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. Costco Exposing Its Retail Media Tech Stack Might Change Everything

    7H AGO

    Costco Exposing Its Retail Media Tech Stack Might Change Everything

    In August 2025 I broke down why so many retail media networks keep their ad tech stacks hidden. And to be honest, the reasons weren’t exactly flattering. But what happens when a major retailer does the exact opposite? In today's episode, I share highlights from my recent livestream with Mark Williamson, AVP of Retail Media at Costco, and Jon Flugstad, Chief Business Officer at MetaRouter, and unpack a bold move from Costco that’s turning heads across the industry: full transparency. We dive into what really happened when Costco revealed its entire tech stack, why that matters for brands and agencies, and whether transparency is actually influencing ad spend, or simply generating buzz. Plus, I explore what this could mean for the future of retail media. This episode is sponsored by Mirakl Ads Timeline [00:00] – Why retail media networks hide their tech stacks (and the 5 real reasons behind it)[00:24] – Survey results: 88% of brands say tech transparency impacts spend[00:30] – Costco reveals its full tech stack live on stage — why it shocked the industry[01:44] – What “transparency” actually means to advertisers beyond just reporting[02:43] – Costco’s philosophy: winning trust through honesty (even with imperfections)[03:15] – How Costco uses its tech stack to justify capabilities and limitations[04:04] – The strict data principles guiding Costco’s retail media strategy[07:21] – Is transparency driving real ad dollars or just curiosity? Links & Resources Full replay of my livestream with Mark Williamson (Costco) and Jon Flugstad (MetaRouter): Costco Retail Media & The Commerce Media Tech Stack 2.0Follow Mark Williamson, AVP of Retail Media at Costco on LinkedInFollow Jon Flugstad, Chief Business Officer at MetaRouter on LinkedInRead my related articles:Why RMNs Keep Their Tech Stacks SecretCostco Is The First US RMN To Reveal Its Entire Tech Stack‘Retail Media has a PR problem’ Says CVS Media Exchange's Parbs DhariwalAtlanta-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
  2. Retail Media Has a PR Problem: CVS Media Exchange’s Bold Wake-Up Call

    1D AGO

    Retail Media Has a PR Problem: CVS Media Exchange’s Bold Wake-Up Call

    Today I’m digging into a refreshingly honest and frankly rare take from Parbinder Dhariwal, VP, General Manager at CVS Media Exchange (CMX). Instead of the usual hype around retail media growth, he’s calling out what the industry is getting wrong… and why that could slow everything down if we don’t fix it. By analysing audio clips with Parbs on The CPG Guys, Beyond The Shelf, and Floor 9 (links to the full episodes below), I break down why retail media may have a credibility problem, from forced ad spend to murky measurement, and what needs to change if we want to unlock bigger brand budgets. I also explore why transparency, standardized metrics, and true closed-loop attribution are becoming non-negotiable, and how CMX is positioning itself to lead in that shift. This episode is sponsored by Mirakl Ads Timeline [00:21] – The bold claim: retail media has a PR problem (and why that matters)[01:06] – Why proving ROI is critical to sustaining retail media growth[01:31] – The transparency gap: modeling vs. real performance data[02:15] – Rising skepticism from brands and the “money grab” perception[03:07] – The real opportunity: unlocking national brand (CMO) budgets[05:25] – Why transparency is a core pillar of CVS Media Exchange’s strategy[07:00] – Slowing growth and the future: accountability as a competitive advantage Links & Resources Parbs on The CPG Guys: Harnessing The Power of The Everyday Purchase with CVS Media Exchange's Parbinder DhariwalParbs on Beyond The Shelf: Bringing Joy to Your Business with CVS Media Exchange's Parbinder DhariwalParbs on Floor 9: The Evolution of Retail Media Networks (Ft. Parbinder Dariwhal from CVS Media Exchange)Follow Parbinder Dhariwal, VP, General Manager at CVS Media Exchange (CMX), on LinkedInSubscribe to The CPG GuysSubscribe to Beyond The ShelfSubscribe to Floor 9Read my related articles:CVS Media Exchange’s Parbinder Dhariwal gets candid about retail media’s credibility gap (The Drum)Inside Mars's Retail Media Investment MatrixRetail Media's Next Challenge: Proving Real ResultsAtlanta-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. Google’s New AI Patent Could Hijack Your Landing Pages (And Charge You for It)

    5D AGO

    Google’s New AI Patent Could Hijack Your Landing Pages (And Charge You for It)

    Today I’m breaking down a jaw-dropping development from Google that could fundamentally reshape how we think about paid traffic, brand control, and the role of landing pages in e-commerce. After reading a standout piece from Jo Lambadjieva's AI for Ecommerce and Amazon Sellers newsletter (link to Jo's article below), I knew I had to share it with you. Because if this plays out, it changes everything. I walk through Google’s newly granted patent that allows AI to replace your carefully crafted landing pages with its own personalized versions: built in real time and inserted directly into your paid ads. What does that mean for your brand, your attribution, and your ad spend? Are we heading toward a future where Google owns the entire commerce funnel? Let’s unpack the implications and what you should be doing now to stay ahead. This episode is sponsored by Mirakl Ads Timeline [01:01] – Breaking down Google’s new patent and what it actually allows them to do[02:00] – The shocking reality: you pay for the click, but Google controls the landing page[03:07] – Why this impacts far more brands than just “bad” landing page experiences[04:00] – Inside the AI engine: how Google dynamically builds personalized pages for users[05:30] – The big risks: loss of brand control, murky attribution, and paying for someone else’s page[07:16] – How this fits into Google’s broader AI commerce ecosystem (Gemini, AI Overviews, and more)[09:30] – What e-commerce operators should do now to future-proof their business Links & Resources Read the full article: Google Just Patented the Right to Replace Your Landing Page.Subscribe to Jo's newsletter: AI for Ecommerce and Amazon SellersFollow Jo Lambadjieva on LinkedInRead my related articles:When the PDP Becomes the HomepageEcommerce Signals Are Shrinking. Why Retailers Must Earn New OnesRetail Media 3.0Atlanta-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. Why Ecommerce Signals Are Disappearing And What Retailers Must Do Next [Agentic Commerce Expert Series Part 3 of 4]

    6D AGO

    Why Ecommerce Signals Are Disappearing And What Retailers Must Do Next [Agentic Commerce Expert Series Part 3 of 4]

    Today I dig into a major shift happening in retail media: the signals we’ve relied on for years are starting to disappear. As discovery moves upstream into AI and LLM-driven experiences, the traditional browsing journey is shrinking, and with it, the data retailers depend on. So what does that mean for the future of retail media? In Part 3 of this Agentic Commerce Expert Series I’m joined by Amelia VanCamp from Mirakl, and we unpack why so many AI shopping assistants are falling short, what retailers are getting wrong in the race to adopt new tech, and how to design experiences that actually earn customer engagement. We also explore the growing importance of product truth, trust, and why both retailers and brands need to rethink how they show up in this new ecosystem. This episode is sponsored by Mirakl Ads Timeline [00:00] – Why shrinking customer journeys mean shrinking retail media signals[00:55] – The real reason AI shopping assistants are failing (even when the tech works)[02:00] – Why having a clear strategy matters more than rushing to launch[02:45] – The “eyes bigger than stomach” problem with overbuilt retail experiences[03:30] – How retailers can use existing customer data instead of starting from scratch[05:00] – The rising importance of product truth, trust, and accurate information[06:30] – How poor customer experiences can hurt AI-driven discoverability and rankings[07:45] – Why retailers must design moments that earn engagement Links & Resources Part 1 of this series: Discovery Has Moved Upstream. Here's What That Means for Retailers.Part 2 of this series: When the PDP Becomes the HomepageDownload 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

    8 min
  5. OpenAI Killed Instant Checkout… But Agentic Shopping Isn’t Dead (What Retailers Need to Know Now)

    MAR 17

    OpenAI Killed Instant Checkout… But Agentic Shopping Isn’t Dead (What Retailers Need to Know Now)

    OpenAI quietly pulled the plug on Instant Checkout inside ChatGPT and the internet immediately declared agentic commerce dead. But I think that conclusion misses the bigger picture. In this episode, a summary of my recent article for The Drum, I unpack why the failure of one implementation doesn’t mean the behavior itself is going away. I share my own real-world experience making an agentic purchase through ChatGPT (spoiler: it didn’t exactly change my life), and then we explore why OpenAI’s checkout model struggled while similar AI-driven commerce experiences are already thriving elsewhere. From China’s fully integrated AI commerce ecosystems, to the emerging moves from Amazon and Google, I break down what’s actually happening beneath the headlines, and why retailers should still be paying very close attention. This episode is sponsored by Mirakl Ads Timeline [00:00] – I share my first fully agentic purchase through ChatGPT and why the experience didn’t make me come back for more. [01:02] – OpenAI deprioritizes Instant Checkout and sends transactions back to retailer sites. What actually happened behind the scenes? [02:15] – Why a failed checkout model doesn’t mean agentic commerce itself is dead. [03:00] – Alibaba’s AI assistant proves agentic shopping can work: when one company controls the AI, marketplace, payments, and logistics. [04:18] – The TikTok Shop lesson: new shopping behaviors succeed when commerce feels like a natural extension of apps people already love. [05:07] – Why AI-driven discovery still threatens the $60B retail media industry (even without instant checkout). [08:19] – The shopping journey is already being rewired by AI, but the real challenge is the final 10% Links & Resources My full post on The Drum: OpenAI is killing Instant Checkout. Don't dance on the grave of agentic shopping yetRead my related articles:When the PDP Becomes the Homepage‘Dark Search’ Is Making AI-Facilitated Commerce Look Smaller Than It Really IsI Really, Really Hoped That Ads in AI Wouldn't Suck. Now We Find Out.Join 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

    11 min
  6. My RampUp Notes: Why Data Collaboration Is Winning Ad Budgets

    MAR 16

    My RampUp Notes: Why Data Collaboration Is Winning Ad Budgets

    Last week I shared some of the hallway chatter from the RampUp conference. And in this episode, I’m emptying the rest of my notebook. One theme kept surfacing everywhere I turned: data collaboration. It wasn’t just a buzzword on stage; it was the real factor determining which retail media networks are winning brand budgets, which ones are falling behind, and who gets invited back next year. I walk through five of the most interesting insights — from how major CPG brands are scoring retail media networks against Google and Meta, to why platforms like DoorDash are climbing rapidly in media investment priority. I also unpack the growing push for self-service tools, the surprising complexity behind ad serving infrastructure, and what makes a customer event like RampUp genuinely impactful. If you work in retail media, brand marketing, or commerce media strategy, these observations offer a behind-the-scenes look at how the industry is evolving right now (and where the next wave of investment is headed). This episode is sponsored by Mirakl Ads Timeline [00:12] – Why data collaboration was the defining theme across sessions, panels, and hallway conversations at RampUp. [00:43] – How major CPG brands are using structured scorecards and investment matrices to rank retail media networks. [02:37] – Inside the panel I moderated: how DoorDash moved from a small test budget to a priority media channel for brands. [05:45] – Why CPG brands are pushing retailers toward self-service media platforms and how data access is driving that demand. [07:30] – The hidden operational complexity of retail media networks, including why some organizations run multiple ad servers. [09:03] – What LiveRamp’s RampUp event gets right—and why it’s becoming a blueprint for industry customer events. Links & Resources My RampUp hallway convo recap from last week: "We're All Holding Our Breath"Read my related articles:Inside Mars's Retail Media Investment MatrixRetail Media's Next Challenge: Proving Real ResultsDark Search, Broken Signals, and What Comes Next for 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
  7. How Nestlé Decides Which Retail Media Networks Get Budget (And Why They Compare Them to Google & Meta)

    MAR 12

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

    MAR 11

    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
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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
    228
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Kiri Masters
  • Show Website
    Retail Media Breakfast Club

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