Retail Media Breakfast Club

In this episode, the host Kiri Masters' recalls a surprising incident where two star employees were found working for both their agency and a competitor simultaneously. This revelation sparked a deeper investigation into how to distinguish genuine expertise from mere appearances, an issue that's become even more critical in the age of AI and digital avatars. To tackle this question, the host consu...

This episode tackles the common industry fixation on Return on Ad Spend (ROAS), exploring how retail media leaders achieve growth by shifting focus away from this single metric. Hear pivotal experiences from brand leaders like Justin Bomberowitz of WILDE Brands, Jamie Roller of Dr. Squatch, and Nem Lazic of Zevia, who emphasize the importance of broader business outcomes over ROAS. They discuss ch...

In this episode, the host Kiri Masters explores the implications of Amazon's Alexa Plus on brand strategies and product discovery. Building on Kiri's Forbes post, the discussion focuses on a recently uncovered patent that signifies a shift from keyword-based search optimization to attribute-based product identification. We delve into the critical steps brands must take to adapt, including thorough...

In this practical episode, the host Kiri Masters shares invaluable insights on building your personal brand through speaking engagements, whether you're on the brand side or solution provider side of retail. She breaks down the unique benefits and challenges each group faces when pursuing speaking opportunities, from navigating corporate approvals to maximizing the career-building potential of get...

In this episode, the host Kiri Masters' discusses Amazon's recent announcement of Alexa Plus, a significant upgrade to Alexa's capabilities by integrating voice commands with Rufus's advanced product intelligence. This fusion aims to create a more sophisticated shopping assistant, capable of handling complex product queries through natural conversation. The episode covers how this development impa...

In this episode, we explore Best Buy's upcoming launch of a third-party marketplace in the US set for this summer. While expanding its product range is a goal, the primary focus is on building a robust advertising business. We delve into insights from Best Buy's recent earnings call, where CEO Corey Barry emphasized the interconnectedness of the marketplace and advertising strategies. We also comp...

In this special 3-part series, Jordan Witmer, Managing Director of Unified Commerce at the agency Nectar First, joins Kiri to riff on the business of retail media from an advertiser, technology, and retailer perspective. we discuss about how retailers are jumping into the business of selling their ad inventory to brands. As they stand up these highly profitable properties, retailers need to grappl...

In this special 3-part series, Jordan Witmer, Managing Director of Unified Commerce at the agency Nectar First, joins Kiri to riff on the business of retail media from an advertiser, technology, and retailer perspective. we discuss about how retailers are jumping into the business of selling their ad inventory to brands. As they stand up these highly profitable properties, retailers need to grappl...

In this special 3-part series, Jordan Witmer, Managing Director of Unified Commerce at the agency Nectar First, joins Kiri to riff on the business of retail media from an advertiser, technology, and retailer perspective. we discuss about how retailers are jumping into the business of selling their ad inventory to brands. As they stand up these highly profitable properties, retailers need to grappl...

In this episode, the host Kiri Masters' discusses key themes from her interview with Harvey Ma, focusing on Sam's Club's unique retail media platform. Unlike traditional retailers, Sam's Club reinvests media revenue back into the member experience rather than optimizing for ad revenue. This approach promotes a virtuous cycle, benefiting both the club and its members. The discussion also covers Sam...

In this episode, we analyze Unilever’s new CEO Fernandez's first major speech, where he surprisingly omits any mention of e-commerce or retail media. This deviation is unusual compared to industry norms, but it may indicate these elements are now considered standard. Fernandez outlines a significant increase in brand and marketing investment (BMI), notably higher than industry averages. He emphasi...

In this episode of the AI in Retail Deep Dive Series, the host Kiri Masters converses with Lauren Schiavone, founder of AI-focused consultancy, Wonder Consulting, about how AI agents and assistants are transforming the path to purchase. They discuss the shift in consumer search behavior from traditional methods to large language models like ChatGPT and its implications for brands. They note how AI...

In this episode, we hear from industry experts Brian Dudzinski, Alicia Ponzani, and Brea Keating as they discuss the multifaceted nature of e-commerce roles. Brian emphasizes the need for versatile talent who can adapt to ever-changing platforms. Alicia shares insights on defining the balance between sales and marketing in job descriptions to attract the right candidates. Brea compares e-commerce...

In this episode, the host Kiri Masters delves into three key research reports that collectively outline Amazon's evolving marketplace strategy as of March 2025. The analysis centers on three main fronts: the growth of Amazon's private label offerings like Amazon Basics, the pressure on third-party sellers due to rising fulfillment costs and international competition, and the tougher negotiations f...

In this episode, we explore the transformative wave of AI in retail, focusing on agentic AI systems capable of autonomously completing tasks without human intervention. Research shows nearly a third of consumer goods companies are already leveraging generative AI, but the future lies in agentic AI—technology that can act autonomously. Michelle Grant from Salesforce discusses three waves of AI: pre...

In this episode, Lauren Schiavone, founder of Wonder Consulting, an AI-focused consultancy, shares her expertise on how leaders in roles such as media buying, CPG, and brand management can effectively select AI-enabled partner solutions. The discussion covers key differences between AI automation, AI agents, and assisted AI technologies. Lauren provides best practices for business leaders to navig...

In this episode of the Deep Dive on AI series, Lauren Schiavone, founder of Wonder Consulting, an innovative AI-focused consultancy, joins the discussion to differentiate between AI assistants and agentic AI. Lauren elaborates on how agentic AI operates autonomously to achieve specific goals by taking independent actions, unlike AI assistants which require human intervention. Through practical exa...

This episode delves into impactful conversations between retail media teams and sales organizations, highlighting how perceptions of retail media networks can shift from being seen as mere lower funnel tactics to comprehensive full funnel powerhouses. Featuring insights from industry leaders Brian Dudzinski, Alicia Ponzani, and Brea Keating, the episode explores strategies for education and partne...

This episode delves into Walmart's rebranding of its data and insights platform from Luminate to Scintilla, set for 2025. The discussion explores the implications of the new name, which hints at Walmart's larger ambitions to potentially develop Scintilla into a standalone business serving other retailers. Key insights include Walmart's expansion plans, the launch of in-home user tests, and how Sci...

This episode recaps Kiri Masters' Forbes article discussing the rise and fall of Amazon Inspire, a feature aimed at integrating social behavior into the Amazon shopping experience. Launched in December 2022 and discontinued 14 months later, the failure of Inspire highlights Amazon's evolving strategy towards social commerce. The company is shifting focus from forcing social engagement within its a...

In this episode, Lauren Schiavone, founder of the AI-focused consultancy, Wonder Consulting, shares her insights on helping brands, retailers, and agencies navigate the overwhelming world of AI. She emphasizes the importance of mastering tools like ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot, or Google Gemini. Lauren offers practical steps to integrate AI into both professional and personal tasks, highlighting the...

In this episode, we sit down with Lauren Schiavone, founder of the AI-focused consultancy Wonder Consulting and a seasoned ex-Procter & Gamble executive, to discuss the transformative power of AI for retailers and brands. Lauren shares insights on foundational AI literacy, the importance of generative AI like ChatGPT, and practical applications tailored to specific roles and functions. She als...

In this episode, industry experts Brian Dudzinski, Alicia Ponzani, and Brea Keating discuss the challenges and potential improvements in retail media. Brian emphasizes the difficulties in analyzing data across various platforms due to their unique quirks and reporting types. Alicia highlights the need for standardized reporting across retail media networks to enable better comparison and informed...

This episode is based on the Forbes article "The Best Resources For Learning Retail Media In 2025" by Kiri Masters. In the episode, Kiri focuses on how to skill up and stay current in retail media, mentioning the key platforms: Digital Shelf Institute, Firstmovr, Allume group, Path to Purchase Institute, and Stratably. These resources offer various free or discounted educational content, courses,...

In this episode, we dive into new data from the report published by Path to Purchase Institute and TransUnion, revealing massive performance gaps among retail media networks. Top performers like Amazon boast high ratings, while networks such as Dollar General and BJ's struggle with poor advertiser satisfaction. The report underscores transparency issues within the industry, as many networks fail t...