The Middlemen Podcast

The Middlemen Podcast, LLC
  • 5.0 (3)
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The Middlemen Podcast explores how retailers, brands, and technology platforms are reshaping the future of media and commerce. Hosted by Tom Limongello and Todd Sawicki, the show dives deep into the evolving world of retail media, trade marketing, and advertising technology — where merchants become marketers, and every impression is tied to a purchase. Through candid conversations with industry leaders, we unpack what it really takes to connect with shoppers in the age of AI and outcomes. https://www.nextipedia.com/podcast

  1. FEB 2

    Commerce Media is a Layer (Not a Channel) — Conor McKenna, Luma Partners

    This week we’re joined by Conor McKenna (Partner, Luma Partners) for a banker’s-eye view of where commerce media and retail media are actually heading. We talk about why commerce media is a layer across the ecosystem (not just a channel), why retail media feels like it’s in a trough of disillusionment, and what has to happen next: standardization, aggregation, and real operational efficiency. Conor also breaks down the shift from deterministic measurement toward a more probabilistic, AI-driven renaissance, and why “transactions are the new cookie.” Luma 2025 Full Year Market Report: https://lumapartners.com/presentations/2025-full-year-market-report/

    34 min

  2. JAN 26

    From Casual to Causal: Proving In-Store Works with Liz Roche of Albertsons

    In this episode of The Middlemen Podcast, we sit down with Liz Roche from Albertsons Media Collective to talk about what it actually takes to scale in-store retail media. Albertsons isn’t just testing screens in a handful of locations — they’re building the measurement, infrastructure, and operating model required to move from pilot programs to real network scale. We dig into: • why “ad plays” aren’t enough to prove in-store performance • how validated impressions and foot-traffic signals change how media is trafficked • what it means to move from casual measurement to causal outcomes • and why in-store media only works when it’s tightly connected to merchandising This conversation is less about hype and more about accountability — and what brands should actually look for as in-store retail media matures. Find Liz Roche on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eroche1/

    31 min

  3. JAN 20

    CES + NRF 2026: How In-Store Retail Media Is Changing

    After CES and NRF, it’s clear that in-store retail media isn’t moving in a straight line — but the defaults are starting to shift. In this solo episode, Tom reflects on what stood out across both shows, from the investor-facing story of scale and incrementality to the messier, more pragmatic paths emerging for retailers that don’t look like Walmart or Albertsons. The conversation looks back at earlier in-store experiments, why some over-instrumented approaches pulled back, and what that tells us about what actually works inside the store — where shopper experience, throughput, and scale still matter. This episode is a short bridge between where in-store retail media has been and the new threads we’ll be pulling on next, across upcoming conversations and more visual, written breakdowns alongside the show. Mentioned in the episode:Coming soon — the full video of Stratacache’s “What’s in Store for Retail Media Networks” panel on in-store creative, featuring Ace Hardware Red Vest Media, 7-Eleven Gulp Media Network, and Mars United Commerce. ⁠https://stratacache.com/en/nrf-2026-retail-media-networks/⁠

    9 min

  4. JAN 11

    Why TV operators love CTV + Retail Media: Alex Holtz, IDC

    In this episode, we talk with Alex Holtz (IDC) to unpack the sell-side worldview on why CTV is booming — and why retail media is increasingly part of that story. We cover FAST channels, the battle for the TV operating system and home screen, and how media operators think about “1P data,” identity, and measurement. Tom and Scott also push back on where the TV narrative diverges from retail media reality. Alex Holtz on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexholtz/ Chapters 0:07 — Introduction 2:30 — CTV and Retail Media Convergence 4:37 — Creative Automation and AI 7:16 — Local Markets and FAST Platforms 10:13 — Retail Media Tiers and Partnerships 17:48 — AWS Reinvent and Cloud Infrastructure 23:06 — Budget Shifts and Ad Dollar Migration 33:00 — Future Predictions and AI in Production

    36 min

  5. 12/27/2025

    Holiday End Cap

    In our final episode of the year, we step back and reflect on what we learned from recording 35 conversations across retail media, ad tech, and commerce. We spent much of 2025 on the road — at CES, Groceryshop, Cannes, POSSIBLE, and more — talking with retailers, platforms, agencies, and publishers. What we didn’t always do was record those conversations on location. That’s changing. With help from our equipment sponsor, Barrows, we now have a mobile setup that lets us record in the environments we talk about on the show — inside retail stores, at events, and alongside the in-store digital signage and audio that are becoming core to retail media. In this episode, we: • Reflect on the most impactful conversations of the year, including Costco, Albertsons, Ahold Delhaize, and others • Talk about why merchandising still plays a central role in retail media • Explore why many brands are still “phoning it in” with retail media spend • Discuss the rise of federated networks and managed service models • Dig into how publishers and retailers may come together around identity, conversion, and in-store creative • Look ahead to how AI, agentic commerce, and measurement could reshape the open web This isn’t a predictions episode. It’s a wrap on what we learned — and a setup for where we’re headed next. Thanks for listening, and we’ll see you in 2026.

    16 min

  6. 12/23/2025

    Mastering the four corners of retail media with Kiri Masters

    A LinkedIn Live crossover with Kiri Masters In this special crossover episode, Tom Limongello and Scott Messer of The Middlemen Podcast join Kiri Masters, host of Retail Media Breakfast Club, for a wide-ranging conversation on where retail media really stands — and where it’s headed next. Kiri introduces a powerful framework for understanding the ecosystem: the four corners of retail media — brands, retailers, technology providers, and media buyers. From there, the discussion digs into why so many retail media networks struggle to scale beyond early success, and what history from ad tech and publishing can teach us about the next phase. Topics covered include: - Why many retailers still operate retail media like MarTech, not ad tech - The difference between early retail media growth and truly incremental demand - How trade dollars, JBPs, and “stick vs carrot” dynamics shape buying behavior - What brands should actually be asking retail media networks beyond ROAS - The risk of repeating the open-web publishing playbook — and how to avoid it - Aggregation, co-ops, and commerce intermediaries like Instacart and DoorDash - Whether retail media will ever move beyond CPM and CPC models - Why transparency, log files, and operational maturity matter more than hype The conversation also draws on lessons from previous eras of digital media, including programmatic, CTV, and walled gardens — with references to ideas popularized by Ari Paparo and others who’ve seen these cycles before. If you’re building, buying, selling, or advising in retail media, this episode is less about tactics — and more about understanding the forces shaping the category. Chapters 00:01:55 — The Four Corners of Retail Media 00:06:05 — Retailers as Publishers: MarTech vs Ad Tech 00:11:05 — The Retail Media Doom Loop 00:14:20 — Do Brands Actually Demand Better Tech? 00:21:27 — Aggregation, Co-ops, and Co

    51 min

  7. 12/16/2025

    The Virtual Grocery Chain: How Independent Grocers Aggregate for National Scale

    Independent grocers haven’t been too small for retail media — they’ve been impossible to reach as a group. In this episode, we talk with Ravi Achanta (RSA America) and Garry Church (Inmar Intelligence) about how aggregation changes that reality. We discuss how RSA enables independent grocers to operate as a virtual chain with shared digital infrastructure, and how Inmar connects that aggregation to national brand programs through incentives and offsite activation. A grounded conversation about infrastructure, scale, and why independent grocery is one of the most overlooked retail media opportunities. Chapters

    44 min

  8. 12/08/2025

    The Audience Enabler — Praveen Menon, Rippl

    This week we’re joined by Praveen Menon, Head of Product at Rippl, the Retail Media Network operated by Bridg, a Cardlytics company, for one of the clearest breakdowns of retail identity, closed-loop measurement, and the future of retail media. Praveen explains why retailer first-party data remains the most valuable signal in modern advertising, how Rippl is building privacy-safe deterministic identity at scale, and why the combination of terrestrial identity and online identity unlocks measurement and optimization capabilities older digital formats never achieved. We also get into attribution, clean rooms, CTV, audience enablement, and how retailers, DSPs, and brand buyers can finally work off the same infrastructure instead of fragmented point solutions. Guest: Praveen Menon — Head of Product, Bridg/Rippl LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/praveendmenon/ Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Weather Talk 01:29 Retail Media Insights with Ari Paparo 03:02 Introducing Praveen Menon and Rippl 08:27 Bridg and Rippl: Identity and Media Network 09:22 Retail Media’s Unique Value Proposition 12:39 Challenges and Solutions in Retail Media 24:35 Retail Media and CTV: A Perfect Match 27:38 Audience Enablement vs. Audience Extension 29:35 The Future of Retail Media 32:50 Clean Rooms and Identity Resolution 36:04 Retailer Data vs. Brand Data 39:50 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

    38 min
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

The Middlemen Podcast explores how retailers, brands, and technology platforms are reshaping the future of media and commerce. Hosted by Tom Limongello and Todd Sawicki, the show dives deep into the evolving world of retail media, trade marketing, and advertising technology — where merchants become marketers, and every impression is tied to a purchase. Through candid conversations with industry leaders, we unpack what it really takes to connect with shoppers in the age of AI and outcomes. https://www.nextipedia.com/podcast

Information

  • Creator
    The Middlemen Podcast, LLC
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    59
  • Copyright
    © All rights reserved
  • Show Website
    The Middlemen Podcast

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