental profitability for our partners. And it’s why we’ll keep pushing the industry forward, rather than waiting for the trends to catch up.

The Bottom Line

If you’re just starting out, we can help you find the right strategy.  If you’re scaling, we can embed a team to run your network.  If you need better tools, we’ve got the operating system.

That’s SMG in practice: consultancy, embedded services, and Plan-Apps. A mix of expertise, people, and tech that helps retailers and brands get more from commerce media.

The industry will keep evolving. SMG will keep building, testing, and growing alongside our partners. That’s how you create networks that last.

Ready to chat about how SMG can help you achieve your commerce media goals? 

Let’s Talk