Breakdown of How Sam's Club Cracked the Code on In-Store Retail Media
Despite the buzz surrounding in-store retail media, most retailers are still struggling to move beyond the pilot phase. But Sam’s Club? They’ve done it, and done it well. After touring one of their clubs in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, with Harvey Ma, Head of Sam’s Club’s Member Access Platform, I witnessed firsthand how they’ve turned what’s typically a complex, fragmented endeavor into a well-oiled, data-driven ecosystem.In this episode, I break down exactly how Sam’s Club is scaling its in-store retail media efforts, uniting their teams, and rethinking the shopper experience. From tech-powered measurement to their innovative “Retail Experience Network,” Sam’s Club is setting a new benchmark for what in-store retail media can achieve. If you’ve been curious about how physical retail can deliver digital-level insights and measurable sales impact then this episode is for you.This episode is sponsored by Connected Commerce at Acosta GroupTimeline[01:12] – Why most in-store retail media programs get stuck in pilot purgatory.[02:20] – The massive infrastructure and organizational hurdles that make scaling so tough.[02:43] – Sam’s Club’s early investment and the simple principle guiding their approach: advertising exists to sell more things.[03:07] – Introducing the “Retail Experience Network” and how it redefines in-store activations.[04:00] – Behind-the-scenes of Sam’s Club’s IndyCar sponsorship and what made it a success.[05:11] – How everyday tech like floor scrubbers and Scan & Go contribute to measurement and personalization.[07:00] – Rethinking Joint Business Planning (JBP): how Sam’s Club integrates media and merchandising conversations.[08:22] – A reality check on in-store media spend projections and why Sam’s Club’s model stands out.Links & ResourcesRead my full article in The Drum, Sam’s Club shows how in-store retail media should really workRead my article Best Buy Wants To Become An Ad Platform, Not Just Another RMNRead my article The Last Mile of America: Inside Austin Leonard's Plan For Dollar General Media NetworkRead my article Brian Monahan's 'Bloody Obvious' Bets Are Shaking Up Albertsons Media CollectiveSubscribe to Retail Media Breakfast Club's daily newsletterFollow Kiri on LinkedIn
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10:08
How Retailers Can Evolve To Compete With Agentic Shopping ['Snips' from Commerce Media Matters & Mind the Model]
I’m a total podcast junkie, and today I’m bringing you another episode in my 'Snips' series, where I share bite-sized highlights from fascinating conversations and add my personal commentary. This one’s a crossover between Commerce Media Matters and Mind the Model, a newer podcast that’s quickly made its way into my regular rotation (find both shows under 'Links & Resources' below).The snips I’m sharing today tackle a fascinating and urgent question for our industry: What happens to a retailer’s data advantage when AI platforms like ChatGPT start processing transactions? Spoiler alert: the answer might not be as bleak as you think.This episode is sponsored by Connected Commerce at Acosta GroupTimeline[01:07] – Who owns transaction data in an AI-driven world?[03:28] – Retailers gaining new data signals[04:15] – Losing exclusivity vs. gaining context[06:38] – Content as a competitive advantage[09:01] – Owning content, audience, and data[09:45] – Not all doom and gloomLinks & ResourcesListen to the Commerce Media Matters x Mind the Model crossover episode in full — AI: The New Face of CommerceSubscribe to Commerce Media MattersSubscribe to Mind the ModelRead my article While We Debate What's 'Really' Agentic, Retail Media's Foundation Is Already ShiftingRead my article Ads in AI Are Older Than You ThinkSubscribe to Retail Media Breakfast Club's daily newsletterFollow Kiri on LinkedIn
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10:06
The Secret Hopes & Dreams of RMN Leaders [New Research Preview]
Last week, I got a first look at groundbreaking new research from EMARKETER and Bain that flips the retail media conversation on its head. Instead of surveying brands and media buyers, this study goes straight to the source, the leaders of Retail Media Networks (RMNs), to uncover their honest perspectives on what’s working, what’s not, and where the industry is headed next.In this episode, I unpack some of my personal highlights from the preview webinar. From the surprising honesty RMN leaders are showing about their measurement challenges, to their quiet anxiety about the impact of agentic AI on the retail media landscape. Simply put; we’re entering what I like to call the “awkward teenage years” of retail media. Plus, I draw a parallel between retail media’s growing pains and the iconic babyccino!This episode is sponsored by Connected Commerce at Acosta GroupTimeline[00:00] – A first look at new Bain & EMARKETER research that shifts the lens to RMN leaders.[01:00] – What the humble babyccino can teach us about growing up (and retail media’s maturing phase).[02:30] – Public confidence vs. private reality: the top challenges RMN leaders admit to behind the scenes.[03:00] – Measurement and attribution: why nearly half of RMNs say it’s their biggest hurdle.[03:30] – The “Retail Media Doom Loop” and how tech and talent gaps are keeping networks stuck.[05:00] – Agentic AI and GenAI search: the top disruptive forces worrying retail leaders.[06:00] – Bain’s Stephen Mewborn hints at new partnership models.[06:30] – Retail media growing up, facing scrutiny, and learning to move beyond trade dollars.Links & ResourcesWatch the EMARKETER & Bain webinar on demand, Retail Media, Unfiltered: What RMNs Told Us About Scaling, Struggling, and SucceedingRead my article The Retail Media Doom LoopRead my article The 3 Ways Agentic Commerce Could Destroy Retail MediaRead my article Why Agentic Shopping Poses an Existential Threat to Retail Media (Part 1)Subscribe to Retail Media Breakfast Club's daily newsletterFollow Kiri on LinkedIn
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7:11
Multi-Retailer Networks [Livestream Highlight]
In my recent LinkedIn Live with Andreas Reiffen, co-founder and CEO of adtech company Pentaleap, we dove into one of the most intriguing shifts happening in retail media right now: the rise of multi-retailer ad networks. This isn’t just about another layer of technology, it’s about simplifying one of the biggest pain points for brands and media buyers: the crushing complexity of managing ad spend across dozens of disconnected retailer systems.We explored how these syndicated and programmatic retail media models are reshaping the landscape. From Amazon’s new retail ad service with Macy’s, to Instacart’s Carrot Ads and Best Buy’s ambitions to become a true ad network. Andreas and I discussed the historical irony of retail media returning to its ad network roots (just with more sophisticated tech and better use of first-party retail data).If you’ve been wondering where retail media is heading next, this conversation is a must-listen.This episode is sponsored by Connected Commerce at Acosta GroupTimeline[0:15] - The problem with fragmented retail media and the promise of multi-retailer networks[1:20] - Revisiting pre-Amazon ad network models and why they might be making a comeback[2:15] - Andreas on how programmatic buying could transform retail media[4:40] - Why even large CPGs hesitate to expand across multiple RMNs[6:45] - Amazon’s partnership with Macy’s and the emergence of three network models[7:23] - Instacart’s Carrot Ads and other players joining the race[8:35] - The irony of Amazon fixing the fragmentation problem it helped create[10:15] - How programmatic networks and direct retail relationships will likely coexistLinks & ResourcesWatch the full livestream replay on LinkedInFollow Andreas Reiffen on LinkedInRead my article Meet The First Retail Media Federations & ConsortiumsRead my article Best Buy Wants To Become An Ad Platform, Not Just Another RMNRead my article Underrated Ecommerce Metrics That Tell The Real StoryRead my article How Alliances Could Solve Retail Media's Fragmentation Problem (Part 1)Subscribe to Retail Media Breakfast Club's daily newsletterFollow Kiri on LinkedIn
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11:07
Underrated Retail Media Metrics That Fly Under The Radar [Panel Episode]
We all know the usual suspects — ROAS, impressions, clicks — but what if the real indicators of retail media success are hiding in plain sight? In this episode, I ask four leading brand-side retail media experts a simple but revealing question: What’s the metric you’re obsessed with that everyone else seems to ignore?You’ll hear why one leader swapped vanity metrics for incrementality and household penetration. Another reveals an underrated email metric that shows exactly what’s resonating with customers. We’ll also explore how branded search volume can be a crystal ball for future growth, and why new-to-brand might just be your most important indicator of scalable success.If you’re ready to move beyond the same old KPIs and start measuring what really matters, this episode will broaden your perspective about retail media performance.This episode is sponsored by Connected Commerce at Acosta GroupTimeline[0:00] – Why the most important retail media metrics might not be the ones you’re tracking[1:00] – The power of “Revenue Per Recipient” in email campaigns[2:00] – Turning influencers into brand ambassadors through “Posts Per Influencer”[2:39] – Why branded search volume is a powerful leading indicator of brand strength[4:25] – Why “New-to-Brand” reveals true growth, not just recycled buyers[5:30] – Measuring incrementality, household penetration, and long-term brand salienceLinks & ResourcesFollow Jyoti Malik, Senior Director of Ecommerce at Belkin on LinkedInFollow Kelsey Knight, Chief Commercial Officer at Slumberkins, on LinkedInFollow Neha Gupta Mallik, Head of Connected Commerce at Mizkan America, on LinkedInFollow Chris Lowrey, Brand Director at Our Home, on LinkedInSubscribe to Retail Media Breakfast Club's daily newsletterFollow Kiri on LinkedIn
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