The Maturing Landscape
Retail media networks (RMNs) are rapidly evolving from primarily lower-funnel conversion channels to comprehensive full-funnel advertising platforms. This shift responds to the growing demand among brand advertisers for broader reach and awareness solutions that complement performance-driven tactics. With retail media ad spend expanding significantly, platforms face rising pressure to deliver improved attribution, transparency, and measurable impact throughout the complete customer journey.
The expansion of retail media budgets is driven by brands seeking to allocate more funds traditionally devoted to general market channels toward retail media. These networks aim to demonstrate value not only in driving sales but also in generating upper-funnel brand awareness and engagement at scale. This marks a move towards maturity as retail media positions itself alongside established full-funnel digital advertising options.
Recent Examples and Implications
Recent strategic developments highlight this full-funnel evolution. Walmart Connect’s partnership with NBCUniversal enables advertisers to reach audiences both on-site and across NBCUniversal’s premium media channels, combining retail intent data with broad-scale reach and sightline transparency. This alliance underscores the blending of retail media with traditional upper-funnel brand advertising.
Amazon’s collaboration with Roku further exemplifies audience pooling across connected TV and retail data, enhancing cross-channel targeting and measurement capabilities. Such integrations provide brands with better attribution and extended reach beyond last-click conversion events.
Additionally, DoorDash’s acquisition of Symbiosys advances its off-site retail media offerings, enabling measurement and targeting that extend beyond the transactional moment. Similarly, Instacart’s team-up with Pinterest enhances shoppable ad experiences across social and retail ecosystems.
Together, these moves illustrate the retail media industry’s strategic intent to attract larger brand budgets by offering holistic, multi-channel advertising solutions. The ability to measure and influence consumer behavior across the full funnel—from awareness through purchase—positions retail media networks as increasingly competitive options for diversified advertiser spend.
