What: The evolution of retail media networks is driving brands to integrate traditional shopper marketing expertise with digital capabilities rather than treating them as separate disciplines.

Why it is important: The success of pre-planned television partnerships is creating new revenue streams and marketing opportunities for both entertainment platforms and luxury retailers.

The retail media landscape is undergoing a significant transformation as brands adapt to the growing complexity of consumer engagement. According to the IAB Australia report, 70% of retail media spend is being diverted from traditional advertising channels, while 30% comes from trade retail budgets. This shift is prompting organizations to restructure teams and bridge crucial knowledge gaps between retail veterans and digital specialists.

Companies like Tillamook County Creamery Association are maintaining separate budgets for trade funds and retail media, while others like Goodman Fielder are implementing integrated planning models. The evolution extends to team structures, with many organizations rebranding from 'retail marketing' to 'omnishopper' or 'omnichannel marketing' to reflect changing consumer behaviours. This transformation is particularly evident in measurement capabilities, with digital channels offering unprecedented tracking of sales performance compared to traditional shopper marketing activities.

IADS Notes: As observed in January 2025, retailers like Currys expanded their retail media offerings into physical stores, projecting 40 million annual impressions. This trend gained momentum in October 2024, when major retailers like Boots and Co-op enhanced their media networks to leverage customer data and improve brand engagement. By July 2024, industry research showed retail media networks could potentially double retailers' margins from 1.7% to 4.3%, while March 2024 data indicated retail media advertising was projected to reach USD 100 billion in the US market by 2027.

Retail media forces brands to rethink shopper marketing—not replace it