Retail Media Breakfast Club

Kiri Masters
  • 5.0 (10)
  • MARKETING
  • UPDATED DAILY

10 minutes of expert insights every weekday. Your morning ritual for staying ahead in retail media.

  1. How Nestlé Decides Which Retail Media Networks Get Budget (And Why They Compare Them to Google & Meta)

    3D AGO

    How Nestlé Decides Which Retail Media Networks Get Budget (And Why They Compare Them to Google & Meta)

    Last week at the LiveRamp RampUp conference, I moderated a panel with DoorDash Ads’ Peter Giordano and Nestlé’s Nicole Lesinski. The conversation revealed something that a lot of retail media networks have been wondering about: how big CPG brands actually decide where their retail media dollars go. In this episode, I break down Nicole’s candid explanation of how Nestlé ranks and evaluates retail media networks (using a structured grid that compares retailers not only to each other but also to giants like Google and Meta). I also unpack why measurement and incrementality are still major hurdles internally at even the largest brands, and how new testing approaches are helping teams make the case for more commerce media investment. This episode is sponsored by Mirakl Ads Timeline [00:00] – I recap a panel I moderated at LiveRamp’s RampUp conference with DoorDash Ads and Nestlé’s frozen division. [01:05] – Nestlé’s “rank and stack” approach: how the company evaluates retail media networks using a capability and scale grid. [01:32] – Why retail media networks are actually competing with Google and Meta for budget (not just other retailers). [02:15] – The pressure inside large CPGs to justify every media dollar with clear sales attribution. [03:09] – DoorDash’s “ghost ads” incrementality testing method and why it matters for internal credibility. [04:48] – How DoorDash moved from “pennies” in Nestlé’s budget to becoming a leader in their retail media investment. Links & Resources Follow Nicole Lesinski, Director of Ecommerce Strategy at Nestlé, on LinkedInFollow Peter Giordano from DoorDash Ads on LinkedInRead my related articles:“We’re all holding our breath” [Recap of RampUp 2026]Brands demand retail media standards. Retailers say it's too hard. Do they kind of have a point?Why Brands Are Building Their Own Operating Systems On Top Of Retail MediaInside Mars's Retail Media Investment MatrixChallenger Brands: Being Heavy On  Sponsored Products Is a Feature, Not a BugJoin me and Jordan Witmer from Salt XC at 11am ET Tuesday March 17, for our next LinkedIn Live on Sponsored Product Ads: shelf space or ad space?. We'll be answering questions LIVE -- join us!Atlanta-based retail media professionals: Wednesday, April 1 is the next In-Person Atlanta Happy Hour! RSVP here.Subscribe to Retail Media Breakfast Club's daily newsletterFollow Kiri Masters on LinkedIn

    8 min
  2. PDP the New Homepage? How AI Shopping Is Reshaping Retail Media & Ecommerce [Agentic Commerce Expert Series Part 2 of 4]

    4D AGO

    PDP the New Homepage? How AI Shopping Is Reshaping Retail Media & Ecommerce [Agentic Commerce Expert Series Part 2 of 4]

    In episode 2 of this four-part Agentic Commerce Expert Series (sponsored by Mirakl Ads), we explore how AI is quietly reshaping the way consumers shop online, and why that shift could fundamentally change the role of the product detail page (PDP). As more shoppers use LLMs like ChatGPT to research products before ever visiting a retailer’s site, they’re increasingly landing directly on a single product page with their decision already made. That means fewer browsing moments, fewer signals, and potentially big implications for retail media. I’m joined once again by Amelia Van Camp, Head of Agentic Commerce at Mirakl, to unpack what this new “AI-shaped” shopping journey means for retailers and brands. We discuss why the PDP might effectively become the new homepage, how retailers can design better onsite experiences for these shortened journeys, and why tactics like sampling, loyalty programs, and smart product adjacencies could become more important than ever. This episode is sponsored by Mirakl Ads Timeline [00:00] – I introduce the idea that in an AI-driven shopping journey, the product detail page may effectively become the new homepage. [01:00] – I share my own shopping experience researching a product in ChatGPT and going straight from research to a PDP and checkout. [02:25] – Amelia explains why retailers should rethink PDPs as “mini homepages” when traffic comes from LLMs and AI assistants. [03:06] – We discuss designing the ideal shopper journey when a customer lands directly on a product page. [04:27] – I talk about opportunities like upsells, sampling, and post-purchase engagement without overloading the user experience. [05:11] – Amelia explains how shorter journeys could disrupt traditional retail media signals and why experimentation is essential. [06:40] – We explore why loyalty programs may be making a comeback in an AI-driven commerce environment. Links & Resources Part 1 of this series: Discovery Has Moved Upstream. Here's What That Means for Retailers.Download Mirakl's agentic commerce white paper: Why marketplaces & dropship platforms win in the agentic commerce eraFollow Amelia Van Camp, Head of Agentic Commerce at Mirakl, on LinkedInRead my related articles:Why OpenAI's Ad Network Should Concern RMNs‘Dark Search’ Is Making AI-Facilitated Commerce Look Smaller Than It Really IsWhile We Debate What's 'Really' Agentic, Retail Media's Foundation Is Already ShiftingJoin me and Jordan Witmer from Salt XC at 11am ET Tuesday March 17, for our next LinkedIn Live on Sponsored Product Ads: shelf space or ad space?. We'll be answering questions LIVE -- join us!Atlanta-based retail media professionals: Wednesday, April 1 is the next In-Person Atlanta Happy Hour! RSVP here.Subscribe to Retail Media Breakfast Club's daily newsletterFollow Kiri Masters on LinkedIn

    8 min
  3. Dirty Secrets of Retail Media: 5 Ethical Dilemmas Brands Need to Know

    5D AGO

    Dirty Secrets of Retail Media: 5 Ethical Dilemmas Brands Need to Know

    Today I'm recapping a recent article I published on The Drum and digging into some of the ethical dilemmas emerging inside the retail media industry. The conversation was sparked by a very public campaign from my former boss, Jared Belsky, CEO of Acadia, challenging agencies to return media rebates to clients. If traditional media has ethical gray areas around incentives and transparency, what does the retail media version look like? Retail media has built its reputation on transparency, performance measurement, and closed-loop attribution. But as the dollars grow and the ecosystem matures, new tensions are surfacing. I explore five ethical challenges: from brands funding their own competition to agency incentives, consulting projections, industry echo chambers, and the subtle influence of corporate hospitality. If retail media wants to maintain its reputation as the “cleaner” alternative to traditional advertising, these are the questions the industry needs to confront. This episode is sponsored by Mirakl Ads Timeline [00:00] – What are the ethical dilemmas in retail media? [01:33] – How private label products benefit from retail media systems funded by national brands. [03:15] – How retail media deals and perks can quietly tilt the playing field toward larger agencies and brands. [06:36] – Consultants selling the retail media dream: when hockey-stick projections collide with operational reality. [08:30] – Industry events with retailers, consultants, and vendors, but too few brand voices. [09:00] – Corporate hospitality and influence: from cabanas at Cannes, to the broader question of where investment should really go. Links & Resources My full post on The Drum: Retail media’s dirty laundry: What skeletons are hiding in the closet?Jared Belsky in Adweek: Why I Returned Six-Figures in Media Rebates To Clients In 2025Follow Jared Belsky, CEO of Acadia, on LinkedInRead my related articles:Whoever Owns the Budget Determines What Retail Media Is Allowed to BeBrands demand retail media standards. Retailers say it's too hard. Do they kind of have a point?Why Brands Are Building Their Own Operating Systems On Top Of Retail MediaJoin me and Jordan Witmer from Salt XC at 11am ET Tuesday March 17, for our next LinkedIn Live on Sponsored Product Ads: shelf space or ad space?. We'll be answering questions LIVE -- join us!Atlanta-based retail media professionals: Wednesday, April 1 is the next In-Person Atlanta Happy Hour! RSVP here.Subscribe to Retail Media Breakfast Club's daily newsletterFollow Kiri Masters on LinkedIn

    10 min
  4. AI, Retail Media & First-Party Data: What Everyone Is Really Saying After RampUp 2026

    6D AGO

    AI, Retail Media & First-Party Data: What Everyone Is Really Saying After RampUp 2026

    I just got back from LiveRamp’s RampUp conference, one of the most interesting gatherings in commerce media right now. If you work in retail media, data collaboration, or advertising measurement, this event has become a must-watch moment for where the industry is heading. In 2026, the big theme running through the conference halls was offsite retail media and the role of first-party data. But the real insights came from the hallway conversations. I grabbed a few industry peers and asked them for their honest takeaways from RampUp. We talked about the AI inflection point everyone is feeling, the uncertainty around agentic AI, the real pace of disruption in retail media, and why data might still be the industry’s biggest missed opportunity. If you want a quick pulse check on how leaders across the ecosystem are thinking about what’s next, this episode gives you exactly that. This episode is sponsored by Mirakl Ads Timeline [00:00] – My overview of RampUp 2026 and why first-party data and offsite retail media dominated the conversation. [01:00] – Ian Simpson (Sensor Tower) shares why the industry feels like it’s at a strange AI inflection point, with excitement, uncertainty, and plenty of unanswered questions. [02:15] – The vibe shift from two years ago: instead of scrambling to solve the cookie-less future, many companies now feel like they’re “holding their breath” waiting to see what happens next. [02:45] – Sean Crawford (SMG North America) weighs in on agentic AI and why it’s unlikely to disrupt retail media or shopping behavior overnight. [04:00] – Nicole Lesinski (Nestlé USA) talks about collaborating with partners like DoorDash and how brands are using data clean rooms to turn insights into action. [07:00] – Praveen Menon explains how AI could eventually transform media planning, making it possible to test and execute strategies in minutes instead of days. Links & Resources Follow Nicole Lesinski, E-Commerce Strategy Lead, Frozen Division, Nestle USA, on LinkedInFollow Praveen Menon, former Senior Director of Product Management, Bridg, on LinkedInFollow Sean Crawford, Managing Director, SMG North America, on LinkedInFollow Ian Simpson, SVP of Innovation & Strategy, Sensor Tower on LinkedInRead my related articles:Dark Search, Broken Signals, and What Comes Next for Retail MediaWhy OpenAI's Ad Network Should Concern RMNsRufus Is Already Reshaping How Amazon Shoppers DecideJoin me and Jordan Witmer from Salt XC at 11am ET Tuesday March 17, for our next LinkedIn Live on Sponsored Product Ads: shelf space or ad space?. We'll be answering questions LIVE -- join us!Atlanta-based retail media professionals: Wednesday, April 1 is the next In-Person Atlanta Happy Hour! RSVP here.Subscribe to Retail Media Breakfast Club's daily newsletterFollow Kiri Masters on LinkedIn

    9 min
  5. Why Retail Media Can’t Unlock Brand Budgets (Until Brands Fix This One Thing)

    MAR 5

    Why Retail Media Can’t Unlock Brand Budgets (Until Brands Fix This One Thing)

    Retail media networks want brand dollars — that part isn’t new. But what is new (and honestly, under-discussed) is the uncomfortable reality that many brands are structurally incapable of spending those dollars through retail media… even when they want to. In this episode of Retail Media Breakfast Club, I’m sharing highlights from my recent LinkedIn Live with Jordan Witmer of Salt XC. We unpack what really happens when retail media networks go after brand marketing budgets. And why the biggest barrier isn’t capability or demand: it’s internal budget ownership, misaligned KPIs, and wildly different definitions of “credible reporting.”  If you’ve ever wondered why retail media feels like a slam dunk in one meeting and a total mismatch in another, this conversation will connect the dots! This episode is sponsored by Mirakl Ads Timeline [00:22] – What actually happens when retail media networks come calling for brand budgets?[01:03] – The single strongest predictor of how a brand will evaluate retail media: who owns the budget.[01:47] – The friction between sales teams and brand media teams, and why “streaming that goes everywhere” creates tension.[02:23] – The infamous brief: “Build awareness and drive sales.” Why vague objectives lead to what Jordan calls “franking campaigns.”[04:45] – What “credible reporting” really means, and why that definition completely changes depending on who you're talking to.[06:45] – How platforms like Meta cemented themselves in brand budgets, and what retail media networks can learn from their approach. Links & Resources Watch the full replay of my LinkedIn Live with Jordan Witmer of Salt XCLearn about Salt XCFollow Jordan Witmer on LinkedInRead my related articles:How Can RMNs Tap Upper-Funnel Brand BudgetsBrands demand retail media standards. Retailers say it's too hard. Do they kind of have a point?Why ROAS Refuses To DieAtlanta-based retail media professionals: Wednesday, April 1 is the next In-Person Atlanta Happy Hour! RSVP here.Subscribe to Retail Media Breakfast Club's daily newsletterFollow Kiri Masters on LinkedIn

    10 min
  6. AI Shopping Is Here: How LLMs Are Rewriting Retail Discovery [Agentic Commerce Expert Series Part 1 of 4]

    MAR 4

    AI Shopping Is Here: How LLMs Are Rewriting Retail Discovery [Agentic Commerce Expert Series Part 1 of 4]

    LLMs aren’t just answering questions anymore: they’re becoming the very first step of the shopping journey. In the kickoff episode of this four-part Agentic Commerce Expert Series (sponsored by Mirakl Ads), I sit down with Amelia Van Camp, Head of Agentic Commerce at Mirakl, to unpack what’s really happening as product discovery moves upstream into AI assistants. We get into what consumers are actually doing inside LLMs today, why 'discovery' now looks completely different from traditional search, and what retailers should prioritize before launching their own shiny AI shopping assistants. If AI agents are scraping your product pages and deciding what to recommend, the real question is: do they trust your data? This episode breaks down how ranking, trust, intent-based attributes, and Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) are reshaping the rules of retail. This episode is sponsored by Mirakl Ads Timeline [00:00] – Why LLMs are becoming the first step of shopping, and what that means for retailers [00:45] – Amelia’s role as Head of Agentic Commerce and how Mirakl is approaching AI-first commerce [02:45] – The data behind AI-assisted shopping (including in-store usage) [05:09] – What makes LLM-based discovery fundamentally different from traditional advertising and search [06:45] – What AI agents actually look for on your product pages (and why trust is everything) [08:59] – Intent-based attributes, GEO (Generative Engine Optimization), and how to optimize for AI-driven ranking [10:45] – Why retail sites won’t die despite the fact that decision-making has officially moved upstream Links & Resources Download Mirakl's agentic commerce white paper: Why marketplaces & dropship platforms win in the agentic commerce eraFollow Amelia Van Camp, Head of Agentic Commerce at Mirakl, on LinkedInRead my related articles:Why OpenAI's Ad Network Should Concern RMNs‘Dark Search’ Is Making AI-Facilitated Commerce Look Smaller Than It Really IsWhile We Debate What's 'Really' Agentic, Retail Media's Foundation Is Already ShiftingAtlanta-based retail media professionals: Wednesday, April 1 is the next In-Person Atlanta Happy Hour! RSVP here.Subscribe to Retail Media Breakfast Club's daily newsletterFollow Kiri Masters on LinkedIn

    11 min
  7. US vs EU Retail Media: The 5 Structural Barriers Reshaping In-Store Advertising

    MAR 3

    US vs EU Retail Media: The 5 Structural Barriers Reshaping In-Store Advertising

    I wasn’t expecting a transatlantic debate when I published a piece about Sam's Club’s in-store retail media success. But what followed was a lively pushback from European retail media leaders who argued that in-store has been operating at scale in their markets for years. That sparked a much bigger question: Are US retail media networks behind in physical formats, or are these markets fundamentally different? This episode is a summary of my recent article for The Drum, in which I break down the critical structural and organizational differences between US and EU retail media operations. From regulation and budget flows, to ecommerce penetration and store density, I unpack why both sides are right, and why understanding these nuances matters if you want to build a smarter retail media strategy in 2026 and beyond. This episode is sponsored by Mirakl Ads Timeline [00:00] – The unexpected controversy after I published my piece on Sam’s Club’s in-store retail media performance. [01:08] – Why in-store represents just 3.3% of US retail media spend (excluding Amazon), and how that compares to Europe. [02:30] – The five hard structural barriers shaping US vs EU retail media. [02:54] – The impact of the Robinson-Patman Act on trade budgets vs retail media budgets in the US. [05:49] – How GDPR and stricter European privacy laws influence data monetization and offsite audience extension. [06:45] – Store density, geography, and why in-store screen economics look very different in Europe versus suburban America. Links & Resources My full post on The Drum: Kiri Masters: The critical differences in US and EU retail media operations you need to understandDrew Cashmore's Retail Media Leapfrog Series: What Europe can Teach the World about Retail Media and Trade, Shopper, Brand. All One Big Bucket of MoneyRead my related articles:Sam's Club Cracked the Code on In-Store Retail Media—Here's How They Did ItThree Companies Monetizing Moments That Most Retailers IgnoreWhy OpenAI's Ad Network Should Concern RMNsAtlanta-based retail media professionals: Wednesday, April 1 is the next In-Person Atlanta Happy Hour! RSVP here.Subscribe to Retail Media Breakfast Club's daily newsletterFollow Kiri Masters on LinkedIn

    9 min
  8. Retail Media 3.0: Why AI & Agentic Commerce Could Spark the Golden Era of Advertising

    MAR 2

    Retail Media 3.0: Why AI & Agentic Commerce Could Spark the Golden Era of Advertising

    Tom I’m sharing highlights from a conversation I had on the Retailgentic podcast with Scot Wingo, one of the sharpest thinkers tracking agentic commerce and how AI is reshaping the shopping journey. I’ve spent plenty of time talking about the threats AI-enabled shopping poses to retail media — compressed journeys, fewer page views, shrinking onsite inventory — but in this conversation, we go deeper. What happens next? We unpack what Retail Media 3.0 could actually look like. From collaborative bidding between brands and retailers, to new AI-driven ad surfaces inside tools like Gemini and Rufus, to the promise (and risks) of contextual targeting inside LLMs: this could be the moment retail media stops feeling like margin extraction and starts becoming a true win-win. If brands and retailers are willing to rethink the model, this may just be the best era of retail media yet. This episode is sponsored by Mirakl Ads Timeline [00:00] – Why agentic commerce is reshaping everything we thought we knew about the shopping journey. [01:08] – Are AI shopping agents just customer support tools, or are they about to fundamentally change product discovery and accelerate shoppers straight to PDPs? [02:15] – The uncomfortable truth: some retail media budgets feel like margin extraction. What has to change to create real brand–retailer alignment? [04:49] – Collaborative bidding explained: how brands like Maytag and retailers like Lowe’s can jointly fund ads, and why this model could become even more important in AI environments. [06:08] – The ad tech enabling collaborative retail media (including Symbiosys and Ampd) and what’s happening behind the scenes operationally. [08:15] – Contextual targeting vs. “creepy” behavioral targeting: why I’m hoping AI models learn to target the query (rather than the shopper) and what that means for Retail Media 3.0. Links & Resources Watch the Retailgentic epsiode in full: Kiri Master's Round 2: The Ad Wars Come to Agentic CommerceSubscribe to Retailgentic on YouTube and Apple PodcastsFollow Scot Wingo on LinkedInRead my related articles:Dark Search, Broken Signals, and What Comes Next for Retail MediaWhy OpenAI's Ad Network Should Concern RMNsRufus Is Already Reshaping How Amazon Shoppers DecideAtlanta-based retail media professionals: Wednesday, April 1 is the next In-Person Atlanta Happy Hour! RSVP here.Subscribe to Retail Media Breakfast Club's daily newsletterFollow Kiri Masters on LinkedIn

    12 min
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About

10 minutes of expert insights every weekday. Your morning ritual for staying ahead in retail media.

Information

  • Creator
    Kiri Masters
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    222
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Kiri Masters
  • Show Website
    Retail Media Breakfast Club

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