Retail media networks have moved swiftly from concept to core revenue stream. After building out the foundational tech stacks needed to support on-site sponsored search and display and unlocking scaled activation through off-site programmatic integrations, most RMNs now have the basics covered. The first wave monetized retail real estate. The next wave mobilized first-party data. Now, the space must enter a further, critical evolution: creative enablement that unlocks brand investment.
The need for this addition is evident in retail media’s growth projections. While retail media spend is expected to grow an impressive 15.6% in 2025, that rate pales in comparison to 2024’s 25.1% growth. RMNs that want to maintain momentum can no longer rest on their laurels as engines for efficient, bottom-funnel media activation.
National brands demand sales lift and incremental return on ad spend, but they also realize the value of building brand equity with new consumers and maintaining it with existing customers — in essence, the need to expand the funnel to a full-funnel experience for consumers. The addition of brand-building elements to their RMN activations allows for the establishment of brand equity and brand favorability, in addition to contextually relevant offers to the consumer.
The next phase of growth in retail media will be driven by networks that give brands the ability to combine rich storytelling, immersive formats and creative excellence with audience-based messaging, real-time offers and frictionless shoppability across every channel.
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Turning Retail Media into a Value Exchange
Off-site activations are no longer limited to generic banner ads or blunt retargeting. With advanced data and creative capabilities, RMNs are helping brands deliver value, relevance and inspiration in the moments that matter and at multiple touch points throughout the consumer’s journey.
The ability to combine rich first-party data signals and offer-based calls-to-action with real-world context, including weather, location, seasonality and lifestyle moments, allows RMNs to create more relevance, with algorithmic creative decisioning that optimizes for full-funnel performance. It’s an ecosystem that national brand teams are eager to leverage.
By leaning into these capabilities, RMNs position themselves as more than conversion platforms. They become essential partners in brand storytelling, offering a measurable, full-funnel solution that unlocks new investment and delivers meaningful value to consumers, as well as their brand clients.
A food brand, for instance, can deliver a personalized ad experience targeted to gluten-free shoppers that speaks to the benefits of gluten-free food brands and creates an emotional connection through compelling creative, while also referencing time of day and local availability with seamless, one-click add-to-cart functionality. A healthcare brand could use location-specific targeting to inform allergy sufferers about rising pollen counts while delivering a brand-building message associating the brand with allergy relief through a dynamic video ad. These executions don’t just sell, they build brand affinity and connection.
Connected Consumer Experiences at Every Touch Point
Retail media networks that are successful will consider the full customer journey, delivering connections across all media touch points, including online video, CTV, Audio, DOOH and finally, in-store channels.
In-store media presents a vital channel for connecting with the consumer close to the point of purchase. This consumer touch point is showing early signs of being highly performant for brands. For example, Tesco and Walmart have equipped stores with digital screens that, when featured within RMNs, drive a 7% lift in product sales and a 4% brand halo effect. Meanwhile, 60% of shoppers have bought a product promoted on in-store digital formats, and nearly 66% say digital signage increases how much they spend.
Retailers are now adding in-store audio to the media mix, with localized and personalized offers and promos being played across store speakers. This enables RMN’s to lean into this channel and couple this with other digital touch points for consumers, creating a compelling combination that moves shoppers through the full funnel.
RMNs that sync messaging and creative on social, CTV, web, in-app, DOOH, in-store screens and audio will attract the full breadth of brand investments, appealing to national marketers and the full agency ecosystem.
The next evolution of retail media is here, and it offers the chance to redefine what retail advertising can achieve for brands, for shoppers and for the future of commerce itself. The opportunity lies in moving to environments where brands can connect with shoppers in richer, more meaningful ways.
Paul Prior, Perion’s Global Head of Commerce, is a seasoned executive with 26 years of experience in digital ad tech and media. At Perion, he incubated the retail division and architected the vision for personalized, data-driven DCO-based creative and media activations, guiding the product and engineering teams in building out truly unique capabilities. He has overseen the growth of retail media and the evolution into a broader commerce focus area. Prior to Perion, Prior was President of the ad tech company Zedo, which was acquired by Discovery Time Warner, and previously head of Global Partnerships at Acceleration, acquired by WPP.
