Commerce Media is Established, But Marketers Still Face Key Challenges
Commerce media has cemented its position as a mainstream advertising channel, with a growing number of brands and agencies investing substantial budgets into retail media and commerce platforms. Recent industry data reveals that while adoption rates continue to climb, marketers often find themselves facing significant obstacles that limit the full potential of their campaigns. The dual objectives of driving both sales and brand awareness remain top priorities, yet executing against these goals requires overcoming multiple operational and strategic barriers.
The Main Barriers to Success
Survey findings highlight several core challenges that marketers encounter when managing commerce media initiatives. Strategic planning remains a hurdle, with many teams struggling to align commerce media efforts within broader marketing frameworks. Budget allocation also poses difficulties, as defining the right spend balance between retail media and other channels is complex. On an operational level, managing day-to-day campaign execution demands significant resources, from campaign setup to content creation. Content optimization continues to lag, often due to a lack of tailored assets for retail environments. Lastly, measurement and attribution remain areas of concern, with marketers seeking clearer insights into campaign performance and return on investment.
What Marketers Need Next
The evolving demands of commerce media are sparking increased interest in advanced technologies. Marketers express a particular interest in AI-driven optimization tools and more precise targeting capabilities, which could help address some operational challenges. As commerce media expands beyond on-site platforms to include off-site and cross-platform channels, brands—especially those outside of endemic categories—are looking for solutions that simplify complexity and improve effectiveness. Going forward, addressing gaps in strategy, content, and measurement will be essential for marketers to fully capitalize on commerce media’s growing influence.
In summary, commerce media’s widespread adoption signals its maturity and importance within the marketing mix. However, bridging the gap between adoption and effective execution requires focused attention on overcoming operational barriers and investing in better tools. Doing so promises to unlock greater value for brands and retailers alike.
