Today’s retail media network landscape could be compared to the California gold rush of the 1800s. Google’s third-party cookie is finally crumbling, making gold out of the alternative first-party data as retailers chase audience insights.
The promise of wealth, or in this case, ad dollars, has the marketplace heating up with scads of retailers, from first-movers like Amazon to newcomers like Wawa convenience store — even to the unsuspected like Cars.com automotive company.
By the end of this year, retail media ad spend is expected to make up one-fifth of worldwide digital ad spend, scooping up $140 billion, which is up from the forecasted $115 billion in 2023, according to eMarketer.
Retail media is a growing space, no doubt.Especially as advertisers are eager to plug the holes Google’s third-party cookie deprecation is leaving behind. But that growth has led to fragmentation as agencies grapple with where to spend client ad dollars that’ll give the most bang for their buck.
“From where we sit as an agency, it’s certainly making our lives and our day-to-day work more exciting, more challenging,” said Ethan Goodman, evp of digital commerce at The Mars Agency.
In regards to the biggest players in the space, like Amazon Ads, Roundel (Target’s retail media business), Walmart Connect and Albertsons Media Collective, he said, “They have significantly improved and scaled their capabilities — their audience and targeting capabilities, their measurement capabilities. Really practically, they’ve improved their channel offering and the breadth of their channel capabilities.”
Digiday caught up with Goodman and other agency executives to talk about how the retail media competition is looking — and the players most on their radar.
01
Amazon Ads
Amazon Advertising launched in 2012, giving it a first-mover advantage in the space and making it almost synonymous with the concept of retail media. This year, Amazon is expected to hoover up 74% of the nearly $60 billion in U.S. digital retail media ad spend, according to eMarketer’s forecasts. Given its pure scale, Amazon could stand as an unexpected beneficiary of Google Chrome’s third-party cookie fallout once the dust settles.
As its business matures, the mammoth-sized company has made recent ad tech and artificial intelligence upgrades to enhance its offering as well as new inventory, selling ads on Prime Video to advertisers. This layers on top of its self-service ad solution through its owned streaming services like Freevee, Twitch and Thursday Night Football, and in-store advertising through Whole Foods Market and Amazon Fresh, making it a top contender for ad dollars.
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“A lot of our brand national dollars are spent across Amazon,” said an agency executive who spoke with Digiday and requested anonymity. The exec did not disclose spend figures. “As CPG becomes more important for Amazon and grocery becomes a bigger deal for them, whether that’s through Whole Foods or Amazon Fresh or other places, we’re going to see our CPG spend continue to increase.”
Beyond its sheer size (it touts an audience of more than 150 million), Amazon’s ad business is an ecosystem with data from Amazon DSP, Amazon Ads APIs and Amazon Marketing Cloud, offering marketers more granular audience insights. Amazon also opened its platform to developers and plug-ins for things like dashboards or other tools.
“They’re able to do closed loop attribution, whereby the performance of an impression served on Amazon Prime can be tracked back to what it ultimately helps drive at the Amazon.com level,” said Harry Inglis, head of activation at Media by Mother, Mother’s three-year-old media agency. “It’s hard to compete with.“
02
Walmart Connect
Another early entrant to the retail media competition, Walmart Connect, has moved recently to close the gap between it and Amazon. In February, Walmart announced plans to acquire smart TV manufacturer Vizio for $2.3 billion, bolstering its retail media offering by adding more streaming capabilities. In January, it set its sights on a TikTok integration, offering advertisers sales measurement data and access to the coveted Gen Z audience. Both of these events build on its partnership with Roku, announced in 2022, to bring shoppable ads to streaming. And it helps that Walmart has a massive physical presence with more than 4,600 locations in the U.S., shadowing Amazon’s 500 Whole Foods Markets.
Having launched back in 2017, Walmart Connect has spent the last year-and-a-half beefing up its advertising capabilities, including the Walmart Connect Academy Ad Certification program to educate agencies and brands on what it can do. Its latest move with Vizio, and now integration with TikTok, is intended to reach advertisers’ latest fascination: streaming and digital video.
“The more that they’re moving those digital solutions in-store, I think will be some of the growth,” the anonymous agency exec told Digiday.“[RMNs] already made partnerships and social, which was smart because that’s where people are spending a lot of their time. And then, now where? Now, it’s streaming?”
Spending on platforms outside of Amazon, like Walmart, Target and the like, is seeing double-digit growth this year. Notably, Walmart appears to be at the helm of said growth spurt, according to previous Digiday reporting.
03
Albertsons Media Collective
The U.S. Federal Trade Commission’s decision to block the Kroger-Albertsons merger last month may have put a wrench in growth plans, but Albertsons Media Collective is still one of the top contenders for retail media network spend — a tertiary challenger, behind the likes of Amazon, Walmart, Target and of course, Kroger, agency execs say.
It only launched back in 2022, but has sparked advertisers’ interest, noted as a more ambitious player in the space, listening to both needs and wants in the marketplace, per agency execs. Last January, Albertsons became the first advertiser to use LiveRamp and Pinterest’s clean room offering to tie offline sales to online behavior.
But perhaps most notably, the grocery chain has started aiming to tackle standardization and measurement issues, a pain point in an increasingly crowded and fragmented marketplace. And that’s what sets it apart, per agency execs.
“Albertsons actually came out publicly and are talking all about measurement and standardization,” said a second agency exec who wished to remain anonymous. “They’re really trying to set the standards, be the retailer that’s leaning into these standards.”
04
The Home Depot’s Retail Media+
In a sea of retail media networks, agency executives highlighted The Home Depot’s unique data as a keen proposition to advertisers. The retailer offers on-site and off-site ad placements and is able to create audiences around specific groups, including people who have recently moved, those who are redecorating, or setting up a business or any other life event. Each of these data points can win over a range of advertisers, whether it be internet providers or insurance companies.
The niche nature of The Home Depot, which launched its offering in 2019, gives it a competitive edge for some executives. Instead of identifiers like demographics or psychographic data, The Home Depot builds audiences based on home projects shoppers are doing — a data point not easily found within the retail media space, especially at that scale. Notably, the company has more than 2,300 stores across North America.
“Home Depot, they actually have something unique in the sense of they created the retail media plus network,” said the second agency exec. “From that capacity, they are trying to not only sell media to their suppliers, but ask their suppliers what they want.”
In a recent interview with Digiday, Melanie Babcock, vp of Retail Media+ and monetization at The Home Depot, said the company is looking to expand beyond endemic advertisers.
05
Instacart
Instacart exploded during the pandemic lockdown, when shoppers turned to the delivery service to shop at grocery stores and convenience stores without leaving the comfort of their home.
In a post-Covid world, agency execs wondered if Instacart would continue to thrive and if it would gobble up ad dollars via its retail media network, which launched in 2022.
“We were questioning whether it was true incrementality because a lot of what they were delivering was retailers that we already had agreements with. They were just the delivery platform at the time,” said the first agency executive. Thus far, they said, it’s held up.
This year, the company started looking at off-site retail media, pitching advertisers on Google Shopping ads, which are enhanced by its own retail media data. As Retail Dive recently reported in January, early advertisers for the move include Danone’s Oikos and Kraft Heinz’s Kraft.
That partnership has sparked advertisers’ interest as the company’s retail partners are making placements available on their shopping cart, an interesting proposition for consumer packaged goods brands, the exec said.
Other off-site efforts include a partnership with Roku last April, and ad targeting on Sprouts Farmers Market last May.
06
Kroger Precision Marketing
With seven years in the retail media network game, Kroger Precision Marketing (KPM) has made a name for itself, partnering with the likes of Cooler Screens, Meta, Pinterest, Roku, Snap, The Trade Desk and others.
Like Albertsons, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission’s decision to block the Kroger-Albertsons merger may have put a damper on growth. But with recent innovations, growth is expected to continue. The retailer has been steadily growing its ad offering, with efforts to marry online and offline sales data dating back to 2020.
Last November, KPM announced new programmatic capabilities with The Trade Desk. Last June, Kroger took its self-service ad platform in-house, giving advertisers access to the grocer’s product listing ads as well as display advertising.
“Kroger is one of the top offerings in the U.S.,” said the second agency executive.“We think the best data offerings to date. However, they are extremely conservative when it comes to making any type of decisions (innovations, legal, negotiations etc.).” Again, this is in comparison to retailers like Albertsons, which the agency exec says is more ambitious when it comes to responding to an ever-changing marketplace.
Kroger may have more red tape, but it has spent the last year-and-a-half shifting to a “mindset of collaboration,” according to the first agency executive.The retailer has also started to focus on things like standardization and measurement. All in all, Kroger is considered a top partner for the agency, who said Kroger’s offering is on par with Walmart.
07
Target’s Roundel
Target has been aiming to build a media business to rival Amazon since rebranding as Roundel in 2019. Seemingly, it’s making good on its promise, coming in at marketers’ third most-used retail media network, according to Digiday research, behind Amazon and Walmart.
Last October, Target announced that it was enhancing its Roundel retail media business with Roundel Media Studio, a self-service buying tool, premium programmatic publisher partners and experimenting with shoppable connected TV. Roundel has recently been focused on expanding both its onsite and offsite inventory, including new ad formats like shoppable CTV, according to The Mars Agency’s Retail Media Report Card, a quarterly assessment and comparison retail media platform comparison tool.
It all makes a compelling argument as far as advertisers are concerned. Meaning Roundel is considered one of the leaders in the retail media landscape, given the retailer’s capabilities around audiences, channels and measurement. “They are also notably ahead of the game when it comes to taking an integrated approach to media and merchandising, and creating both seamless omnichannel experiences for Target guests and holistic, added-value opportunities for brands/advertisers,” said a third agency exec, who spoke anonymously.
08
Wawa’s Goose Media Network
Wawa convenience store is the latest to throw its hat in the ring as a retail media network competitor. While having only launched weeks ago, agency executives say clients are already interested in its offerings, especially in its fuel pump screen inventory.
The convenience store partnered with Publicis Groupe’s Publicis Sapient, Epsilon, and CitrusAd for its offering, with custom ads and campaigns on digital channels like Wawa’s websites, mobile app or video ads at a Wawa pump — a selling point for advertisers looking for more ways to get in front of shoppers.
“In addition to allowing brands to reach their shoppers on their website and inside their mobile app, they’re also making some of their gas station screen inventory available,” said Goodman. “Some of those unique inventory opportunities are again, a potential point of differentiation for players like that.”
Other selling points are Wawa’s audience, which could be unique given it has a cult-like following, and its ability to close the loop from customers seeing an ad at the pump before going into the convenience store to make a purchase. Given, the convenience store chain is smaller with about 1,000 locations in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Florida. This year, the convenience store opened its first Georgia location.
“For a challenger like Wawa to go out to the brand marketplace and say, ‘I can uniquely reach this audience segment that you can’t reach through another retail media network,’ is a potential way in and is an advantage for them for sure,” per Goodman.
Sutherland House Experts is Empowering Quiet Experts through Compelling Nonfiction in a Changing Ideas Landscape
TORONTO, ON — Almost one year after its launch, Sutherland House Experts is reshaping the publishing industry with its innovative co-publishing model for “quiet experts.” This approach, where expert authors share both costs and profits with the publisher, is bridging the gap between expertise and public discourse. Helping to drive this transformation is Neil Seeman, a renowned author, educator, and entrepreneur.
“The book publishing world is evolving rapidly,” publisher Neil Seeman explains. “There’s a growing hunger for expert voices in public dialogue, but traditional channels often fall short. Sutherland House Experts provides a platform for ‘quiet experts’ to share their knowledge with the broader book-reading audience.”
The company’s roster boasts respected thought leaders whose books are already gaining major traction:
• V. Kumar Murty, a world-renowned mathematician, and past Fields Institute director, just published “The Science of Human Possibilities” under the new press. The book has been declared a 2024 “must-read” by The Next Big Ideas Club and is receiving widespread media attention across North America.
• Eldon Sprickerhoff, co-founder of cybersecurity firm eSentire, is seeing strong pre-orders for his upcoming book, “Committed: Startup Survival Tips and Uncommon Sense for First-Time Tech Founders.”
• Dr. Tony Sanfilippo, a respected cardiologist and professor of medicine at Queen’s University, is generating significant media interest with his forthcoming book, “The Doctors We Need: Imagining a New Path for Physician Recruitment, Training, and Support.”
Seeman, whose recent and acclaimed book, “Accelerated Minds,” explores the entrepreneurial mindset, brings a unique perspective to publishing. His experience as a Senior Fellow at the University of Toronto’s Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, and academic affiliations with The Fields Institute and Massey College, give him deep insight into the challenges faced by people he calls “quiet experts.”
“Our goal is to empower quiet, expert authors to become entrepreneurs of actionable ideas the world needs to hear,” Seeman states. “We are blending scholarly insight with market savvy to create accessible, impactful narratives for a global readership. Quiet experts are people with decades of experience in one or more fields who seek to translate their insights into compelling non-fiction for the world,” says Seeman.
This fall, Seeman is taking his insights to the classroom. He will teach the new course, “The Writer as Entrepreneur,” at the University of Toronto, offering aspiring authors practical tools to navigate the evolving book publishing landscape. To enroll in this new weekly night course starting Tuesday, October 1st, visit: https://learn.utoronto.ca/programs-courses/courses/4121-writer-entrepreneur
“The entrepreneurial ideas industry is changing rapidly,” Seeman notes. “Authors need new skills to thrive in this dynamic environment. My course and our publishing model provide those tools.”
About Neil Seeman: Neil Seeman is co-founder and publisher of Sutherland House Experts, an author, educator, entrepreneur, and mental health advocate. He holds appointments at the University of Toronto, The Fields Institute, and Massey College. His work spans entrepreneurship, public health, and innovative publishing models.
Hallmark launching a streaming service with two new original series, and Bill Skarsgård out for revenge in “Boy Kills World” are some of the new television, films, music and games headed to a device near you.
Also among the streaming offerings worth your time as selected by The Associated Press’ entertainment journalists: Alex Garland’s “Civil War” starring Kirsten Dunst, Natasha Rothwell’s heartfelt comedy for Hulu called “How to Die Alone” and Sylvester Stallone’s second season of “Tulsa King” debuts.
NEW MOVIES TO STREAM SEPT. 9-15
— Alex Garland’s “Civil War” is finally making its debut on MAX on Friday. The film stars Kirsten Dunst as a veteran photojournalist covering a violent war that’s divided America; She reluctantly allows an aspiring photographer, played by Cailee Spaeny, to tag along as she, an editor (Stephen McKinley Henderson) and a reporter (Wagner Moura) make the dangerous journey to Washington, D.C., to interview the president (Nick Offerman), a blustery, rising despot who has given himself a third term, taken to attacking his citizens and shut himself off from the press. In my review, I called it a bellowing and haunting experience; Smart and thought-provoking with great performances. It’s well worth a watch.
— Joey King stars in Netflix’s adaptation of Scott Westerfeld’s “Uglies,” about a future society in which everyone is required to have beautifying cosmetic surgery at age 16. Streaming on Friday, McG directed the film, in which King’s character inadvertently finds herself in the midst of an uprising against the status quo. “Outer Banks” star Chase Stokes plays King’s best friend.
— Bill Skarsgård is out for revenge against the woman (Famke Janssen) who killed his family in “Boy Kills World,” coming to Hulu on Friday. Moritz Mohr directed the ultra-violent film, of which Variety critic Owen Gleiberman wrote: “It’s a depraved vision, yet I got caught up in its kick-ass revenge-horror pizzazz, its disreputable commitment to what it was doing.”
— The year was 2006. Snow Patrol, the Northern Irish-Scottish alternative rock band, released an album, “Eyes Open,” producing the biggest hit of their career: “Chasing Cars.” A lot has happened in the time since — three, soon to be four quality full-length albums, to be exact. On Friday, the band will release “The Forest Is the Path,” their first new album in seven years. Anthemic pop-rock is the name of the game across songs of love and loss, like “All,”“The Beginning” and “This Is the Sound Of Your Voice.”
— For fans of raucous guitar music, Jordan Peele’s 2022 sci-fi thriller, “NOPE,” provided a surprising, if tiny, thrill. One of the leads, Emerald “Em” Haywood portrayed by Keke Palmer, rocks a Jesus Lizard shirt. (Also featured through the film: Rage Against the Machine, Wipers, Mr Bungle, Butthole Surfers and Earth band shirts.) The Austin noise rock band are a less than obvious pick, having been signed to the legendary Touch and Go Records and having stopped releasing new albums in 1998. That changes on Friday the 13th, when “Rack” arrives. And for those curious: The Jesus Lizard’s intensity never went away.
— Hallmark launched a streaming service called Hallmark+ on Tuesday with two new original series, the scripted drama “The Chicken Sisters” and unscripted series “Celebrations with Lacey Chabert.” If you’re a Hallmark holiday movies fan, you know Chabert. She’s starred in more than 30 of their films and many are holiday themed. Off camera, Chabert has a passion for throwing parties and entertaining. In “Celebrations,” deserving people are surprised with a bash in their honor — planned with Chabert’s help. “The Chicken Sisters” stars Schuyler Fisk, Wendie Malick and Lea Thompson in a show about employees at rival chicken restaurants in a small town. The eight-episode series is based on a novel of the same name.
— Natasha Rothwell of “Insecure” and “The White Lotus” fame created and stars in a new heartfelt comedy for Hulu called “How to Die Alone.” She plays Mel, a broke, go-along-to-get-along, single, airport employee who, after a near-death experience, makes the conscious decision to take risks and pursue her dreams. Rothwell has been working on the series for the past eight years and described it to The AP as “the most vulnerable piece of art I’ve ever put into the world.” Like Mel, Rothwell had to learn to bet on herself to make the show she wanted to make. “In the Venn diagram of me and Mel, there’s significant overlap,” said Rothwell. It premieres Friday on Hulu.
— Shailene Woodley, DeWanda Wise and Betty Gilpin star in a new drama for Starz called “Three Women,” about entrepreneur Sloane, homemaker Lina and student Maggie who are each stepping into their power and making life-changing decisions. They’re interviewed by a writer named Gia (Woodley.) The series is based on a 2019 best-selling book of the same name by Lisa Taddeo. “Three Women” premieres Friday on Starz.
— Sylvester Stallone’s second season of “Tulsa King” debuts Sunday on Paramount+. Stallone plays Dwight Manfredi, a mafia boss who was recently released from prison after serving 25 years. He’s sent to Tulsa to set up a new crime syndicate. The series is created by Taylor Sheridan of “Yellowstone” fame.
— One thing about the title of Focus Entertainment’s Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 — you know exactly what you’re in for. You are Demetrian Titus, a genetically enhanced brute sent into battle against the Tyranids, an insectoid species with an insatiable craving for human flesh. You have a rocket-powered suit of armor and an arsenal of ridiculous weapons like the “Chainsword,” the “Thunderhammer” and the “Melta Rifle,” so what could go wrong? Besides the squishy single-player mode, there are cooperative missions and six-vs.-six free-for-alls. You can suit up now on PlayStation 5, Xbox X/S or PC.
— Likewise, Wild Bastards isn’t exactly the kind of title that’s going to attract fans of, say, Animal Crossing. It’s another sci-fi shooter, but the protagonists are a gang of 13 varmints — aliens and androids included — who are on the run from the law. Each outlaw has a distinctive set of weapons and special powers: Sarge, for example, is a robot with horse genes, while Billy the Squid is … well, you get the idea. Australian studio Blue Manchu developed the 2019 cult hit Void Bastards, and this Wild-West-in-space spinoff has the same snarky humor and vibrant, neon-drenched cartoon look. Saddle up on PlayStation 5, Xbox X/S, Nintendo Switch or PC.
Former President Donald Trump is on the brink of a significant financial decision that could have far-reaching implications for both his personal wealth and the future of his fledgling social media company, Trump Media & Technology Group (TMTG). As the lockup period on his shares in TMTG, which owns Truth Social, nears its end, Trump could soon be free to sell his substantial stake in the company. However, the potential payday, which makes up a large portion of his net worth, comes with considerable risks for Trump and his supporters.
Trump’s stake in TMTG comprises nearly 59% of the company, amounting to 114,750,000 shares. As of now, this holding is valued at approximately $2.6 billion. These shares are currently under a lockup agreement, a common feature of initial public offerings (IPOs), designed to prevent company insiders from immediately selling their shares and potentially destabilizing the stock. The lockup, which began after TMTG’s merger with a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC), is set to expire on September 25, though it could end earlier if certain conditions are met.
Should Trump decide to sell his shares after the lockup expires, the market could respond in unpredictable ways. The sale of a substantial number of shares by a major stakeholder like Trump could flood the market, potentially driving down the stock price. Daniel Bradley, a finance professor at the University of South Florida, suggests that the market might react negatively to such a large sale, particularly if there aren’t enough buyers to absorb the supply. This could lead to a sharp decline in the stock’s value, impacting both Trump’s personal wealth and the company’s market standing.
Moreover, Trump’s involvement in Truth Social has been a key driver of investor interest. The platform, marketed as a free speech alternative to mainstream social media, has attracted a loyal user base largely due to Trump’s presence. If Trump were to sell his stake, it might signal a lack of confidence in the company, potentially shaking investor confidence and further depressing the stock price.
Trump’s decision is also influenced by his ongoing legal battles, which have already cost him over $100 million in legal fees. Selling his shares could provide a significant financial boost, helping him cover these mounting expenses. However, this move could also have political ramifications, especially as he continues his bid for the Republican nomination in the 2024 presidential race.
Trump Media’s success is closely tied to Trump’s political fortunes. The company’s stock has shown volatility in response to developments in the presidential race, with Trump’s chances of winning having a direct impact on the stock’s value. If Trump sells his stake, it could be interpreted as a lack of confidence in his own political future, potentially undermining both his campaign and the company’s prospects.
Truth Social, the flagship product of TMTG, has faced challenges in generating traffic and advertising revenue, especially compared to established social media giants like X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook. Despite this, the company’s valuation has remained high, fueled by investor speculation on Trump’s political future. If Trump remains in the race and manages to secure the presidency, the value of his shares could increase. Conversely, any missteps on the campaign trail could have the opposite effect, further destabilizing the stock.
As the lockup period comes to an end, Trump faces a critical decision that could shape the future of both his personal finances and Truth Social. Whether he chooses to hold onto his shares or cash out, the outcome will likely have significant consequences for the company, its investors, and Trump’s political aspirations.
