蘑菇AV

Currys expands retail media network into stores: The electronics retailer is betting that its unique access to 80% of UK households and extensive network of digital screens will appeal to advertisers.

The National Retail Federation (NRF)鈥檚 Big Show is happening in New York City this weekend, and will offer an opportunity for retail media networks (RMNs) to pitch themselves to advertisers. Even though retail media is huge鈥攅xceeding $62 billion in US ad spend this year per our forecast, most of those ad dollars will go to the biggest RMNs. The remaining players are vying over the same $8.58 billion that isn't scooped up by Amazon, Walmart, or Target.

Retailers are forging closer relationships with creators. Retail media networks (RMNs) have partnered with creator networks and social platforms to satisfy advertiser demands for incrementality and stay relevant as shopping becomes more social.

Consumers typically buy consumer packaged goods (CPG) more frequently and often in-store, making those purchases different from general merchandise. Nonetheless, ad-buying on retail media networks (RMNs) is somewhat more established with more sophisticated options for CPG than for general merchandise because retail media has been a staple of CPG ad-buying for longer. That means CPG ad-buying habits could be a model for future trends in retail media.

Even an influx of new retail media networks (RMNs) will not chip away at the share of ad spending allocated to the top two powerhouses.

Retail media has swallowed up the shopper and trade marketing budgets of CPG brands. Incrementality is the top KPI for RMN advertisers, but it鈥檚 not the only one.

Walmart and Target reported their Q3 earnings last week. Despite varying retail success, both reported strong growth in their retail media networks鈥擶almart Connect鈥檚 US business grew 26% while Roundel鈥檚 growth was in the mid-teens, per CEO Brian Cornell.

US ad spend on financial media networks (FMNs) will more than double in 2025 and again in 2026. But with just $710 million projected in US ad spend in 2025, per June 2024 蘑菇AV forecast, FMN ad spend will be 18 times smaller than retail media network (RMN) ad spend.

Western Union has become the latest financial company to launch a media network, joining the likes of Chase and PayPal. 鈥淭he biggest advantage [financial media networks] have is just breadth. So, unlike a retail media network, they capture the entire spending history that a customer has,鈥� said our analyst Maria Elm on an episode of our Behind the Numbers podcast.

Marketers are interested in exploring upper-funnel tactics while continuing to invest in lower-funnel strategies, requiring retail media networks (RMNs) to provide a combination of ad formats for a full-funnel effect. In addition, marketers want access to high-quality data for better targeting and personalization, and look to RMNs for enhanced measurement and optimization techniques.

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

Retail media鈥檚 rapid growth has spurred nonretail verticals to harness their first-party data to fuel their own commerce media networks. Retail media spending still dominates the commerce media landscape, but distinct challenger cohorts are finding their footing.

Dollar General Media Network (DGMN) has partnered with experiential retail media platform Recess on a sampling program that reaches consumers outside of the store, in their communities.

Connected TV (CTV) is now an integral part of retail media. Media networks can offer rich third-party data, while CTV platforms have advanced targeting capabilities and an engaged audience. But just how big is the opportunity?

Non-retail commerce media channels typically mean payments, travel, and intermediaries that overlap with retail. But more nontraditional commerce media networks have been popping up from places like Mohegan鈥檚 casinos, RE/MAX鈥檚 real estate websites, and Planet Fitness鈥� gyms.

Spend from current retail media network (RMN) advertisers is showing signs of cooling, forcing RMNs to look to non-endemic advertisers outside their existing ad networks for new ad dollars.

Nearly every major retailer (and many smaller ones) has already launched media networks, but it鈥檚 not just for retailers anymore. While networks beyond retail have already begun to launch, 2025 will see more financial institutions, payment networks, travel companies, fitness centers, and more launch or revamp their own media networks. And as commerce media expands, so do the places ads are being served.