Measuring What Matters in Retail Media

The world of retail media is experiencing a seismic shift as networks struggle to bridge the gap between traditional in-store marketing and digital advertising approaches. In this fascinating conversation with Paul Brenner (Global SVP of Retail Media and Partnerships at InStore Marketplace) and Steve Gray (Director of SG Retail UK), we explore the fundamental differences between US and European retail media evolution and why these differences matter. European retailers, gaining market share earlier than their American counterparts, developed in-store retail media networks from a position of strength, setting the agenda rather than following brand directives. Meanwhile, US retail media emerged primarily through digital channels first, creating a disconnect that persists today. This regional difference reveals a deeper organizational challenge: how to unite the measurement approaches of two worlds. "You"ve got one half of the business measuring one thing, even though they"ve got amazing data, but they"re applying a sales uplift mindset. And you"ve got the other half of the organization spending the big media dollars and they"re acting without much data, but they"re applying a different standard," explains Steve. The science of brand growth offers a potential unifying principle: brands only grow by acquiring new customers, requiring both mental availability (awareness) and physical availability (presence in-store). Retail media networks have the unique advantage of influencing both sides of this equation—something no other media channel can claim. As Paul notes, retail media networks must address this physical-digital transition through restructuring and rethinking their approach: "If they"re not there in three years, it"s really going to hurt them overall because there is no way a brand is going to say all my money"s going into a place where 10% of my product is sold." Discover why cost-per-shopper models might provide a transitional language to help brands move traditional trade spending to retail media, and why the coming years will likely see significant organizational changes as CPG companies work to integrate their shopper and retail media teams to maximize growth in this rapidly evolving landscape.