Bloomberg Interview with Emrah Adsan: The Role of GoWit in Leading Retail Media Wave

In today’s digital advertising landscape, Retail Media is the fastest-growing digital media channel, rapidly transforming how businesses connect with consumers. This innovation is not just reshaping customer engagement but is also set to redefine the entire industry.

At the leading edge of this transformation is Emrah Adsan, CEO of GoWit, who has been navigating the digital advertising landscape for over 15 years.

In this interview, Emrah shares his insights on the evolution of Retail Media, its impact on the market, and the future of digital advertising. Whether you're an entrepreneur or a digital marketer, his perspective offers valuable takeaways:

Reyhan Baysan (Host): Welcome to the "Giri?imcilik Dünyas?". As we do every week, we're joined by an inspiring entrepreneur. Today, we're diving into the Retail Media side of digital advertising, and we have a distinguished guest with us.

Emrah Adsan, CEO of GoWit, is here. Welcome, Mr. Emrah.

Emrah Adsan : Thank you for having me. It's a pleasure to be here.

Reyhan Baysan: We're excited to have you. Let's start with the basics. When people hear "digital advertising," they think of a lot of things. But Retail Media is something that many might not be familiar with. Could you help us understand what Retail Media is all about?

Emrah Adsan: Absolutely. Digital advertising has evolved over time. It began with search engine ads, then expanded with social media advertising. Now, Retail Media is being recognized as the third wave in digital advertising.

Simply put, Retail Media involves showing the right ad, to the right user, at the right time, based on their shopping habits. For instance, if someone is searching for a laptop on an e-commerce site, they might see a laptop ad tailored to their preferences. This approach benefits both the consumer and the advertiser, creating a profitable business model for e-commerce platforms.

Reyhan Baysan: That’s fascinating. It reminds me of how AI is influencing our daily lives, particularly through personalized recommendations. How much does your industry benefit from artificial intelligence?

Emrah Adsan: AI is incredibly significant in our field, just as it is in many others. It helps us optimize advertising by using first-party data—information directly collected from consumers based on their shopping habits. AI allows us to make decisions in milliseconds, ensuring that the most relevant ad is shown to each user. This not only enhances the user experience but also increases sales for advertisers and improves efficiency for the e-commerce platform.

Reyhan Baysan: It sounds like AI is playing a crucial role in optimizing these processes. Can you talk a bit about the role of Retail Media in the global market and where Turkey stands?

Emrah Adsan: I've been in digital advertising for 15 years, and typically, trends in Turkey lag behind the U.S. by about 4 to 5 years. Retail Media is no different. In the U.S., Retail Media has already become a major revenue stream, with giants like Amazon leading the way. In Turkey, Retail Media currently represents about 1-3% of e-commerce revenue, but we expect this to grow significantly over the next few years.

Reyhan Baysan: There seems to be parallel growth between e-commerce and Retail Media in Turkey. Do you think Turkey is still viewed as an offline market, or is there a shift happening?

Emrah Adsan: Turkey has traditionally been seen as more offline, but that’s changing rapidly. Our technological infrastructure, especially in e-commerce and fintech, is very advanced. As people increasingly turn to e-commerce, advertisers are following them online. Additionally, Retail Media isn’t just about online ads; it also includes in-store digital ads, blending online and offline experiences seamlessly.

Reyhan Baysan: Speaking of technology, GoWit plays a significant role in enabling these ads for retailers. Could you explain what GoWit does and how it integrates with retail platforms?

Emrah Adsan: We’re on the technology side of this business. We help e-commerce and retail companies display ads on their platforms in a way that’s data-driven and non-intrusive. Our integration process is straightforward and can be completed in a remarkable short period of time. Once integrated, retailers can start monetizing their platforms by displaying ads that are highly relevant to their users without slowing down their site.

Reyhan Baysan: The speed and efficiency of your technology are impressive. How do you manage to keep the site running smoothly while delivering targeted ads?

Emrah Adsan: It’s all about quick decision-making. Traditional digital advertising often slows down websites because the ads are served through external scripts. We, however, connect directly to the retailer’s infrastructure, delivering ads in just 10 milliseconds. This ensures the site remains fast while providing a personalized experience for the user.

Reyhan Baysan: That’s impressive. Now, globally, where do you see the most potential for growth, and how does Turkey fit into this landscape?

Emrah Adsan: We started in Turkey, and we’re proud to be growing here. Our goal is to be a leading technology provider in Turkey, the Middle East, and Western Europe. We already have partnerships with major brands like Teknosa, Ko?ta?, and Beymen, and we aim to expand further in Asia and North America. Our ambition is to become one of the top global players in Retail Media technology.

Reyhan Baysan: As you expand globally, how do you view the increasing competition, particularly with the rise of AI?

Emrah Adsan: Competition is inherent to entrepreneurship. We see AI as an ally rather than a threat. It enables us to manage and grow our business across multiple regions from Turkey. Of course, there are challenges, especially when entering new markets, but we are confident that our technology and team are up to the task.

Reyhan Baysan: Speaking of challenges, funding is always a concern for entrepreneurs, especially in today's economic climate. How are you navigating this?

Emrah Adsan: Access to funding has always been a challenge, especially in Turkey. However, we’ve been fortunate to secure support from prominent investors like Essas Holding and Alarko Holding. We’re currently planning to announce another investment round soon to fuel our rapid growth.

Reyhan Baysan: That’s exciting news! Thank you, Mr. Emrah, for sharing your insights and experiences with us. We wish you continued success.

Emrah Adsan: Thank you for having me. It was a pleasure.

Reyhan Baysan: And that wraps up this edition of "Giri?imcilik Dünyas?." Stay tuned for more inspiring stories and insights next week.

Full interview link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R-ijgP1gPNs