Unlocking Retail Media Transistor (https://transistor.fm) https://feeds.transistor.fm/unlocking-retail-media Unlocking Retail Media is the essential podcast for leaders and marketers navigating the rapidly evolving world of retail advertising. We move beyond day-to-day operations to explore the strategic future of the industry, covering major investment trends, the shift to hybrid marketplace models, and the existential disruption posed by Agentic Commerce. Host James Avery brings in top industry veterans and visionary founders to analyze how ground-breaking technology is transforming customer journeys, influencing product catalogs, and forcing retailers to rethink on-site, in-store, and digital media strategies to remain competitive in the modern age. © 2026 Kevel f1853f40-856d-5e64-83f2-bd53c45c2733 no d626b130-f318-11f0-a6d2-e3304d1228cf en Wed, 22 Apr 2026 04:00:18 -0700 Wed, 22 Apr 2026 04:02:32 -0700 https://img.transistorcdn.com/RJYyOT9HVMjSy0dpGi3V_gbUDVkrQ81RB1taUEJ-yhU/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:1400/h:1400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS9hYjNi/NjJiODhhYzdhNjYx/ZGY2NDVkYTNlNGU3/YWQxMy5wbmc.jpg Unlocking Retail Media episodic Kevel Unlocking Retail Media is the essential podcast for leaders and marketers navigating the rapidly evolving world of retail advertising. We move beyond day-to-day operations to explore the strategic future of the industry, covering major investment trends, the shift to hybrid marketplace models, and the existential disruption posed by Agentic Commerce. Host James Avery brings in top industry veterans and visionary founders to analyze how ground-breaking technology is transforming customer journeys, influencing product catalogs, and forcing retailers to rethink on-site, in-store, and digital media strategies to remain competitive in the modern age. Unlocking Retail Media is the essential podcast for leaders and marketers navigating the rapidly evolving world of retail advertising. retail, marketing, media, business, commerce, e-commerce, investing Kevel contentstudio-admin@walkwest.com No No The Engineering Engine: First-Party Data and the Kevel Acquisition with Paulo Cunha 14 14 The Engineering Engine: First-Party Data and the Kevel Acquisition with Paulo Cunha full d3e44240-d946-44e9-bf77-42b6193eb51e https://share.transistor.fm/s/797834ad James Avery sits down with Paulo Cunha, Kevel’s VP of Product, to explore the historical convergence of data infrastructure and ad tech. Drawing from his journey as the founder of Shift Forward (later Velocity), Paulo recounts the early days of building foundational first-party data tools in Europe and how his team’s expertise in real-time segmentation and forecasting became the backbone of Kevel’s audience product. The conversation dives into the strategic nuances of the European market, the "API-first" mandate, and why the cultural alignment between their two engineering-heavy organizations led to an incredibly successful post-acquisition integration. Paulo also provides a unique lens on GDPR as a competitive advantage and how global retailers can leverage rapid, first-party data activation to outpace traditional marketing cycles and drive higher yield. 

]]> James Avery sits down with Paulo Cunha, Kevel’s VP of Product, to explore the historical convergence of data infrastructure and ad tech. Drawing from his journey as the founder of Shift Forward (later Velocity), Paulo recounts the early days of building foundational first-party data tools in Europe and how his team’s expertise in real-time segmentation and forecasting became the backbone of Kevel’s audience product. The conversation dives into the strategic nuances of the European market, the "API-first" mandate, and why the cultural alignment between their two engineering-heavy organizations led to an incredibly successful post-acquisition integration. Paulo also provides a unique lens on GDPR as a competitive advantage and how global retailers can leverage rapid, first-party data activation to outpace traditional marketing cycles and drive higher yield. 

]]> Wed, 22 Apr 2026 04:00:00 -0700 Kevel Kevel 2505 James Avery sits down with Paulo Cunha, Kevel’s VP of Product, to explore the historical convergence of data infrastructure and ad tech. Drawing from his journey as the founder of Shift Forward (later Velocity), Paulo recounts the early days of building foundational first-party data tools in Europe and how his team’s expertise in real-time segmentation and forecasting became the backbone of Kevel’s audience product. The conversation dives into the strategic nuances of the European market, the "API-first" mandate, and why the cultural alignment between their two engineering-heavy organizations led to an incredibly successful post-acquisition integration. Paulo also provides a unique lens on GDPR as a competitive advantage and how global retailers can leverage rapid, first-party data activation to outpace traditional marketing cycles and drive higher yield. 

]]> retail, marketing, media, business, commerce, e-commerce, investing No Breaking Through the Noise: The Power of In-Store Audio with Sean Cheyney 13 13 Breaking Through the Noise: The Power of In-Store Audio with Sean Cheyney full c3a4e1cb-b9f3-4751-b533-4cfb3f1e8061 https://share.transistor.fm/s/fd6029bb James Avery welcomes Sean Cheyney, EVP of Global Business Development at QSIC, to discuss the untapped potential of the physical store as a high-performance media channel. Drawing on his deep background at Triad and CitrusAd, Sean explains how modern AI-driven in-store audio is solving legacy pain points by providing closed-loop measurement, incremental ROAS, and hyper-localized creative that can be deployed in minutes. The conversation highlights the "omnichannel" future where audio, digital screens, and on-site media work together to surround the consumer, and Sean makes a bold prediction that 2026 will be the breakout year for retailers globally to integrate audio into their retail media programs

]]> James Avery welcomes Sean Cheyney, EVP of Global Business Development at QSIC, to discuss the untapped potential of the physical store as a high-performance media channel. Drawing on his deep background at Triad and CitrusAd, Sean explains how modern AI-driven in-store audio is solving legacy pain points by providing closed-loop measurement, incremental ROAS, and hyper-localized creative that can be deployed in minutes. The conversation highlights the "omnichannel" future where audio, digital screens, and on-site media work together to surround the consumer, and Sean makes a bold prediction that 2026 will be the breakout year for retailers globally to integrate audio into their retail media programs

]]> Wed, 08 Apr 2026 04:00:00 -0700 Kevel Kevel 2134 James Avery welcomes Sean Cheyney, EVP of Global Business Development at QSIC, to discuss the untapped potential of the physical store as a high-performance media channel. Drawing on his deep background at Triad and CitrusAd, Sean explains how modern AI-driven in-store audio is solving legacy pain points by providing closed-loop measurement, incremental ROAS, and hyper-localized creative that can be deployed in minutes. The conversation highlights the "omnichannel" future where audio, digital screens, and on-site media work together to surround the consumer, and Sean makes a bold prediction that 2026 will be the breakout year for retailers globally to integrate audio into their retail media programs

]]> retail, marketing, media, business, commerce, e-commerce, investing No The Power of Customer Data Science: Lessons from the Front Lines with Michael Schuh 12 12 The Power of Customer Data Science: Lessons from the Front Lines with Michael Schuh full 59106249-ecdd-4676-a0f1-8833b2248ee9 https://share.transistor.fm/s/932163b5 James Avery sits down with Michael Schuh, Global Head of Media at dunnhumby, to explore the evolution of one of the most sophisticated retail media ecosystems in the world. Drawing on his extensive experience building Kroger Precision Marketing, Michael discusses the shift from off-site and loyalty-driven data to the current surge in digitized in-store media. The conversation delves into the strategic necessity of maintaining a "customer-first" focus, the role of measurement standards in building brand trust, and why retailers must move beyond the "noise" of the industry to build bespoke solutions that align with their unique core value propositions. Michael also provides a forward-looking perspective on the impact of agentic commerce and how physical stores can serve as a "competitive moat" for retailers in an increasingly AI-driven landscape.

]]> James Avery sits down with Michael Schuh, Global Head of Media at dunnhumby, to explore the evolution of one of the most sophisticated retail media ecosystems in the world. Drawing on his extensive experience building Kroger Precision Marketing, Michael discusses the shift from off-site and loyalty-driven data to the current surge in digitized in-store media. The conversation delves into the strategic necessity of maintaining a "customer-first" focus, the role of measurement standards in building brand trust, and why retailers must move beyond the "noise" of the industry to build bespoke solutions that align with their unique core value propositions. Michael also provides a forward-looking perspective on the impact of agentic commerce and how physical stores can serve as a "competitive moat" for retailers in an increasingly AI-driven landscape.

]]> Wed, 25 Mar 2026 04:00:00 -0700 Kevel Kevel 2414 James Avery sits down with Michael Schuh, Global Head of Media at dunnhumby, to explore the evolution of one of the most sophisticated retail media ecosystems in the world. Drawing on his extensive experience building Kroger Precision Marketing, Michael discusses the shift from off-site and loyalty-driven data to the current surge in digitized in-store media. The conversation delves into the strategic necessity of maintaining a "customer-first" focus, the role of measurement standards in building brand trust, and why retailers must move beyond the "noise" of the industry to build bespoke solutions that align with their unique core value propositions. Michael also provides a forward-looking perspective on the impact of agentic commerce and how physical stores can serve as a "competitive moat" for retailers in an increasingly AI-driven landscape.

]]> retail, marketing, media, business, commerce, e-commerce, investing No Unifying the Fragmentation: The Evolution of Commerce Media with Melissa Burdick 11 11 Unifying the Fragmentation: The Evolution of Commerce Media with Melissa Burdick full 3557381a-c7d9-4722-bbca-aafd904ce250 https://share.transistor.fm/s/39ec7527 James Avery is joined by Melissa Burdick, Co-founder and President of Pacvue, to discuss the complex, multi-touchpoint journey of the modern consumer. Melissa breaks down the three pillars of commerce media: discovery, retail media, and the emerging world of agentic commerce. She also explains why brands are shifting their focus from basic ROAS to sophisticated incrementality (iROAS) models. The conversation highlights the technical necessity of an "API-first" strategy for retailers to attract top-tier brand spend and explores how tools like Amazon’s Rufus and AI-powered assistants are reshaping discovery and increasing basket sizes.

]]> James Avery is joined by Melissa Burdick, Co-founder and President of Pacvue, to discuss the complex, multi-touchpoint journey of the modern consumer. Melissa breaks down the three pillars of commerce media: discovery, retail media, and the emerging world of agentic commerce. She also explains why brands are shifting their focus from basic ROAS to sophisticated incrementality (iROAS) models. The conversation highlights the technical necessity of an "API-first" strategy for retailers to attract top-tier brand spend and explores how tools like Amazon’s Rufus and AI-powered assistants are reshaping discovery and increasing basket sizes.

]]> Wed, 11 Mar 2026 04:00:00 -0700 Kevel Kevel 2197 James Avery is joined by Melissa Burdick, Co-founder and President of Pacvue, to discuss the complex, multi-touchpoint journey of the modern consumer. Melissa breaks down the three pillars of commerce media: discovery, retail media, and the emerging world of agentic commerce. She also explains why brands are shifting their focus from basic ROAS to sophisticated incrementality (iROAS) models. The conversation highlights the technical necessity of an "API-first" strategy for retailers to attract top-tier brand spend and explores how tools like Amazon’s Rufus and AI-powered assistants are reshaping discovery and increasing basket sizes.

]]> retail, marketing, media, business, commerce, e-commerce, investing No Measurement Science and the Future of Performance with Andrew Covato 10 10 Measurement Science and the Future of Performance with Andrew Covato full de96de7e-7d2e-4dd6-90de-bd56edb8fc66 https://share.transistor.fm/s/d0fe6bb4 James Avery sits down with Andrew Covato, founder of Growth by Science, to demystify the complex world of advertising measurement. With a career spanning leadership roles at Google, Facebook, Netflix, and Snap, Andrew explains why traditional attribution is no longer enough and why sophisticated brands are moving toward incrementality (iROAS) and Marketing Mix Modeling (MMM).

]]> James Avery sits down with Andrew Covato, founder of Growth by Science, to demystify the complex world of advertising measurement. With a career spanning leadership roles at Google, Facebook, Netflix, and Snap, Andrew explains why traditional attribution is no longer enough and why sophisticated brands are moving toward incrementality (iROAS) and Marketing Mix Modeling (MMM).

]]> Wed, 18 Feb 2026 04:00:00 -0800 Kevel Kevel 2044 James Avery sits down with Andrew Covato, founder of Growth by Science, to demystify the complex world of advertising measurement. With a career spanning leadership roles at Google, Facebook, Netflix, and Snap, Andrew explains why traditional attribution is no longer enough and why sophisticated brands are moving toward incrementality (iROAS) and Marketing Mix Modeling (MMM).

]]> retail, marketing, media, business, commerce, e-commerce, investing No Democratizing Premium TV Advertising with James Borow 9 9 Democratizing Premium TV Advertising with James Borow full 35fc682c-8e4d-45ac-9df6-1eac4d9df1bb https://share.transistor.fm/s/ffb4db7b James Avery talks with James Borow, advisor and lead for Universal Ads at Comcast, about the convergence of premium TV and digital self-serve advertising. Borow discusses how Universal Ads is making TV inventory approachable for brands of all sizes by removing traditional barriers like high minimum spends and complex creative requirements. The conversation covers the shift toward incrementality in measurement, the "halo effect" TV has on social media performance, and how retailers can leverage their first-party data for high-performance CTV reach extension. They also dive into the future of agentic commerce and "vibe coding," exploring how AI-driven tools are rapidly expanding digital consumption and creating a new "golden age" for personalized advertising.

]]> James Avery talks with James Borow, advisor and lead for Universal Ads at Comcast, about the convergence of premium TV and digital self-serve advertising. Borow discusses how Universal Ads is making TV inventory approachable for brands of all sizes by removing traditional barriers like high minimum spends and complex creative requirements. The conversation covers the shift toward incrementality in measurement, the "halo effect" TV has on social media performance, and how retailers can leverage their first-party data for high-performance CTV reach extension. They also dive into the future of agentic commerce and "vibe coding," exploring how AI-driven tools are rapidly expanding digital consumption and creating a new "golden age" for personalized advertising.

]]> Wed, 04 Feb 2026 04:00:00 -0800 Kevel Kevel 2320 James Avery talks with James Borow, advisor and lead for Universal Ads at Comcast, about the convergence of premium TV and digital self-serve advertising. Borow discusses how Universal Ads is making TV inventory approachable for brands of all sizes by removing traditional barriers like high minimum spends and complex creative requirements. The conversation covers the shift toward incrementality in measurement, the "halo effect" TV has on social media performance, and how retailers can leverage their first-party data for high-performance CTV reach extension. They also dive into the future of agentic commerce and "vibe coding," exploring how AI-driven tools are rapidly expanding digital consumption and creating a new "golden age" for personalized advertising.

]]> retail, marketing, media, business, commerce, e-commerce, investing No Navigating Product Leadership in Retail Media with Ben Johnson 8 8 Navigating Product Leadership in Retail Media with Ben Johnson full f2fbdb67-e906-4f2d-a242-7935444a1149 https://share.transistor.fm/s/a0a4673f James Avery sits down with Ben Johnson, Senior Director of Chewy Ads, to discuss the critical role of product management in building a successful retail media network. Drawing from his experience at both Chewy and Coupang, Ben explains why retailers must move beyond "cookie-cutter" playbooks to develop bespoke ad solutions that reflect their unique customer behaviors—such as Chewy’s high-growth subscription model. The conversation explores how to build internal credibility with established teams, the importance of establishing a "good, neutral, bad" framework for experimentation, and why hiring product leaders with cognitive diversity is more effective than simply sourcing ad tech experts.

]]> James Avery sits down with Ben Johnson, Senior Director of Chewy Ads, to discuss the critical role of product management in building a successful retail media network. Drawing from his experience at both Chewy and Coupang, Ben explains why retailers must move beyond "cookie-cutter" playbooks to develop bespoke ad solutions that reflect their unique customer behaviors—such as Chewy’s high-growth subscription model. The conversation explores how to build internal credibility with established teams, the importance of establishing a "good, neutral, bad" framework for experimentation, and why hiring product leaders with cognitive diversity is more effective than simply sourcing ad tech experts.

]]> Wed, 21 Jan 2026 04:00:00 -0800 Kevel Kevel 2552 James Avery sits down with Ben Johnson, Senior Director of Chewy Ads, to discuss the critical role of product management in building a successful retail media network. Drawing from his experience at both Chewy and Coupang, Ben explains why retailers must move beyond "cookie-cutter" playbooks to develop bespoke ad solutions that reflect their unique customer behaviors—such as Chewy’s high-growth subscription model. The conversation explores how to build internal credibility with established teams, the importance of establishing a "good, neutral, bad" framework for experimentation, and why hiring product leaders with cognitive diversity is more effective than simply sourcing ad tech experts.

]]> retail, marketing, media, business, commerce, e-commerce, investing No Building Scalable Commerce Media Networks with Sam Wright 7 7 Building Scalable Commerce Media Networks with Sam Wright full 954bda96-dab8-4fc6-9c6f-daca27df6e20 https://share.transistor.fm/s/1a58a7f0 James Avery is joined by Sam Wright, Kevel’s strategic advisor, to discuss the essential steps for launching and maturing a retail media business. Drawing from his experience globalizing Klarna Media, Sam breaks down how businesses of all sizes—from small startups to billion-dollar enterprises—can diversify their revenue through targeted advertising. The conversation explores critical growth strategies, including how to align C-suite leadership with product teams, transition from trade dollars to measurable performance media, and leverage granular SKU-level data to create a competitive "transaction graph". Whether navigating the tension between user experience and monetization or evolving into a sophisticated commerce media network, this episode provides a practical roadmap for scaling a modern ad business.

Get in touch with us! https://www.kevel.com/contact

]]> James Avery is joined by Sam Wright, Kevel’s strategic advisor, to discuss the essential steps for launching and maturing a retail media business. Drawing from his experience globalizing Klarna Media, Sam breaks down how businesses of all sizes—from small startups to billion-dollar enterprises—can diversify their revenue through targeted advertising. The conversation explores critical growth strategies, including how to align C-suite leadership with product teams, transition from trade dollars to measurable performance media, and leverage granular SKU-level data to create a competitive "transaction graph". Whether navigating the tension between user experience and monetization or evolving into a sophisticated commerce media network, this episode provides a practical roadmap for scaling a modern ad business.

Get in touch with us! https://www.kevel.com/contact

]]> Tue, 13 Jan 2026 04:00:00 -0800 Kevel Kevel 2164 James Avery is joined by Sam Wright, Kevel’s strategic advisor, to discuss the essential steps for launching and maturing a retail media business. Drawing from his experience globalizing Klarna Media, Sam breaks down how businesses of all sizes—from small startups to billion-dollar enterprises—can diversify their revenue through targeted advertising. The conversation explores critical growth strategies, including how to align C-suite leadership with product teams, transition from trade dollars to measurable performance media, and leverage granular SKU-level data to create a competitive "transaction graph". Whether navigating the tension between user experience and monetization or evolving into a sophisticated commerce media network, this episode provides a practical roadmap for scaling a modern ad business.

Get in touch with us! https://www.kevel.com/contact

]]> retail, marketing, media, business, commerce, e-commerce, investing No Driving Commerce Media: From Food Delivery to the Automotive Marketplace with Gareth Menton 6 6 Driving Commerce Media: From Food Delivery to the Automotive Marketplace with Gareth Menton full 872f1ab5-fbb2-4de7-9929-36f121c88267 https://share.transistor.fm/s/592b004e In this episode, James Avery talks with Gareth Menton of Carwow about his journey through retail media, moving from the transactional, spur-of-the-moment food delivery space at Just Eat to the high-value, long-consideration automotive marketplace. Gareth shares how Carwow uses rich first-party data for effective offsite advertising, proving sales attribution for brands. A key takeaway for all RMNs is his focus on making ads highly relevant to user intent, which has led to sponsored listings having the same click-through rate as organic listings.

]]> In this episode, James Avery talks with Gareth Menton of Carwow about his journey through retail media, moving from the transactional, spur-of-the-moment food delivery space at Just Eat to the high-value, long-consideration automotive marketplace. Gareth shares how Carwow uses rich first-party data for effective offsite advertising, proving sales attribution for brands. A key takeaway for all RMNs is his focus on making ads highly relevant to user intent, which has led to sponsored listings having the same click-through rate as organic listings.

]]> Wed, 07 Jan 2026 04:00:00 -0800 Kevel Kevel 1892 In this episode, James Avery talks with Gareth Menton of Carwow about his journey through retail media, moving from the transactional, spur-of-the-moment food delivery space at Just Eat to the high-value, long-consideration automotive marketplace. Gareth shares how Carwow uses rich first-party data for effective offsite advertising, proving sales attribution for brands. A key takeaway for all RMNs is his focus on making ads highly relevant to user intent, which has led to sponsored listings having the same click-through rate as organic listings.

]]> retail, marketing, media, business, commerce, e-commerce, investing No The Media Buyer's POV: RMNs, Ad Load, and the Agentic Shift with Lee Dunbar 5 5 The Media Buyer's POV: RMNs, Ad Load, and the Agentic Shift with Lee Dunbar full c8aa2e99-7845-4c43-ac9f-18e9f85fa950 https://share.transistor.fm/s/707f88c0 Lee Dunbar, SVP and Head of Retail Media at Starcom, joins the show to provide a crucial agency and brand-side perspective on the evolving retail media landscape. Having seen retail media transform from old-school shopper marketing to a critical part of modern advertising, Lee discusses what major brands like P&G and Kraft Heinz truly seek from Retail Media Networks (RMNs), emphasizing the need for consistency, full-service capabilities, and audience-based incremental reach, especially in non-endemic and in-store environments. He argues that RMNs must mature into a media "layer" that integrates seamlessly with national media plans, rather than remaining siloed "channels". Looking ahead, Lee highlights that the biggest strategic shift for both agencies and brands is managing fragmented ad spend across numerous retailers while preparing for the impact of Agentic Commerce, which threatens to move discovery and media opportunities from retailer sites to AI agents who will act as "super shoppers".

]]> Lee Dunbar, SVP and Head of Retail Media at Starcom, joins the show to provide a crucial agency and brand-side perspective on the evolving retail media landscape. Having seen retail media transform from old-school shopper marketing to a critical part of modern advertising, Lee discusses what major brands like P&G and Kraft Heinz truly seek from Retail Media Networks (RMNs), emphasizing the need for consistency, full-service capabilities, and audience-based incremental reach, especially in non-endemic and in-store environments. He argues that RMNs must mature into a media "layer" that integrates seamlessly with national media plans, rather than remaining siloed "channels". Looking ahead, Lee highlights that the biggest strategic shift for both agencies and brands is managing fragmented ad spend across numerous retailers while preparing for the impact of Agentic Commerce, which threatens to move discovery and media opportunities from retailer sites to AI agents who will act as "super shoppers".

]]> Tue, 30 Dec 2025 04:00:00 -0800 Kevel Kevel 2602 Lee Dunbar, SVP and Head of Retail Media at Starcom, joins the show to provide a crucial agency and brand-side perspective on the evolving retail media landscape. Having seen retail media transform from old-school shopper marketing to a critical part of modern advertising, Lee discusses what major brands like P&G and Kraft Heinz truly seek from Retail Media Networks (RMNs), emphasizing the need for consistency, full-service capabilities, and audience-based incremental reach, especially in non-endemic and in-store environments. He argues that RMNs must mature into a media "layer" that integrates seamlessly with national media plans, rather than remaining siloed "channels". Looking ahead, Lee highlights that the biggest strategic shift for both agencies and brands is managing fragmented ad spend across numerous retailers while preparing for the impact of Agentic Commerce, which threatens to move discovery and media opportunities from retailer sites to AI agents who will act as "super shoppers".

]]> retail, marketing, media, business, commerce, e-commerce, investing No The Agentic Commerce Threat: Why RMNs Must Evolve for AI with Scot Wingo 4 4 The Agentic Commerce Threat: Why RMNs Must Evolve for AI with Scot Wingo full 06933931-301b-4c0c-b462-cae89abb72e7 https://share.transistor.fm/s/cd975824 Host James Avery welcomes serial entrepreneur Scot Wingo to dissect the rapid rise of Agentic Commerce and its imminent impact on Retail Media Networks (RMNs). Wingo, the founder of Channel Advisor, explains how large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT and Perplexity have evolved from simple search tools to "answer engines" and full-bore marketplaces, completing the "research, find, and buy" shopper's journey. They explore how this shift bypasses traditional retailer websites, threatening RMN ad revenue, especially since companies like Walmart are embracing the direct checkout model as a customer acquisition channel. Wingo offers a "call to action" for retailers, advising them not to ignore the trend , and details how RMNs must elevate the user experience, fix their broken product catalogs, and rethink ad strategies to be additive, drawing inspiration from Instacart's successful, coupon-driven model.

]]> Host James Avery welcomes serial entrepreneur Scot Wingo to dissect the rapid rise of Agentic Commerce and its imminent impact on Retail Media Networks (RMNs). Wingo, the founder of Channel Advisor, explains how large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT and Perplexity have evolved from simple search tools to "answer engines" and full-bore marketplaces, completing the "research, find, and buy" shopper's journey. They explore how this shift bypasses traditional retailer websites, threatening RMN ad revenue, especially since companies like Walmart are embracing the direct checkout model as a customer acquisition channel. Wingo offers a "call to action" for retailers, advising them not to ignore the trend , and details how RMNs must elevate the user experience, fix their broken product catalogs, and rethink ad strategies to be additive, drawing inspiration from Instacart's successful, coupon-driven model.

]]> Wed, 19 Nov 2025 04:00:00 -0800 Kevel Kevel 2245 Host James Avery welcomes serial entrepreneur Scot Wingo to dissect the rapid rise of Agentic Commerce and its imminent impact on Retail Media Networks (RMNs). Wingo, the founder of Channel Advisor, explains how large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT and Perplexity have evolved from simple search tools to "answer engines" and full-bore marketplaces, completing the "research, find, and buy" shopper's journey. They explore how this shift bypasses traditional retailer websites, threatening RMN ad revenue, especially since companies like Walmart are embracing the direct checkout model as a customer acquisition channel. Wingo offers a "call to action" for retailers, advising them not to ignore the trend , and details how RMNs must elevate the user experience, fix their broken product catalogs, and rethink ad strategies to be additive, drawing inspiration from Instacart's successful, coupon-driven model.

]]> retail, marketing, media, business, commerce, e-commerce, investing No Retail Revolution: Navigating the Future with Matt Nichols 3 3 Retail Revolution: Navigating the Future with Matt Nichols full e149a7a3-38d2-4bad-99f5-2cab67afd0a4 https://share.transistor.fm/s/76ab4875 In this episode, James Avery and Matt Nichols discuss the evolving landscape of retail media, investment trends, and the impact of AI on consumer behavior. They explore how retail media has grown significantly, especially post-COVID, and the importance of integrating AI into retail strategies. The conversation also touches on supply chain innovations and the future of shopping, particularly in relation to Amazon's dominance in the market.

]]> In this episode, James Avery and Matt Nichols discuss the evolving landscape of retail media, investment trends, and the impact of AI on consumer behavior. They explore how retail media has grown significantly, especially post-COVID, and the importance of integrating AI into retail strategies. The conversation also touches on supply chain innovations and the future of shopping, particularly in relation to Amazon's dominance in the market.

]]> Wed, 12 Nov 2025 04:05:00 -0800 Kevel Kevel 2115 In this episode, James Avery and Matt Nichols discuss the evolving landscape of retail media, investment trends, and the impact of AI on consumer behavior. They explore how retail media has grown significantly, especially post-COVID, and the importance of integrating AI into retail strategies. The conversation also touches on supply chain innovations and the future of shopping, particularly in relation to Amazon's dominance in the market.

]]> retail, marketing, media, business, commerce, e-commerce, investing No The Brand Buyer's Playbook: Unlocking RMN Scale and Metrics with Mark Mannino 2 2 The Brand Buyer's Playbook: Unlocking RMN Scale and Metrics with Mark Mannino full a66505ef-7409-42ce-994c-b76f8f63f6d2 https://share.transistor.fm/s/dd28ff33 Retail media success hinges on giving brands what they truly need: measurable, incremental sales growth. This episode of Unlocking Retail Media with expert Mark Mannino—from VidMob, Amazon Ads, and Flywheel—focuses on strategic RMN packaging and measurement. Key takeaways include moving beyond simple ROAS to prioritize incremental ROAS and new-to-brand metrics. Retailers must clarify how they handle omnichannel attribution and utilize unique first-party data for both onsite and offsite targeting. To scale, smaller RMNs should adopt programmatic practices, like Private Marketplaces (PMPs), to attract demand without becoming commoditized, and all networks must operate with the primary rule: "first do no harm" to the core customer relationship.

]]> Retail media success hinges on giving brands what they truly need: measurable, incremental sales growth. This episode of Unlocking Retail Media with expert Mark Mannino—from VidMob, Amazon Ads, and Flywheel—focuses on strategic RMN packaging and measurement. Key takeaways include moving beyond simple ROAS to prioritize incremental ROAS and new-to-brand metrics. Retailers must clarify how they handle omnichannel attribution and utilize unique first-party data for both onsite and offsite targeting. To scale, smaller RMNs should adopt programmatic practices, like Private Marketplaces (PMPs), to attract demand without becoming commoditized, and all networks must operate with the primary rule: "first do no harm" to the core customer relationship.

]]> Wed, 12 Nov 2025 04:02:00 -0800 Kevel Kevel 2403 Retail media success hinges on giving brands what they truly need: measurable, incremental sales growth. This episode of Unlocking Retail Media with expert Mark Mannino—from VidMob, Amazon Ads, and Flywheel—focuses on strategic RMN packaging and measurement. Key takeaways include moving beyond simple ROAS to prioritize incremental ROAS and new-to-brand metrics. Retailers must clarify how they handle omnichannel attribution and utilize unique first-party data for both onsite and offsite targeting. To scale, smaller RMNs should adopt programmatic practices, like Private Marketplaces (PMPs), to attract demand without becoming commoditized, and all networks must operate with the primary rule: "first do no harm" to the core customer relationship.

]]> retail, marketing, media, business, commerce, e-commerce, investing No Unlocking the Power of PayPal's Advertising with Dr. Mark Grether 1 1 Unlocking the Power of PayPal's Advertising with Dr. Mark Grether full c709973b-69e6-47ec-8557-2168bfab3d76 https://share.transistor.fm/s/7815f6f2 In this conversation, James Avery and Mark Grether discuss the innovative advertising strategies being developed at PayPal, leveraging unique transaction data to create a differentiated advertising business. They explore the challenges faced by retail media networks, the importance of measurement and incrementality, and the future of commerce media in the context of AI advancements. Mark shares insights on the growth strategies for retailers and the significance of maintaining consumer relationships in an evolving digital landscape.

]]> In this conversation, James Avery and Mark Grether discuss the innovative advertising strategies being developed at PayPal, leveraging unique transaction data to create a differentiated advertising business. They explore the challenges faced by retail media networks, the importance of measurement and incrementality, and the future of commerce media in the context of AI advancements. Mark shares insights on the growth strategies for retailers and the significance of maintaining consumer relationships in an evolving digital landscape.

]]> Wed, 12 Nov 2025 04:00:00 -0800 Kevel Kevel 1947 In this conversation, James Avery and Mark Grether discuss the innovative advertising strategies being developed at PayPal, leveraging unique transaction data to create a differentiated advertising business. They explore the challenges faced by retail media networks, the importance of measurement and incrementality, and the future of commerce media in the context of AI advancements. Mark shares insights on the growth strategies for retailers and the significance of maintaining consumer relationships in an evolving digital landscape.

]]> retail, marketing, media, business, commerce, e-commerce, investing No