Here’s how ad buyers ranked the retail media networks of 11 major retailers—Amazon, Best Buy, Costco Wholesale, eBay, The Home Depot, Instacart, Kroger, Macy’s, Target, Walmart, and Wayfair—according to the attributes they value most.

Retail media advertising poised to grow in Latin America: The region’s marketers and retailers are awakening to opportunities to help drive consumer purchases with media networks.

Brands and retailers increasingly focus on DEI initiatives: Target’s $25 million in paid media to diverse-owned/founded firms is the latest in a number of corporate commitments.

After a banner year in 2021, we expect retail media advertising to rise to $52.21 billion by 2023. Dozens of retail media networks have launched over the past few years, with virtually every leading digital marketplace, mass merchandiser, national grocery chain, category-specific retailer, and delivery provider getting into the game.

Retail media advertising is the next big trend in digital advertising, driven by the surge in ecommerce spending and brands’ desire to target consumers close to the point of purchase.

Retail media advertising had a banner year in 2021—one that will be hard to top. Although growth is expected to taper this year, there are several reasons why retailers looking to build their own media networks should take notice.

As retail media advertising continues to increase year over year, retailers and brands have the opportunity to better plan their digital advertising strategies

Brands eagerly jump on the retail media network bandwagon: As access to customer data becomes a priority for brands, retailers see an opportunity to diversify their revenue streams.

In 2022, 40.7% of China’s digital ad spending will go toward the ecommerce channel, for ads offered by retailers like Alibaba and JD.com. This eclipses the share in the US, where 14.5% of digital ad spending will flow to ecommerce channel ads sold by the likes of Amazon, Walmart, and eBay.

Chipmakers faced with huge stockpiles: The war in Ukraine and China shutdowns are taking their toll on the PC and smartphone market. Manufacturers might have to pivot to produce chips for other uses.

A changing grocery delivery landscape forces Instacart to diversify: The delivery company launches a suite of retailer-focused tech solutions as rivals encroach on its turf.

As the lines continue to blur between digital and physical channels, retailers will need to master both to entice consumers to continue to return to their brand. Here are five trends they should keep an eye on.

The majority of US social buyers still order from retailer websites, rather than directly on social platforms. In December, 61.5% said they made their most recent social commerce purchase on the retailer’s site, while 38.5% reported doing so through the social network’s checkout feature.

Ohio manufacturing site could turn the tide for Intel: The new location will employ 3,000 and could inspire other chip manufacturers to jump on local government incentives and cheap land.

Demand in 2022 will be driven by investments in “AI, cloud and data center expansion, health care, and growing automotive applications,” per Duncan Stewart, Deloitte’s director for technology, media, and telecommunications. "Every end market for semiconductors is growing, and growing as fast or faster than ever before," Stewart said.

2021 was a year of reckoning across various industries due to the worsening chip crisis. Chip and component supplies ran dry, exposing weaknesses in supply chains, while manufacturers scrambled to adjust product lines.

Samsung smart TVs will bring video games to users this year: The connected TV (CTV) manufacturer partners with several game streaming services in a move that could spur similar features from rivals.

Retailers and brands, especially smaller D2C brands, will need to position themselves squarely in this ecosphere to reach this coveted and often younger shopper. Mass merchants, big-box retailers, and marketplaces will continue to dominate the top 15 retailer list.

Retail media advertising sits at the intersection of two major digital disruptions unfolding in Latin America: the meteoric rise of ecommerce and reallocation of ad dollars toward digital formats. While still nascent, retail media will play a larger part of brands’ marketing strategies in 2022.

eMarketer principal analysts Andrew Lipsman and Nicole Perrin discuss the most fortunate and unfortunate D2C companies during this coronavirus pandemic, and what they are doing to survive it. They then talk about Google helping retailers highlight curbside pickup, Uber's offer to buy GrubHub, the Media Ratings Council maybe taking Facebook's advertising badge of approval and what to make of some major retailers filing for bankruptcy.

More retailers are selling profitable ad space to other brands and CPGs—and deciding to expand their retail media networks to generate even more sales. In a recent survey, more than one-third of professionals said they anticipate ad revenue growth between 26% and 75%.

This article was contributed and sponsored by RetailMeNot, A Ziff Media Company.

As retailers adjust to a changing sales climate dominated by ecommerce, leveraging insights, media programs, and data can drive product sales and profit.