Retail Media Breakfast Club

Epizodes

• Retail Media Is Mid? The Brutal Truth About Amazon, Walmart & the Future of Retail Media 04.06.2026 9min

  At Advertising Week New York, I had a surprising encounter that perfectly captured a growing sentiment in the advertising industry: that retail media is nothing more than a tax on brands. It’s a criticism I’ve heard more than once, and one that raises some important questions about where the industry stands today.In this episode, I unpack the strongest arguments both for and against retail media’s future. Drawing on insights from leading industry voices, I explore whether retail media’s reputation problem is justified, why Amazon’s dominance continues to shape perceptions, and what could happen if retailers fail to evolve beyond the same old playbook. Is retail media truly becoming 'mid,' or are we underestimating one of the most important transformations in modern advertising?This episode is sponsored by Mirakl AdsTimeline[00:00] My unexpected encounter at Advertising Week and the claim that retail media is “the scourge of the advertising world.”[01:15] Why some industry leaders believe Amazon is the only real winner in retail media, and what they're missing.[02:15] The bigger concern: retail media’s growing perception problem among both consumers and industry professionals.[03:36] Andrew Lipsman explains why non-Amazon and non-search retail media are already massive businesses with significant growth ahead.[05:54] Anne Hallock compares retail media’s current stage to the early days of programmatic advertising and explains why “clunky” doesn’t mean insignificant.[07:30] Anna Laura Zane discusses why retailer data, not sponsored product ads, is becoming the industry's most valuable asset.[08:30] The real risk facing retail media: retailers copying the same playbook without making meaningful investments in growth and innovation.Links & ResourcesThe Agentic AI Revolution is here. The competitive edge belongs to those who move faster than disruption itself. Join Mirakl Ads and myself in New York City for Outpace on June 10, 2026. Strategies, insights, and connections built for the era of agentic commerce. Save your spot.Subscribe to Andrew Lipsman's newsletter Media, Ads + CommerceFollow Anne Hallock, VP Americas at Mirakl Ads, on LinkedInFollow Ana Laura Zain, Chief Marketing Officer at MetaRouter, on LinkedInRead my related articles:Is Retail Media Actually Kinda 'Mid'?Is Retail Media Actually Kinda 'Mid'? PART 2Dark Search, Broken Signals, and What Comes Next for Retail MediaIn Atlanta? Join the Commerce Media Happy Hour on Wednesday June 17! RSVP hereI am sharing comedy skits on Instagram about retail media! Follow along: @retailmediabreakfastclubSubscribe to Retail Media Breakfast Club's daily newsletterFollow Kiri Masters on LinkedIn
• The Growth Demon Inside Retail Media: Why Profitability Will Define the Next Era (Demons Series Part 1 of 3) 03.06.2026 13min

  Retail media has spent years chasing top-line revenue growth, but what happens when growth alone is no longer enough? In this episode, I’m joined by Anne Hallock, VP Americas at Mirakl Ads, to kick off our three-part series, The Demons Inside Retail Media. Together, we unpack the first and perhaps most pressing challenge facing the industry today: the growth demon.We explore why retailers are beginning to scrutinize retail media profitability, how internal pressures are reshaping expectations for retail media networks, and why driving the broader retail business — not just ad revenue — has become the new benchmark for success. From Costco’s member-first approach, to Home Depot’s self-serve scaling strategy, this conversation reveals the realities that retail media leaders can no longer afford to ignore.This episode is sponsored by Mirakl AdsTimeline[00:00] Introducing The Demons Inside Retail Media series and the industry's biggest internal challenges.[02:00] Why top-line revenue growth can become a trap, and why profitability is emerging as the new scorecard.[03:25] Anne explains why profitability pressure is coming from inside the retailer, not from retail media teams themselves.[05:15] How consulting firms, budget shifts, and internal politics are changing retail media accountability.[06:45] Lessons from Costco: why retail media must strengthen the retailer’s core business flywheel.[09:45] The role of technology, automation, and self-serve platforms in building profitable retail media networks.[11:15] What Home Depot’s latest retail media investments reveal about the next phase of industry growth.Links & ResourcesThe Agentic AI Revolution is here. The competitive edge belongs to those who move faster than disruption itself. Join Mirakl Ads and myself in New York City for Outpace on June 10, 2026. Strategies, insights, and connections built for the era of agentic commerce. Save your spot.Follow Anne Hallock, VP Americas at Mirakl Ads, on LinkedInRead my related articles:Growth Beyond Amazon: Retail Media's Broader OpportunitiesLong-Tail Advertisers Are A Quiet Growth Engine For Top Performing RMNs'Brand Media Lowers the Tax You Pay on Growth,' says Gildan's Jason O'TooleIn Atlanta? Join the Commerce Media Happy Hour on Wednesday June 17! RSVP hereI am sharing comedy skits on Instagram about retail media! Follow along: @retailmediabreakfastclubSubscribe to Retail Media Breakfast Club's daily newsletterFollow Kiri Masters on LinkedIn
• AI Retail Media Buying: Are We Handing the Keys to the Bots Too Soon? 02.06.2026 6min

  I recently noticed something strange while selling items on Facebook Marketplace: automated buyers sending automated messages, met by my own automated seller responses. It got me thinking about a much bigger trend happening in retail media right now.In this episode, I unpack the rapid rise of objective-based, AI-driven retail media buying and share the results of a LinkedIn poll I ran to find out what advertisers really think about handing campaign decisions over to algorithms. While automation promises efficiency, many marketers are raising important questions about transparency, control, incrementality, and long-term brand building. Are we removing friction from advertising, or removing humans from the process altogether?This episode is sponsored by Mirakl AdsTimeline[00:00] The Facebook Marketplace experience that sparked a bigger question about automation[01:07] How objective-based, AI-driven retail media buying mirrors the "bots talking to bots" phenomenon[01:45] Results from my LinkedIn poll: what advertisers really think about AI-powered media buying[04:00] Why automation may struggle to drive true incrementality, according to commerce media leaders[04:40] Retailer bias, "ROAS jail," and the measurement challenges facing AI-driven ad platforms[05:15] The risk of optimizing for short-term performance at the expense of brand equity[06:00] The question I'm still wrestling with: are we removing friction, or removing ourselves?Links & ResourcesThe Agentic AI Revolution is here. The competitive edge belongs to those who move faster than disruption itself. Join Mirakl Ads and myself in New York City on June 10, 2026 for strategies, insights, and connections built for the era of agentic commerce. Save your spot.My AI-driven retail media buying LinkedIn pollFollow Corey Buller, Senior Director of Commerce Media at dentsu, on LinkedInFollow Evan Walsh, who heads partnerships at measurement firm Incremental, on LinkedInFollow James Tenser, longtime retail tech analyst & journalist, on LinkedInRead my related articles:AI Agents & The Evolving Path to Purchase: How Brands Must AdaptNo Eyes on the AdDoes 'Dark Search' Help or Harm Retail Media?In Atlanta? Join the Commerce Media Happy Hour on Wednesday June 17! RSVP hereI'm sharing comedy skits about retail media on Instagram! Follow along: @retailmediabreakfastclubSubscribe to Retail Media Breakfast Club's daily newsletterFollow Kiri Masters on LinkedIn
• Retail Media PR Secrets: What Actually Gets Coverage in 2026 (Please, Spill Some Tea) 01.06.2026 19min

  In this episode, I’m pulling back the curtain on what it’s actually like being on the receiving end of PR pitches in the retail media industry, and why most of them completely miss the mark. Inspired by a standout interaction with LoyaltyLion and PR pro Francesca Baker Brooker, I unpack what separates relationship-building from transactional pitching, and why “spilling some tea” is often the difference between getting ignored and becoming a trusted source.I also dive into how influence in media is shifting away from traditional gatekeepers toward niche newsletters, podcasts, LinkedIn creators, and independent analysts. From fragmented authority and psychographic tribes, to what vendors, retailers, and PR teams should actually be doing to build narratives that land, this episode is a candid look at the new communications playbook for retail media.This episode is sponsored by Mirakl AdsTimeline[00:00] – The LoyaltyLion pitch that actually worked, and why patience from PR pros matters more than persistence[02:30] – Why I’m sharing my honest perspective on being pitched by brands, retailers, and tech vendors[03:45] – How the media landscape is fragmenting, and why newsletters, podcasts, and LinkedIn creators are gaining influence[08:30] – My first rule for PR outreach: know your audience before you pitch[10:15] – “Spill some tea”: why executives who stick to talking points waste everyone’s time[13:00] – Why retailer store tours, media breakfasts, and thoughtful event experiences create lasting coverage opportunities[17:00] – My plea to research teams: stop commissioning generic retail media surveys and start using your actual platform dataLinks & ResourcesThe Agentic AI Revolution is here. The competitive edge belongs to those who move faster than disruption itself. Join Mirakl Ads and myself in New York City on June 10, 2026 for strategies, insights, and connections built for the era of agentic commerce. Save your spot.Follow Francesca Baker-Brooker, PR @ And So She Thinks, on LinkedInMy LoyaltyLion piece that Francesca helped facilitate: Loyalty as the Retail Media BackboneSemrush piece about LinkedIn content: We Analyzed 89K LinkedIn URLs Cited in AI Search: Here's What Drives VisibilityRead my related articles:Standing Room Only: What Shoptalk Attendees Wanted Most Wasn’t on the Main StageWriting From the Middle of the RoomApply For The Damn AwardIn Atlanta? Join the Commerce Media Happy Hour on Wednesday June 17! RSVP hereI'm sharing comedy skits on Instagram about retail media! Follow along: @retailmediabreakfastclubSubscribe to Retail Media Breakfast Club's daily newsletterFollow Kiri Masters on LinkedIn
• Transactional Commerce Inside Perplexity: Ashley Furniture’s AI Bet 28.05.2026 12min

  In this episode, I unpack one of the clearest real-world examples yet of how AI shopping is reshaping retail strategy. Ashley Furniture is officially experimenting with transactional commerce inside Perplexity, and their approach reveals how major retailers are thinking about AI discovery, customer behavior, and the future of shopping experiences.I break down key insights from Ashley Furniture’s SVP of E-commerce and Marketing, Nick Lezin, shared on an episode of Total Retail Talks, including why AI referral traffic matters even when it’s still small, why “content hygiene” suddenly became mission-critical, and how AI shopping is creating political momentum inside organizations to finally fix long-ignored catalog and customer experience problems. This isn’t a panic pivot: it’s a calculated early move with potentially massive long-term upside.This episode is sponsored by Mirakl AdsTimeline[00:00] Why I’ve been arguing that product discovery is moving upstream into AI tools [00:43] Ashley Furniture launches transactional commerce on Perplexity with PayPal and Stripe integration [01:30] Nick Lezin explains the exponential growth in AI referral traffic to Ashley Furniture [03:17] Why AI traffic may actually be undercounted because of “dark search” behavior [04:48] How AI shopping is forcing retailers to finally prioritize product catalog and content hygiene [06:23] Ashley  admits its product content has been too static, and why dynamic PDPs now matter more than ever [08:10] Why AI should be viewed as an amplifier for better retail operations, not a shortcut or crutch [10:40] My takeaway on why this Perplexity partnership represents a smart, low-risk experimentation strategy for retailersLinks & ResourcesListen to Nick Lezin's full appearance on Total Retail Talks: Inside Ashley's Plan to Launch AI Home ShoppingSubscribe to Total Retail Talks on Apple PodcastsFollow Nick Lezin, senior vice president of e-commerce and marketing at Ashley, on LinkedInFollow Joe Keenan, Total Retail Talks, Editor-in-Chief, on LinkedInRead my related articles:‘Dark Search’ Is Making AI-Facilitated Commerce Look Smaller Than It Really IsDoes 'Dark Search' Help or Harm Retail Media?Dark Search, Broken Signals, and What Comes Next for Retail MediaI am sharing comedy skits on Instagram about retail media! Follow along: @retailmediabreakfastclubSubscribe to Retail Media Breakfast Club's daily newsletterFollow Kiri Masters on LinkedIn
• Amazon Wants Your Store Open — But Keeps Its Own Closed to AI Agents 27.05.2026 8min

  Amazon has always operated in contradictions. And in this episode, I dissect comments made on Christine Russo's What Just Happened podcast made by Justin Honaman, AWS's global head of retail, consumer goods, and restaurants, to unpack one of the biggest contradictions emerging in the AI commerce era. On one hand, Amazon is encouraging retailers and brands to embrace “off-site search” and make themselves discoverable through AI agents like ChatGPT and Perplexity. On the other hand, Amazon is actively blocking outside shopping agents from accessing its own ecosystem while simultaneously sending its own Buy For Me agent onto everyone else’s storefronts.I break down the growing tension between agentic commerce, retail media, and platform control, including Amazon’s legal fight with Perplexity, the strategic implications of its DSP dominance, and why this all points to one core objective: owning the customer journey from discovery to checkout. I also explore why brands should pay far closer attention to Amazon’s actions than its public messaging as the next phase of commerce infrastructure takes shape.This episode is sponsored by Mirakl AdsTimeline[00:00] Amazon’s long history of contradictions between customer obsession and supplier impact [01:15] AWS discusses “off-site search” and why retailers are being told to optimize for AI discovery [02:18] The core contradiction: Amazon’s agents are allowed out, but outside agents are blocked from coming in [03:15] Breaking down Amazon’s lawsuit against Perplexity and the real debate around shopper permission [04:19] How Rufus and Alexa Shopping generated billions while Amazon blocks competing AI shopping agents [05:15] Why retail media is really the monetization layer sitting on top of shopper behavior [06:30] Google’s Universal Cart signals that commerce journeys no longer need to begin on Amazon [07:30] The key lesson for brands: watch what Amazon does, not what it saysLinks & ResourcesListen to the full Justin Honaman episode on Christine Russo's What Just Happened podcast: Justin Honaman, AWS: The Agentic Commerce Roadmap for RetailersSubscribe to What Just Happened on Apple PodcastsFollow Christine Russo on LinkedInFollow Justin Honaman on LinkedInRead my related articles:AI Agents & The Evolving Path to Purchase: How Brands Must AdaptNo Eyes on the AdDoes 'Dark Search' Help or Harm Retail Media?In Atlanta? Join the Commerce Media Happy Hour on Wednesday May 27! RSVP hereI'm sharing comedy skits about retail media on Instagram! Follow along: @retailmediabreakfastclubSubscribe to Retail Media Breakfast Club's daily newsletterFollow Kiri Masters on LinkedIn
• Why Loyalty Programs Are the Real Power Play as AI Reshapes Retail Media 26.05.2026 10min

  Recently I joined a retail media panel at Loyalty Connect in Atlanta, surrounded by the people who’ve spent decades building and evolving loyalty programs. What became crystal clear to me is that loyalty and retail media are no longer parallel industries: they’re fundamentally intertwined. In this episode, a recap of my article for The Drum, I unpack why loyalty data has become the backbone of modern retail media networks, powering audience creation, closed-loop measurement, and advertiser confidence at scale. From Kroger Precision Marketing and Costco to CVS and Marriott, I share the examples that prove the strongest retail media businesses are built on strong loyalty ecosystems.But the bigger shift is what happens next. As AI agents compress the shopping journey and consumers increasingly arrive at retailer websites already knowing what they want, many of today’s high-margin retail media ad surfaces are under threat. What survives? Loyalty. I explore why emotional drivers like status, belonging, and access may become retailers’ most defensible advantage in an AI-driven commerce environment. And why the future winners won’t just offer points and discounts, but experiences consumers genuinely care about.This episode is sponsored by Mirakl AdsTimeline[00:00] — Why loyalty and retail media are inseparable [01:18] — Kroger’s loyalty data advantage and retail KPI measurement [03:56] — Why measurement is the foundation of loyalty-powered media [04:30] — How AI shopping journeys threaten retail media revenue [05:18] — The emotional side of loyalty that AI can’t replicate [08:16] — Why AI agents may disrupt earning points, but not redemptionLinks & ResourcesRead my full article on The Drum: Loyalty data is becoming retail media’s strongest defenseRead my related articles:Why Agentic Shopping Poses an Existential Threat to Retail Media (Part 1)Agentic Shopping Poses an Existential Threat to Retail Media (Part 2)7 Ways to Break the Retail Media Doom LoopEMARKETER is teaming up again with Bain to survey retail media network leaders for a unique insight into the forces shaping the industry. The survey is intended for people working in-house on retail media teams, and it is global this year! The survey is also double-anonymized. The survey organizers will not know, nor are they trying to determine, which specific retail media network a respondent works for. The goal is to understand broader retail media trends, not attribute responses to individual companies. Please take the survey here. In Atlanta? Join the Commerce Media Happy Hour on Wednesday May 27! RSVP hereI'm sharing comedy skits on Instagram about retail media! Follow along: @retailmediabreakfastclubSubscribe to Retail Media Breakfast Club's daily newsletterFollow Kiri Masters on LinkedIn
• How Brands Are REALLY Using AI for Retail Media Automation 21.05.2026 8min

  At Xnurta’s Signal to Scale Summit this week, I heard some of the most practical conversations yet about how brands are actually using AI in retail media. Spark Foundry’s Kris McDermott summed up the mood perfectly: “We did AI. To what end? That is not a verb.” From Boiron managing 50,000 keywords with a two-person team, to AI-powered creative testing that drove a 29% sales lift, this episode explores where agentic workflows are delivering real operational value, and where they still require strong human oversight.I also break down why advanced practitioners are moving beyond ROAS as the primary metric, what Amazon Ads is building with MCP servers and Skills, and why Xnurta's new open-source AI evaluation framework could become critical infrastructure for the future of retail media automation. The biggest takeaway: AI can accelerate performance, but only when paired with clear goals, guardrails, and teams that still understand “the gears” behind the machine.This episode is sponsored by Mirakl AdsTimeline[00:00] — “We did AI. To what end?” and the real theme of the summit [01:18] — Boiron’s AI-powered retail media workflow managing 50,000 keywords [02:00] — AI image scoring drives a 29% sales increase [03:30] — Why ROAS alone is not the goal anymore [04:15] — The “automatic vs stick shift” analogy for AI media buying [06:04] — Xnurta launches open-source AI evaluation framework for retail mediaLinks & ResourcesIf you're interested in joining the Agentic Retail Media Council, Xnurta is recruiting members: sign up linkFind all the Signal to Scale 2026 speakers hereRead my related articles:No Incentive To Sound The AlarmDark Search, Broken Signals, and What Comes Next for Retail MediaWhy ROAS Refuses To DieAI in real life: how retailers and brands are leveraging AI (real numbers)EMARKETER is teaming up again with Bain to survey retail media network leaders for a unique insight into the forces shaping the industry. The survey is intended for people working in-house on retail media teams, and it is global this year! The survey is also double-anonymized. The survey organizers will not know, nor are they trying to determine, which specific retail media network a respondent works for. The goal is to understand broader retail media trends, not attribute responses to individual companies. Please take the survey here. In Atlanta? Join the Commerce Media Happy Hour on Wednesday May 27! RSVP hereI am sharing comedy skits on Instagram about retail media! Follow along: @retailmediabreakfastclubSubscribe to Retail Media Breakfast Club's daily newsletterFollow Kiri Masters on LinkedIn
• How Clorox Uses Data Clean Rooms to Unlock Powerful Personalization (AI Marketing Explained) 20.05.2026 11min

  In this episode, I share snippets of a recent episode of the Flywheel Commerce Collective podcast, and take you inside how Clorox has evolved its approach to data clean rooms. In short: an experimental investment just a few years ago has now become a foundational pillar of modern marketing. What’s changed? A lot. I break down how clean rooms are no longer just a “nice-to-have” piece of tech, but essential infrastructure powering personalization in a privacy-first world.I dig into real-world examples shared by Tiffany Tan, Head of eCommerce Growth Accelerator at Clorox, including how Clorox tailors messaging based on context, behavior, and intent rather than demographics. From back-to-college campaigns, to crisis-driven demand spikes, this episode explores how brands are finally getting closer to the “why” behind consumer behavior, and what that means for the future of retail media and AI-driven marketing.This episode is sponsored by Mirakl AdsTimeline[00:00] – Clorox’s early investment in clean rooms and the 2023 CES context[00:51] – Tiffany Tan’s recent insights and how the conversation has evolved[01:00] – Publicis acquires LiveRamp for $2.2B — why this validates the space[02:00] – Clean rooms reframed as a personalization enabler, not just technology[03:30] – Brita example: tailoring messaging for back-to-college moments[05:12] – Crisis scenario: lead in water and high-intent consumer behavior[08:15] – Measuring success: why personalization is cumulative over timeLinks & ResourcesListen to Tiffany Tan's full appearance on The Commerce Collective Podcast: How Clorox is building toward 1:1, personalized marketing in a multi-retailer worldSubscribe to The Commerce Collective Podcast on Apple PodcastsFollow Tiffany Tan, Head of eCommerce Growth Accelerator at The Clorox Company, on LinkedInFollow Emma Irwin, Brand Marketing Manager @ Flywheel & Host of The Commerce Collective Podcast, on LinkedInRead my related articles:LiveRamp's Acquisition: Three Hot Takes That Matter To Retail MediaWhoever Owns the Budget Determines What Retail Media Is Allowed to BeThe Retail Media Buffet Has Gotten A Lot Less EnticingEMARKETER is teaming up again with Bain to survey retail media network leaders for a unique insight into the forces shaping the industry. The survey is intended for people working in-house on retail media teams, and it is global this year! The survey is also double-anonymized. The survey organizers will not know, nor are they trying to determine, which specific retail media network a respondent works for. The goal is to understand broader retail media trends, not attribute responses to individual companies. Please take the survey here. In Atlanta? Join the Commerce Media Happy Hour on Wednesday May 20! RSVP hereI am sharing comedy skits on Instagram about retail media! Follow along: @retailmediabreakfastclubSubscribe to Retail Media Breakfast Club's daily newsletterFollow Kiri Masters on LinkedIn
• Publicis Buys LiveRamp: What It Means for Retail Media, Data Ownership & the Future of Identity 19.05.2026 9min

  I’m coming to you from an airport lounge (because business travel is always glamorous, right?) with the breaking news that I couldn’t ignore: Publicis has acquired LiveRamp in a multi-billion dollar deal. And it has major implications for retail media.In this episode, I unpack the biggest reactions from across the industry and what they really mean. From the bull case calling this the smartest deal of the decade, to serious concerns about neutrality, consolidation, and whether identity infrastructure can still be trusted: there’s a lot to digest. I also dig into the retailer-specific angle: are retail media networks truly owning their data, or just renting it? And why that question just became urgent.This episode is sponsored by Mirakl AdsTimeline[00:00] – Recording from Atlanta Airport + why this acquisition grabbed my attention [00:32] – Breaking down the $2.2–$2.5B Publicis–LiveRamp deal [01:00] – Reflections from RampUp: the role of data collaboration and RampID [02:10] – Top industry reactions: “smartest deal of the decade” vs. skepticism [03:15] – The neutrality problem: consolidation of identity under holding companies [05:00] – The retailer wake-up call: who really owns your customer data? [06:00] – Product debate: can LiveRamp evolve, or is the model fundamentally broken? [07:30] – What I’m watching next for retail media networks and data ownershipLinks & ResourcesMy full article on The Drum: LiveRamp’s new owner raises harder questions for retail mediaRead my related articles:Five Ad Servers, Four Takeaways, and One Thread That Tied RampUp Together"We're All Holding Our Breath"The ‘Costco Velocity’ Tech Stack Is Coming Together. Here's How the Pieces Fit.In Atlanta? Join the Commerce Media Happy Hour on Wednesday May 20! RSVP hereEMARKETER is teaming up again with Bain to survey retail media network leaders for a unique insight into the forces shaping the industry. The survey is intended for people working in-house on retail media teams, and it is global this year!Important to know that the survey is also double-anonymized. The survey organizers will not know, nor are they trying to determine, which specific retail media network a respondent works for. The goal is to understand broader retail media trends, not attribute responses to individual companies. Please take the survey here. I'm sharing comedy skits about retail media on Instagram! Follow along: @retailmediabreakfastclubSubscribe to Retail Media Breakfast Club's daily newsletterFollow Kiri Masters on LinkedIn
• Dollar General’s Retail Media Power Play: The Full-Stack Strategy Unlocking Brand Dollars 18.05.2026 8min

  Dollar General has been making serious waves in retail media. In this episode, I break down what’s really going on beneath the surface of their latest announcements. From AI-powered in-store audio to a fully unified on-site and off-site media buying solution, it might look like a story about better tech… but there’s a much bigger shift happening here.I dive into insights Kathryn Mazza shared on a recent episode of the Omni Talk Retail podcast that reveal the economic pressure forcing retail media networks to evolve. I also unpack why trade dollars are drying up, what it actually takes to win brand budgets, and why the sequencing of building a retail media network could make or break its future. If you want to understand where retail media is headed — and how Dollar General is positioning itself ahead of the curve — this one’s for you.This episode is sponsored by Mirakl AdsTimeline[00:00] – Dollar General’s back-to-back announcements and why they matter beyond the headlines [01:19] – The real problem: why retail media networks are running out of trade dollars [01:54] – The importance of full-funnel offerings to unlock brand marketing budgets [03:23] – Why shifting to brand dollars is no longer optional — it’s survival [04:30] – What agencies actually want (and why most RMNs fall short) [05:45] – The overlooked power of in-store media in a changing retail landscape [07:15] – The strategic sequencing behind building a profitable retail media networkLinks & ResourcesWatch the full Kathryn Mazza episode on Omni Talk Retail: ChatGPT Wants Your Ad Dollars, DG Goes Full Funnel & Audible Opens A Bookless BookstoreSubscribe to Omni Talk Retail hosted by Chris Walton: YouTube & Apple PodcastsFollow Kathryn Mazza, Chief Growth Officer US @ Barrows Connected Store, on LinkedInFollow Chris Walton, President & CEO @ Omni Talk, on LinkedInRead my related articles:How Can RMNs Tap Upper-Funnel Brand BudgetsThe Last Mile of America: Inside Austin Leonard's Plan For Dollar General Media NetworkManaging a Multi-Retailer RMN Stack: The Operational RealityI'm keynoting at Xnurta's Signal to Scale summit on Tuesday May 19 in Chicago. This is the room to be in if you work in retail media, care about what AI actually changes, and want to leave with something you can put to work. A full day focused on agentic AI, modern measurement, and the strategies the best teams are already building toward. Reserve your spot here.EMARKETER is teaming up again with Bain to survey retail media network leaders for a unique insight into the forces shaping the industry. The survey is intended for people working in-house on retail media teams, and it is global this year! The survey is also double-anonymized. The survey organizers will not know, nor are they trying to determine, which specific retail media network a respondent works for. The goal is to understand broader retail media trends, not attribute responses to individual companies. Please take the survey here. In Atlanta? Join the Commerce Media Happy Hour on Wednesday May 20! RSVP hereI'm sharing comedy skits on Instagram about retail media! Follow along: @retailmediabreakfastclubSubscribe to Retail Media Breakfast Club's daily newsletterFollow Kiri Masters on LinkedIn
• The Retail Media Illusion: Why Agentic Commerce Will Disrupt E-Commerce Sooner Than You Think 14.05.2026 11min

  Last week, I stepped onto the stage at the Digital Shelf Summit here in Atlanta for a debate that’s been heating up across the industry: is agentic commerce an existential threat to e-commerce traffic? I took the “yes” side — boldly — and in this episode, I’m unpacking my full rebuttal to the idea that this is all just hype.I walk through where I agree with the skeptics (because yes, some of the data has been overstated), but more importantly, where I think the industry is missing the point entirely. This isn’t about transaction share: it’s about where decisions are being made. If AI shifts the moment of product discovery and comparison upstream, what happens to the retail media model as we know it? Let’s dig into the real implications before we all get too comfortable.This episode is sponsored by Mirakl AdsTimeline[00:00] – Setting the stage: My debate at Digital Shelf Summit and why this topic matters now[01:25] – Breaking down the “agentic commerce is a hallucination” argument[03:15] – The critical flaw: Measuring transactions instead of decision-making moments[04:30] – Why retail media depends on consumer behavior that may be disappearing[06:30] – New data reveals a shift toward direct-to-product-page shopping[08:00] – The hidden trade-off: Higher conversion, fewer ad impressions[10:30] – My final takeaway: The real hallucination isn’t disruption, it’s thinking nothing will changeLinks & ResourcesAndrew Lipsman's guest post on The AI Ad Economy: An Agentic Commerce Reality CheckSubscribe to Debra Aho Williamson's newsletter The AI Ad EconomySubscribe to Andrew Lipsman's newsletter Media, Ads + CommerceCriteo's 2026 COMMERCE & AI TREND REPORTAdobe's Quarterly AI Traffic Report (April 2026)Read my related articles:No Incentive To Sound The AlarmDark Search, Broken Signals, and What Comes Next for Retail MediaThe 3 Ways Agentic Commerce Could Destroy Retail MediaAgentic Shopping Poses An Existential Threat To Retail Media (Part 2)OpenAI is killing Instant Checkout. Don't dance on the grave of agentic shopping yet (The Drum)Loyalty data is becoming retail media’s strongest defense (The Drum)Retailers, here’s how your media network can still thrive in an AI-shopping era (The Drum)I'm keynoting at Xnurta's Signal to Scale summit on May 19 in Chicago. This is the room to be in if you work in retail media, care about what AI actually changes, and want to leave with something you can put to work. A full day focused on agentic AI, modern measurement, and the strategies the best teams are already building toward. Reserve your spot here.EMARKETER is teaming up again with Bain to survey retail media network leaders for a unique insight into the forces shaping the industry. The survey is intended for people working in-house on retail media teams, and it is global this year! The survey is also double-anonymized. The survey organizers will not know, nor are they trying to determine, which specific retail media network a respondent works for. The goal is to understand broader retail media trends, not attribute responses to individual companies. Please take the survey here. In Atlanta? Join the Commerce Media Happy Hour on Wednesday May 20! RSVP hereI am sharing comedy skits on Instagram about retail media! Follow along: @retailmediabreakfastclubSubscribe to Retail Media Breakfast Club's daily newsletterFollow Kiri Masters on LinkedIn
• Predictive Commerce: Why Life-Stage Data Could Replace Retail Media’s Obsession with Transactions 13.05.2026 10min

  Most retail media networks are built to look backward. But what if the real opportunity is predicting what customers will do next? In this episode, a reprise of my recent article for The Drum, I dig into a fascinating new model that challenges the industry’s reliance on transaction data and closed-loop attribution.I’m unpacking my recent conversation with Marco Steinsieck, former head of Sephora’s media network and now GM of Backpack Media, an education-powered commerce media network built on Sallie’s ecosystem. I also play a snippet of Marco's recent appearance on The Middlemen podcast to explore how life-stage signals — like planning for college or making first financial decisions — might be a far more powerful indicator of future purchases than anything sitting in a transaction log. This one raises big questions about where commerce media is headed and whether the current playbook is already outdated.This episode is sponsored by Mirakl AdsTimeline[00:00] – Why most commerce media networks are stuck selling the past [00:30] – Marco Steinsieck's big idea: predicting future purchases, not past behavior [01:04] – Life-stage data vs. transaction data: why one is a leading indicator [02:00] – Inside Backpack Media and how education data powers predictive modeling [03:15] – Lessons from Sephora: building a high-performing media network without massive scale [04:00] – The privacy-first challenge of building media inside a financial institution [07:30] – Is this really “commerce media”? Rethinking the definition of the category [09:00] – Why predictive commerce is still unproven, and what needs to happen nextLinks & ResourcesMarco Steinsieck profile on The Drum: Meet the former Sephora exec betting commerce media can predict the futureMarco Steinsieck's full appearance on The Middlemen podcast: Beyond Transactions — Marco Steinsieck (Backpack Media)Subscribe to The Middlemen on YouTube and Apple PodcastsFollow Marco Steinsieck on LinkedInRead my related articles:Best Buy Wants To Become An Ad Platform, Not Just Another RMNSam's Club Cracked the Code on In-Store Retail Media—Here's How They Did ItRetailers Hit 99% Ad Coverage Without Killing User Experience, New Research ShowsI'm keynoting at Xnurta's Signal to Scale summit on May 19 in Chicago. This is the room to be in if you work in retail media, care about what AI actually changes, and want to leave with something you can put to work. A full day focused on agentic AI, modern measurement, and the strategies the best teams are already building toward. Reserve your spot here.EMARKETER is teaming up again with Bain to survey retail media network leaders for a unique insight into the forces shaping the industry. The survey is intended for people working in-house on retail media teams, and it is global this year! The survey is also double-anonymized. The survey organizers will not know, nor are they trying to determine, which specific retail media network a respondent works for. The goal is to understand broader retail media trends, not attribute responses to individual companies. Please take the survey here. In Atlanta? Join the Commerce Media Happy Hour on Wednesday May 20! RSVP hereI am sharing comedy skits on Instagram about retail media! Follow along: @retailmediabreakfastclubSubscribe to Retail Media Breakfast Club's daily newsletterFollow Kiri Masters on LinkedIn
• AI Is Quietly Breaking Retail Media — And No One Wants to Admit It 12.05.2026 9min

  Today I unpack a contrarian take that’s been sitting with me since my conversation with James Deaker on The Yield Doctor: what if the biggest threat to retail media is already here, but no one has the incentive to talk about it? I replay snippets from my convo with James, and dig into how AI-enabled commerce is reshaping the shopper journey long before customers ever land on a retailer’s site, and why that creates a structural risk for the entire retail media model.I also explore the uncomfortable truth about leadership incentives: why retail media executives may be disincentivized from sounding the alarm, even as behavioral data signals start to disappear and ad surfaces lose relevance. This isn’t about the death of retail media, but it is about a major reset. The question is: who’s actually preparing for it?This episode is sponsored by Mirakl AdsTimeline[00:00] - My opening take: why retail media leaders aren’t incentivized to sound the alarm on AI[00:50] - James Deaker on why retail media must prioritize advertiser relationships[01:26] - The fragility of endemic advertiser demand and why it matters[01:52] - The hidden assumption: shoppers still arrive with unformed intent[02:31] - The shift to AI-driven discovery before retailer interaction[02:45] - My contrarian answer: AI-enabled commerce as an underappreciated threat[03:27] - Real-world behavior change: using AI tools instead of retailer search[04:10] - Declining behavioral signals and shrinking ad surface engagement[05:07] - Why this signals a reset — not the end — of retail mediaLinks & ResourcesWatch the full replay of my appearance on The Yield Doctor: Maximum Yield: Kiri Masters on Growing Your Retail Media Bottom LineSubscribe to The Yield Doctor with James Deaker on YouTubeFollow James Deaker on LinkedInRead my related articles:'The Biggest Change in My Lifetime' — Marketecture CSO on AI ShoppingAI Is Claiming Browsing Behavior. Commerce Media Must Compete On Its Data AdvantageWhy AI Search Advertising Could Reach $25 Billion By 2029I'm keynoting at Xnurta's Signal to Scale summit on May 19 in Chicago. This is the room to be in if you work in retail media, care about what AI actually changes, and want to leave with something you can put to work. A full day focused on agentic AI, modern measurement, and the strategies the best teams are already building toward. Reserve your spot here.In Atlanta? Join the Commerce Media Happy Hour on Wednesday May 20! RSVP hereEMARKETER is teaming up again with Bain to survey retail media network leaders for a unique insight into the forces shaping the industry. The survey is intended for people working in-house on retail media teams, and it is global this year!Important to know that the survey is also double-anonymized. The survey organizers will not know, nor are they trying to determine, which specific retail media network a respondent works for. The goal is to understand broader retail media trends, not attribute responses to individual companies. Please take the survey here. I'm sharing comedy skits about retail media on Instagram! Follow along: @retailmediabreakfastclubSubscribe to Retail Media Breakfast Club's daily newsletterFollow Kiri Masters on LinkedIn
• Kroger’s Retail Media Playbook: Why Context Data Is the Future of Commerce Media 11.05.2026 12min

  A few weeks ago, Kroger Precision Marketing announced a major partnership with Google that allows brands to activate Kroger audiences directly inside YouTube and DV360 while tying campaign measurement back to actual Kroger sales. On the surface, this looks like another retail media expansion story. But in this episode, I share snippets of a recent LinkedIn Live, and unpack why it’s actually something much bigger.On the livestream I was joined by Christine Foster from Kroger Precision Marketing and Jon Flugstad from MetaRouter to explore the real competitive advantage emerging in commerce media: context. We discuss why retailer-owned shopper intelligence is becoming more valuable than rented identity solutions, how loyalty data changes the game for omnichannel measurement, and why the future winners in retail media won’t necessarily be the retailers with the most ad products, but the ones with the strongest infrastructureThis episode is sponsored by Mirakl AdsTimeline[00:00] Why Kroger’s Google partnership is really a story about shopper context, not just media activation [01:00] What retailers uniquely own that platforms and infrastructure companies can’t replicate [02:22] Christine Foster explains how Kroger’s 20+ years of loyalty data powers trusted audience intelligence [04:14] Jon Flugstad breaks down the fragmented retail media tech stack and why reconciliation is so difficult [05:30] Why retailer-owned context is becoming the “gold” of commerce media in the AI era [07:18] How Kroger designed its Google integration to give brands self-serve activation directly inside existing workflows [09:37] Why omnichannel visibility across online and in-store sales is the next evolution of retail media measurement [10:58] My biggest takeaway: the future winners in commerce media will be defined by infrastructure and context layers, not ad formatsLinks & ResourcesFull livestream replay: How Kroger Precision Marketing Is Plugging Into National Brand BudgetsFollow Christine Foster, Group VP @ Kroger Precision Marketing, on LinkedInFollow Jon Flugstad, Chief Business Officer @ MetaRouter, on LinkedInRead my related articles:How Kroger Is Cracking Into Brand Budgets With YouTubeManaging a Multi-Retailer RMN Stack: The Operational RealityAI Is Claiming Browsing Behavior. Commerce Media Must Compete On Its Data AdvantageI'm keynoting at Xnurta's Signal to Scale summit on May 19 in Chicago. This is the room to be in if you work in retail media, care about what AI actually changes, and want to leave with something you can put to work. A full day focused on agentic AI, modern measurement, and the strategies the best teams are already building toward. Reserve your spot here.In Atlanta? Join the Commerce Media Happy Hour on Wednesday May 20! RSVP hereI am sharing comedy skits on Instagram about retail media! Follow along: @retailmediabreakfastclubSubscribe to Retail Media Breakfast Club's daily newsletterFollow Kiri Masters on LinkedIn
• Retail Media’s Narrative Problem (And How to Fix It for Optimal Impact) 07.05.2026 9min

  Today I dive into a powerful idea that completely reframed how I think about retail media in relation to communicating narrative. After listening to a conversation featuring Joe Zappa on the AdTechGod Pod, I couldn’t ignore how directly his framework applies to our world. We’re not struggling with innovation: we’re struggling with storytelling.I unpack why so many retail media announcements fall flat, even when the products themselves are solid, and what’s missing from the way we communicate value. I explore how shifting from feature-first messaging to problem-first narratives can transform how brands, agencies, and the industry as a whole responds. Plus, I break down practical ways leaders can stand out: not by being louder, but by being clearer and more intentional with their voice.This episode is sponsored by Mirakl AdsTimeline[00:00] - Why I’m looking outside retail media to rethink how we tell our story[01:00] - The core problem: leading with features instead of fixing what’s broken[02:30] - Why most retail media announcements fail to answer “why should anyone care?”[03:30] - The real opportunity for executives: sharing learnings instead of self-promotion[05:15] - A simple 4-part framework for creating impactful LinkedIn content[07:30] - Why being present and opinionated beats being technically “different”[08:45] - The shift retail media needs: from “we launched” to “here’s the problem we solve”Links & ResourcesListen to the full AdTechGod Pod episode with Joe Zappa: Ep. 130 The Power Flip: Joe Zappa on Why Leaders Must Become the MediaSubscribe to the AdTechGod PodFollow Joe Zappa on LinkedInRead my related articles:Why RMNs Keep Their Tech Stacks SecretGet On The Damn StageApply For The Damn AwardTODAY (Thursday May 7) I'm hosting a LinkedIn Live event: How Kroger Precision Marketing Is Plugging Into National Brand Budgets ! Join me, Christine Foster (head of Kroger Precision Marketing) and Jon Flugstad (Metarouter) to hash out the details of Kroger's partnership with DV360 and how this development is a sign of maturity in the retail media ecosystem. Bring your questions, we'll be doing this LIVE [signup link]I'm keynoting at Xnurta's Signal to Scale summit on May 19 in Chicago. This is the room to be in if you work in retail media, care about what AI actually changes, and want to leave with something you can put to work. A full day focused on agentic AI, modern measurement, and the strategies the best teams are already building toward. Reserve your spot here.I am sharing comedy skits on Instagram about retail media! Follow along: @retailmediabreakfastclubSubscribe to Retail Media Breakfast Club's daily newsletterFollow Kiri Masters on LinkedIn
• I Need Your Help! Which Retail Media Trends Can’t You Ignore in 2026? 06.05.2026 9min

  Today, I’m doing something a little different. After attending Possible Miami and The Drum's Global Commerce Media Leaders Forum, my brain is overflowing, in the best way possible. I’ve got pages of notes, dozens of conversations swirling around, and one big question: which buzz-y trends actually matter most to you?So instead of pretending I’ve got all the answers, I’m opening this up. In this episode, I walk you through seven of the most pressing, debated, and under-the-radar topics in retail media right now — from agency misalignment to AI agents — and I want your take. Which of these deserve a deeper dive? Which ones are hype vs. a real opportunity? Let’s figure it out together.This episode is sponsored by Mirakl AdsTimeline[00:00] – Why my brain is overflowing after Possible Miami and why I’m asking for your input[01:20] – Why brands don’t want retail media as a line item anymore[02:28] – Objective-based buying: breakthrough solution or black box?[03:11] – The hidden impact of ad sales team compensation on retail media performance[04:00] – Untapped potential in email, SMS, and CRM as retail media channels[05:45] – Experiential retail media and the return of in-store human connection[06:52] – Data clean rooms and AI agents: real use cases vs. vendor hypeLinks & ResourcesRecap of the panel I hosted at The Drum's inaugural Global Commerce Leaders Forum: Bring the "Retail" back to Retail MediaRead my related articles:Best Buy Wants To Become An Ad Platform, Not Just Another RMNAgentic Commerce Is a Sequencing Problem, Not an Existential OneSam's Club Cracked the Code on In-Store Retail Media—Here's How They Did ItOn Thursday May 7 I am hosting a LinkedIn Live event: How Kroger Precision Marketing Is Plugging Into National Brand Budgets ! Join me, Christine Foster (head of Kroger Precision Marketing) and Jon Flugstad (Metarouter) to hash out the details of Kroger's partnership with DV360 and how this development is a sign of maturity in the retail media ecosystem. Bring your questions, we'll be doing this LIVE [sign up link]I'm keynoting at Xnurta's Signal to Scale summit on May 19 in Chicago. This is the room to be in if you work in retail media, care about what AI actually changes, and want to leave with something you can put to work. A full day focused on agentic AI, modern measurement, and the strategies the best teams are already building toward. Reserve your spot here.I am sharing comedy skits on Instagram about retail media! Follow along: @retailmediabreakfastclubSubscribe to Retail Media Breakfast Club's daily newsletterFollow Kiri Masters on LinkedIn
• Why iROAS Metrics Are So Inconsistent (And Why Debate Is Good For The Industry) 05.05.2026 7min

  Today I unpack the intense industry reaction to a piece of Albertsons Media Collective, Ovative Group, and Kellogg School of Management research that challenged how we measure iROAS in retail media. When a single campaign’s return can swing wildly — up to 6.5x — based purely on methodology, it raises some uncomfortable but necessary questions. I walk through the biggest critiques that surfaced from practitioners and academics, and why this debate matters more than ever for brands trying to make sense of their performance data.I also share how the authors of the study responded to the pushback, and what they didn’t address. More importantly, we get into what this all means for real-world advertisers, especially mid-market brands navigating opaque reporting standards. If you’ve ever questioned whether your campaign results are telling the full story, this episode will give you a fresh lens to evaluate retail media measurement.This episode is sponsored by Mirakl AdsTimeline[00:00] – Why controversial research is better than silence, and what sparked this debate[00:31] – The headline finding: iROAS can vary dramatically depending on measurement methodology[01:24] – Key critique: Are these methodologies even comparable in the first place?[02:07] – The BSTS debate: causal method or misapplied forecasting tool?[03:08] – A practical question: What are brands actually using iROAS for?[04:30] – The authors respond: what the study was, and wasn’t, designed to prove[05:39] – What mid-market brands should do next: pushing for transparency and better disclosureLinks & ResourcesThe white paper in question, titled iROAS Demystified, is a collaboration between Albertsons Media Collective, Ovative Group, and professors from Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management. My original article on the white paper: iROAS results can be easily gamed. But we shouldn't just throw it awayThe LinkedIn comment thread in which the research was fiercely debatedCheck out Prof. Koen Pauwels' Substack Amazon DaysRead my related articles:Why ROAS Refuses To DieRetail Media's Measurement Problem: It's Not Just the Retailers'Not 100% altruistic': ad measurement veteran on what retail media is really optimizing forOn Thursday May 7 I am hosting a LinkedIn Live event: How Kroger Precision Marketing Is Plugging Into National Brand Budgets ! Join me, Christine Foster (head of Kroger Precision Marketing) and Jon Flugstad (Metarouter) to hash out the details of Kroger's partnership with DV360 and how this development is a sign of maturity in the retail media ecosystem. Bring your questions, we'll be doing this LIVE.I'm keynoting at Xnurta's Signal to Scale summit on May 19 in Chicago. This is the room to be in if you work in retail media, care about what AI actually changes, and want to leave with something you can put to work. A full day focused on agentic AI, modern measurement, and the strategies the best teams are already building toward. Reserve your spot here.I'm sharing comedy skits on Instagram about retail media! Follow along: @retailmediabreakfastclubSubscribe to Retail Media Breakfast Club's daily newsletterFollow Kiri Masters on LinkedIn
• Bring the “Retail” Back to Retail Media: 4 Fixes Every RMN Needs Now 04.05.2026 9min

  Last week, I had the opportunity to moderate a powerhouse panel at the The Drum's inaugural Global Commerce Leaders Forum in Miami. And let me tell you, the insights that came out of our lightning round were too good not to share. I asked each expert a simple but loaded question: What’s one thing you’d fix in the next 12 months to make retail media networks more mature? The answers cut straight to the core of where this industry is headed.In this episode, I break down the most compelling takeaways. From why we need to reconnect retail media with its retail roots, to the urgent need for better collaboration, clearer measurement, and a long-term vision. If you’re building, buying, or scaling within retail media, this conversation will challenge how you think about growth and what really drives impact.This episode is sponsored by Mirakl AdsTimeline[00:00] – Setting the stage: Highlights from the Global Commerce Leaders Forum panel[01:05] – Why it’s time to “bring the retail back” to retail media[02:00] – How performance data is winning over merchants and driving adoption[03:30] – The industry’s biggest challenge: agreeing on measurement and “the math”[05:45] – Finding your North Star in a maturing and more competitive landscape[07:45] – Breaking down silos to unlock the next phase of retail media growthLinks & ResourcesContent from The Drum's 2026 Commerce Media Global Leaders’ ForumRead my related articles:Ace Hardware's RedVest Media: Notes From My Interview With Molly HjelmBrands Are From Mars, Retailers Are From VenusRetail Media's Measurement Problem: It's Not Just the RetailersOn Thursday May 7 I am hosting a LinkedIn Live event: How Kroger Precision Marketing Is Plugging Into National Brand Budgets ! Join me, Christine Foster (head of Kroger Precision Marketing) and Jon Flugstad (Metarouter) to hash out the details of Kroger's partnership with DV360 and how this development is a sign of maturity in the retail media ecosystem. Bring your questions, we'll be doing this LIVE.I'm keynoting at Xnurta's Signal to Scale summit on May 19 in Chicago. This is the room to be in if you work in retail media, care about what AI actually changes, and want to leave with something you can put to work. A full day focused on agentic AI, modern measurement, and the strategies the best teams are already building toward. Reserve your spot here.I am sharing comedy skits on Instagram about retail media! Follow along: @retailmediabreakfastclubSubscribe to Retail Media Breakfast Club's daily newsletterFollow Kiri Masters on LinkedIn
• Kroger x YouTube: The Retail Media Breakthrough That Could Unlock Billions in Brand Budgets 30.04.2026 9min

  I’m coming to you a little under the weather today, but this recap of my recent article for The Drum was too important not to share. In this episode, I break down Kroger’s new YouTube integration and why it could be a turning point for retail media networks trying to crack into elusive national brand budgets.I dig into what Kroger Precision Marketing actually built with Google’s DV360, why it matters for both measurement and media buying workflows, and how this move could finally align retail media with the expectations of brand marketers. If you’ve been wondering what it really takes to unlock CMO-level budgets, this episode connects the dots, and challenges the old playbooks many of us have been relying on.This episode is sponsored by Mirakl AdsTimeline[00:00] – I kick things off (slightly sick!) and introduce Kroger’s YouTube integration[01:00] – Why retail media networks are struggling to unlock brand budgets[01:30] – What Kroger’s DV360 integration actually enables for advertisers[02:15] – The three biggest barriers to brand budget adoption and how Kroger addresses them[03:00] – Why YouTube video changes the game for emotional brand storytelling[04:00] – The measurement breakthrough: SKU-level attribution and real-time optimization[06:00] – Why workflow simplicity (and fewer dashboards) is a bigger deal than you think[08:30] – What happens when online ads connect to in-store purchases (and why that’s the real test)Links & ResourcesMy article on The Drum: Kroger’s YouTube deal is the brand budget bridge retail media has been waiting forRead my related articles:iROAS results can be easily gamed. But we shouldn't just throw it awayThe ‘Costco Velocity’ Tech Stack Is Coming Together. Here's How the Pieces Fit.Brian Monahan's 'Bloody Obvious' Bets Are Shaking Up Albertsons Media CollectiveNEXT WEEK on Thursday May 7 I am hosting a LinkedIn Live event: How Kroger Precision Marketing Is Plugging Into National Brand Budgets ! Join me, Christine Foster (head of Kroger Precision Marketing) and Jon Flugstad (Metarouter) to hash out the details of Kroger's partnership with DV360 and how this development is a sign of maturity in the retail media ecosystem. Bring your questions, we'll be doing this LIVE. I launched an Instagram account with comedy skits about the retail media industry! Follow along: @retailmediabreakfastclubSubscribe to Retail Media Breakfast Club's daily newsletterFollow Kiri Masters on LinkedIn