What is Unboxed, really? This week, I was in Nashville for Amazon’s signature advertising event — a showcase where the tech giant reveals its latest innovations in retail media, automation, and ad tech. After taking it all in (and chatting with a few familiar faces from the industry), I’m breaking down the key announcements, the unspoken messages, and what they mean for advertisers and partners moving forward.In this episode, I unpack my biggest takeaways from Unboxed 2025. From Amazon’s relentless reinvention of its ad business to the curious silence around Rufus, and how new “agent” tools could both empower and threaten the partner ecosystem. If you’re navigating Amazon’s retail media landscape, this recap will give you the insights and context you need to understand where the company’s heading next.This episode is sponsored by Mirakl AdsTimeline[00:01:36] - How Amazon keeps evolving its advertising tools, making them simpler, smarter, and more accessible to advertisers of all sizes.[00:02:42] - Why brands like Advantice Health say Amazon’s ad console outpaces competitors by simplifying data visualization and actionability.[00:04:10] - A look at Amazon’s “paranoid” culture of continuous innovation, and why that mindset fuels their dominance in retail media.[00:04:15] - Amazon takes aim at The Trade Desk with lower DSP fees, while still protecting its own walled garden.[00:06:06] - Why Amazon’s much-hyped AI assistant Rufus went unmentioned during Unboxed, and what that silence might signal about its real-world performance.[00:08:45] - The return (and rebranding) of agencies and tech vendors as “partners”, and how Amazon’s new AI tools could reshape that dynamic.[00:12:14] - Reflections on Amazon’s fine line between democratizing ad tools and competing with its own partners.Links & ResourcesRead my article Amazon Unboxed 2025: Key Announcements & Takeaways for Brand AdvertisersRead my article for The Drum, Amazon bets on 'crystal box' transparency in ads product upgradeCheck out the ADOTAT piece Prime Predator: Amazon DSP Takes a Bite Out of The Trade DeskSubscribe to Retail Media Breakfast Club's daily newsletterFollow Kiri on LinkedIn
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13:52
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13:52
Developments in RTB (Real-Time Bidding) for Retail Media
In this episode, I share snippets of my recent livestream with Andreas Reiffen, CEO and co-Founder of Pentaleap, to unpack one of the most debated topics in retail media today — Real-Time Bidding (RTB). Once dismissed as a messy, low-quality relic of early programmatic advertising, RTB is now being reimagined as the key to unlocking retail media’s next phase of scalable growth.Note: I encountered unfortunate technical difficulties during my livestream with Andreas, resulting in choppy video and audio. I've done my best to use palatable snippets in this podcast, but regardless the audio quality is not perfect, please accept my apologies.Andreas shares why he believes RTB will soon connect fragmented retail media ecosystems, make it easier for brands to access budgets at scale, and even open the door to programmatic innovation in the B2B sector. We cover everything from onsite vs. offsite ad opportunities to how retailers can tap into new revenue streams while maintaining control over their inventory.This episode is sponsored by Mirakl AdsTimeline[00:00:00] – Introducing the debate: Why RTB still carries baggage in retail media[00:01:00] – How real-time bidding connects platforms like Google and The Trade Desk directly to retailer inventory[00:02:00] – Andreas’s bold prediction for how much retail media could eventually run through RTB[00:03:40] – Exploring whether RTB can expand beyond onsite ads to offsite display and video[00:05:00] – How retailer-led ad networks are evolving with RTB at their core[00:07:45] – The surprising role RTB could play in B2B commerce and professional buyer targeting[00:10:00] – Segmenting audiences and optimizing bids for professional vs. consumer shoppers[00:11:00] – Wrapping up: Why RTB might finally be ready to scale responsibly in retail mediaLinks & ResourcesRather than linking to the livestream replay which has choppy audio, here's the transcript of our conversation - Real Time Bidding: Retail Media's Savior Or Saboteur?Follow Andreas Reiffen on LinkedInRead my article Some Retailers Want to Power Other Retailers' Ad Businesses. Will It work?Read my article for The Drum Why the arrival of advertising in AI Search may not be the catastrophe many fearRead my article Best Buy Wants To Become An Ad Platform, Not Just Another RMNSubscribe to Retail Media Breakfast Club's daily newsletterFollow Kiri on LinkedIn
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11:35
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11:35
Amazon Unboxed 2025 - Fresh Off The Press Announcements from Nashville
I’m coming to you fresh from Amazon’s Unboxed event in Nashville, where Amazon dropped a wave of updates that show just how far their advertising ambitions are reaching. Beyond retail, beyond search, and even beyond reality itself!In this episode, I unpack the biggest product launches and innovations revealed at the event including AI-powered campaign tools, creative automation for Prime Video, and Amazon’s intriguing new “Crystal Box” transparency positioning. I also share my early reactions and what these changes could mean for advertisers, agencies, and third-party software providers.If you want to stay ahead of what’s next in Amazon Ads — from AI-native analytics to the future of full-funnel campaigns — this recap will bring you right inside the action at Unboxed.This episode is sponsored by Mirakl AdsTimeline[00:00] – Remembering the early days of Amazon Ads and reflecting on how far the platform has come.[01:11] – Unified Campaign Manager – merging DSP and Sponsored Ads into one seamless platform for cross-format buying and measurement.[02:30] – Ads Agent – Amazon’s new AI-powered campaign assistant that allows natural language queries, leveling the playing field for advertisers of all sizes.[04:17] – Creative Agent – generative AI tools for display, audio, and video ads, with outputs now good enough for Prime Video inventory.[07:30] – “Crystal Box” positioning – Amazon’s transparent alternative to the “black box” automation approach from Meta and Google.[09:13] – Preview of full-funnel optimization campaigns coming in 2026, closing the loop between awareness and performance.[10:00] – AI-native analytics – conversational data exploration within Amazon Marketing Cloud, no SQL skills required.[10:45] – Final thoughts and teaser for my full column in The Drum on Amazon’s “Crystal Box” approach.Links & ResourcesFind the link to my new article about transparency within Amazon's new ad ecosystem on my profile for The DrumRead my article Retail Media's Measurement Problem: It's Not Just the RetailersRead my article Managing a Multi-Retailer RMN Stack: The Operational RealityAre you based in Atlanta or be in the ATL area on Weds Dec 3rd? Join me and a couple dozen of your new retail media industry besties for a festive happy hour! Register hereSubscribe to Retail Media Breakfast Club's daily newsletterFollow Kiri on LinkedIn
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11:17
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11:17
"Late By Design" - Molly Hjelm from Ace Hardware's RedVest Media Shares her Retail Media Gameplan
I first met Molly Hjelm, Head of Retail Media at Ace Hardware, during a panel at the RMN Ascendant Event in Silicon Valley, and right away I was struck by her candor and data-driven mindset. In this episode, I share the highlights from our conversation that didn’t make it into my full profile piece for The Drum.We dive into how Ace Hardware has intentionally taken its time entering retail media, what it means to integrate retail media into a merchant’s P&L, and how Molly’s pragmatic approach to data, partnerships, and culture is helping Ace build Red Vest Media the right way. From leveraging Epsilon as a transparent tech partner, to bringing print back into in-store media, Molly’s perspective challenges a lot of industry assumptions, and offers a refreshing blueprint for sustainable growth in retail media.This episode is sponsored by Mirakl AdsTimeline[01:01] – The #1 theme: retail media should show up in the merchant’s P&L (not as a tax, but as a tool to hit business KPIs).[02:07] – How data storytelling and reporting shifted internal conversations from “you’re cluttering my site with ads” to “let’s solve this problem together.”[02:45] – Why Ace Hardware went all-in with Epsilon as a full-stack tech partner (and why transparency and simplicity matter to advertisers).[04:39] – Red Vest Media’s unconventional start with print-based in-store media, and how independent Ace operators are already innovating locally.[06:03] – Molly opens up about the toxic dynamic of unrealistic growth projections, and why breathing room to set your own targets is game-changing.[07:12] – Wrapping up with Molly’s guiding principle: retail media should be a precision tool, not a revenue taxLinks & ResourcesRead my full Molly Hjelm profile for The Drum - Here’s how Ace Hardware is breaking down the silos between merchants and retail media teamsHow a former agency founder is pushing grocery retail media beyond sponsored product ads - Brian Monahan's 'Bloody Obvious' Bets Are Shaking Up Albertsons Media Collective - Why rural America's 90 million shoppers represent retail media's next frontier - Inside Austin Leonard's Plan For Dollar General Media NetworkHow category specialists can become infrastructure for the entire industry - Best Buy Wants To Become An Ad Platform, Not Just Another RMNFollow Molly Hjelm on LinkedInSubscribe to Retail Media Breakfast Club's daily newsletterFollow Kiri on LinkedIn
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8:00
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8:00
What CPG Brands Actually Control with Agentic Commerce Optimization (ACO)
A lot of brands are focused on Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) right now — making sure their products surface when consumers ask ChatGPT, Perplexity, or Claude for recommendations. That’s a great first step. But as I explain in this episode, the next frontier isn’t just about being found — it’s about being bought.We’re entering an era where AI agents won’t just recommend products, they’ll actually complete transactions on behalf of consumers. And that’s where Agent Commerce Optimization (ACO) comes in. I walk through how ACO differs from GEO, what consumer brands need to know to prepare for agent-driven commerce, and what’s in your control (versus what’s in your retail partner’s hands).If you’re a CPG brand selling primarily through retailers, this episode is for you. I’ll break down the nine-step ACO framework from Retailgentic and share actionable advice for how brands can start these crucial conversations with their retail partners today.This episode is sponsored by Mirakl AdsTimeline[00:00] - The rise of generative engine optimization (GEO) and why it’s only half the story[01:34] - Introducing Agent Commerce Optimization (ACO) aka preparing for AI agents that buy on behalf of consumers [02:12] - GEO vs. ACO: discovery versus transaction [03:15] - Why CPG brands need retailers to open their sites to agent crawlability [05:00] - The nine-step ACO framework — what’s in your control and what isn’t [06:00] - Expanded attributes and contextual data: helping AI agents understand how and why products are used [07:30] - Tracking product cards and digital shelf analytics for AI-driven search [09:00] - How to collaborate with retailer partners to ensure your products are agent-ready [09:56] - Where to learn more: Retailgentic ACO framework and other resourcesLinks & ResourcesCheck out Scot Wingo's original Agentic Commerce Optimization (ACO) framework at RetailgenticRead the blog version of this podcast - Why GEO Isn't Enough: What CPG Brands Actually Control in Agentic CommerceSubscribe to RetailgenticRead my article Commerce GPTs Explained—And Why Retail Media Professionals Need to Pay AttentionRead my article AI-Enabled Shopping Hits 74% AdoptionSubscribe to Retail Media Breakfast Club's daily newsletterFollow Scot Wingo on LinkedInFollow Kiri on LinkedIn
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