What: Retail media networks risk missing out on brand budgets by focusing on ad activation and formats rather than integrated, data-driven campaigns tied to brand objectives and full-funnel planning.

Why it is important: The shift toward curated, transparent, and strategically planned retail media is critical for building advertiser trust, optimizing ROI, and unlocking new revenue streams for retailers.

Many retail media networks are struggling to capture brand budgets because they prioritize selling individual ad formats and short-term activations over building integrated, data-driven campaigns that align with broader marketing objectives. This fragmented approach often fails to leverage the unique value of first-party shopper data for audience segmentation and targeting, limiting retail media’s ability to deliver both immediate conversion and long-term brand growth. As budgets tighten and competition with traditional media intensifies, the lack of unified planning and robust measurement makes it difficult for retail media to prove its effectiveness and secure a larger share of brand investment. The future of retail media depends on moving beyond ad-ops and activation to embrace joined-up planning, where onsite, offsite, and in-store campaigns are coordinated and measured alongside other channels. By adopting curated, transparent, and strategically planned retail media, networks can build advertiser trust, optimize ROI, and unlock new revenue streams, positioning themselves as essential partners in the evolving media landscape.

IADS Notes: Internet Retailing (June 2026) highlights the transformation of retail media from a niche digital channel to a central pillar of media planning, with first-party data and omnichannel touchpoints delivering measurable results and new revenue streams. The sector’s maturation is marked by a shift from volume-driven aggregation to curated, high-quality inventory and transparent supply paths, as detailed in Internet Retailing (December 2025). MBS (July 2025) notes that retail media’s evolution is fundamentally changing retail business models, with data monetization and advertising capabilities becoming essential for profitability and growth. Retail Detail (June 2025) demonstrates how Delhaize’s integration of loyalty data and standardized KPIs delivers measurable brand lift and sales growth, setting new benchmarks for performance. Retail Touchpoints (March 2026) documents Meta’s rise as a foundational offsite retail media infrastructure, moving influence and measurement beyond retailer-owned environments and emphasizing the need for robust measurement and value-driven outcomes. Media Post (July 2025) and the Interactive Advertising Bureau forecast $74 billion in retail commerce media ad spend by 2026, validating the sector’s emergence as a crucial revenue stream. Harvard Business Review (October 2025) underscores the importance of trust, transparency, and effective measurement for sustaining the momentum and credibility of retail media networks. Collectively, these sources illustrate that the future of retail media depends on integrated planning, robust measurement, and a shift from ad activation to strategic, data-driven campaigns that deliver value for both brands and retailers.

Why retail media needs to become part of media planning