2025 will be a big year for retail media. Don't miss the train.

Future-proofing retail media campaign management in 2025 requires adapting to emerging trends, integrating advanced technologies, and maintaining agility in your strategies. Here’s a detailed approach:

1. Adopt Automation and AI-Powered Tools

• Dynamic Optimization: Use AI tools for bid optimization, audience segmentation, and creative rotation based on real-time performance. This can include campaign management platforms like Skai or Criteo.
• Predictive Analytics: Leverage machine learning to forecast trends, identify high-potential audiences, and improve ROI.
• ChatGPT-like Tools for Content: AI tools have received backlash recently due to the thoughts that this will impact job opportunities in the marketing industry, among others. As a marketer, it's crucial to understand these tools and how to use them to maximize your performance. This includes using them for things like automating ad copy generation and A/B testing for faster campaign iterations.

2. Harness First-Party Data

• Retailer Collaboration: Partner closely with retailers for access to their valuable first-party customer data.
• Unified Customer Profiles: Combine first-party data from retailers with your CRM to build a 360° view of your customers.

3. Leverage Advanced Targeting

• Omnichannel Audience Insights: Blend data from online and offline touchpoints to create unified targeting strategies.
• Retailer Audiences: Utilize audience segments from retail platforms for hyper-relevant targeting.

4. Creative Personalization at Scale

• Dynamic Creative Optimization (DCO): Implement personalized messaging tailored to user behavior, location, and preferences.
• Interactive Ads: Explore shoppable videos, 3D assets, or AR ads to engage users and drive conversions. This tends to be a roadblock for brands given the cost of generating video assets. This is when leaning on some AI-based video creators available can be efficient.

5. Expand Beyond Traditional Retail Media

• Retailer Ecosystems: Advertise on retailer-owned platforms like apps, email, and loyalty programs.
• Off-Site Media: Leverage retailer audiences for campaigns on external platforms like Google, Meta, or TikTok. This can include geo-targeting around retailers' stores and helping drive foot traffic by sending your customers to the store finder page on your website.

6. Stay Agile in Campaign Measurement

• Retailer-Specific KPIs: Tailor metrics to each retailer's platform (e.g., sales lift, share of voice, new customer acquisition, and sales velocity).
• Incrementality Testing: Regularly measure the incremental value of campaigns to assess true performance.
• Unified Attribution Models: Incorporate multi-touch attribution to capture the full impact across channels.

7. Focus on Emerging Technologies

• Retail Media Networks (RMNs): Invest in platforms like Amazon DSP, Walmart Connect, or Kroger Precision Marketing.
• Connected TV (CTV) and DOOH: Use retail data to inform campaigns in high-growth channels like streaming and digital out-of-home.
• Voice and Visual Search: Optimize campaigns for voice assistants and visual discovery on platforms like Pinterest and Google Lens. This is something to keep on your radar, but certainly not a primary focus. Focus on the primary tactics that help drive initial sales boost.

8. Test New Retail Media Formats

• Shoppable Livestreams: Collaborate with retailers to integrate real-time shopping experiences.
• Native and Sponsored Listings: Prioritize placements that blend seamlessly into the browsing experience.

9. Invest in Team Training and Partnerships

• Upskill Teams: Train teams on retail media platforms, analytics, and creative innovation.
• Strong Partnerships: Build robust relationships with retail partners to stay ahead of updates and features. Find the right digital marketing agency partner who has a proven track record, but also understands the ins and outs of the retail networks, and how to best utilize automation to help you scale the business.

10. Emphasize Sustainability and Brand Purpose

• Align campaigns with sustainable practices and values that resonate with environmentally-conscious consumers. This can be part of the ongoing creative or the overall brand messaging and tone.
• Highlight ethical sourcing or community impact initiatives in your messaging.