As advertisers navigate Google’s recent search changes that favor its emerging AI models, retail media strategies could offer them heightened visibility and control.

Even though most retail dollars are spent in physical stores, experts say retail media dollars have been slow to meet those consumers

Retail and commerce media were huge topics at last year’s Cannes Lions festival, and this year, the festival is doubling down on the channel by introducing a new retail media sub-category in the Media Lions and Creative Commerce Lions awards. However, “the tone is definitely shifting” as the industry matures—and faces the threat of tariff-related impacts, according to our analyst, Sarah Marzano.

WPP, Publicis, and others are buying data-rich firms to outmaneuver Google and Amazon but risk creating the same closed systems they’re rebelling against.

On this special edition podcast episode, learn about the rise of off-site retail media advertising with EMARKETER Principal Analyst, Sarah Marzano and Google’s Head of Retail Media, Shawn McGahee. This conversation is from the May 9th EMARKETER virtual summit, Commerce Media Trends 2025. Listen everywhere you find podcasts, or watch on YouTube and Spotify.

Inside Amazon’s partnerships with InfoSum and Magnite: The new integrations highlight Amazon’s goal to be an essential platform for advertisers.

Incrementality has always been the holy grail of retail media. But lately, it’s taken on greater importance as ad budgets are squeezed and retail media networks (RMNs) fight for their share of ad dollars.

Amazon’s retail media ad revenues will exceed $60 billion, per WARC: The change represents its steady growth despite broader economic setbacks.

Strong Q1 ad results show resilience: But AI, tariffs, and antitrust pressures will reshape how and where marketers spend in 2025.

54% of global marketers are slashing ad spend, says Nielsen: The need for adaptability, rather than bigger budgets, is more prominent than ever.

"Retail media could have a key role to continue driving growth for advertisers which sell products through retail," said Jonathan Fasano, business development director at Walmart Connect Mexico and Central America, during a recent EMARKETER Summit on commerce media.

Agentic AI gains momentum: As Amazon, Walmart, eBay and others experiment with AI agents, retailers need to to figure out how to market to bots in addition to humans.

Now offering massages, art tours, and more without a home booking, Airbnb is turning into a full-service travel platform with a trove of first-party data.

Dick’s Sporting Goods is buying Foot Locker: The deal will significantly boost the big box retailer’s market share and bargaining power—though it carries significant risk.

Walmart’s Q1 ad revenues surged 50% year over year: Vizio’s integration is powering its leap into connected TV and retail media dominance.

Commerce media is evolving beyond online retail into new frontiers like out-of-home (OOH) ads at gas stations and convenience stores, creating “a once in a career window to reorient your business to the opportunity,” according to Sean McCaffrey president and CEO of GSTV, which serves commerce media ads at gas pumps.

“As retail media has grown, the landscape has become increasingly complex and fragmented, said EMARKETER principal analyst Sky Canaves during last week’s EMARKETER's summit on Commerce Media Trends 2025. “Comparisons are hard when standards vary across channels and platforms.”

With US commerce media ad spending projected to reach nearly $70 billion in 2025, understanding how to effectively operate in this space has become critical for marketers.

In the increasingly crowded retail media space, hiring could be one strategy for networks to differentiate themselves from competitors.