At the 2024 Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, I had the opportunity to lead a panel discussion that explored the evolving retail media landscape and how brands and retailers are harnessing Google’s AI-powered solutions to connect with today’s discerning shoppers. The panel, which included representatives from retailers and agencies, emphasized the increasing importance of creative and personalized experiences, as well as the challenges and opportunities that arise when building strong creative strategies to drive results.

The creative imperative in retail media

Our panelists acknowledged the pivotal role of data and technology in reaching the right audiences, but stressed that compelling creative is the linchpin for capturing attention, sparking engagement, and ultimately, influencing purchases. Retail media campaigns present unique creative challenges, such as balancing brand storytelling alongside product promotion and seamlessly integrating into the shopping experience.

The panel highlighted the vast creative opportunities offered by retail media. By leveraging rich consumer data and diverse ad formats, brands can craft personalized and relevant campaigns that resonate deeply with shoppers. Google’s AI-powered tools further amplify these creative opportunities, enabling marketers to generate, scale, and enhance creative assets, ultimately maximizing campaign impact.

Google’s commerce media solutions: Powering creative success

Google’s comprehensive suite of AI-powered commerce solutions is uniquely positioned to address the needs of both brands and retailers. By providing tools to generate and enhance creative assets, as well as new offsite retail media capabilities in Search Ads 360 (SA360), Google is empowering retailers and brands to collaborate more effectively and drive sales growth.

Key benefits of Google’s solutions include:

• Unparalleled scale. Reach billions of users across Google’s vast ecosystem, including YouTube, Gmail, and Google Maps, to connect with consumers throughout their shopping journey.
• Enhanced control. Gain transparency and control over campaigns with tools like SA360 and Display & Video 360, to enable data-driven decisions and optimization.
• Privacy-first approach. Ensure consumer privacy while still delivering personalized experiences and measurable results through solutions such as PAIR and Ads Data Hub for marketers.

The future of retail media and creativity

I’m optimistic about the future of retail media, where creativity continues to be a driving force. By embracing innovative formats, leveraging data-driven insights, and prioritizing consumer engagement, retailers and brands can unlock the full potential of retail media to drive growth and foster lasting connections with shoppers.

Google’s AI-powered commerce solutions are at the forefront of this evolution, empowering businesses to build lasting relationships with consumers while driving profitable growth in a privacy-safe environment.

—Shawn McGahee, Head of Retail Media, Google