Retail Media Fact vs Fiction: AI, Marketplaces & the Biggest Growth Opportunities Ahead
Today I'm sharing highlights from a lively panel discussion I joined at Cannes, hosted by The CPG Guys and sponsored by Sensor Tower. Alongside fellow retail media analysts Andrew Lipsman, Sarah Marzano and Debbie Aho Williamson, we unpacked some of the industry's biggest debates: from what's really holding retail media networks back to where the next wave of growth is likely to come from.
We didn't agree on everything — and that's exactly what made the conversation so valuable! We explored the future of marketplaces, the opportunities for retailers beyond Amazon and Walmart, and whether AI is already driving more commerce than current analytics can actually measure. If you're trying to separate the hype from reality in retail media, this episode is packed with ideas that will challenge your thinking.
This episode is sponsored by GrowthLoop
Timeline
[00:00] Why I wanted to share this Cannes panel discussion — and why healthy disagreements make the retail media industry stronger.
[01:42] My perspective on the "internal demons" of retail media networks and why organizational structure determines what an RMN can become.
[03:00] Sarah Marzano explains why long-tail retail media networks need a different playbook (and why physical stores may become their biggest media advantage).
[04:08] Andrew Lipsman makes the case for marketplaces as one of the biggest drivers of retail media growth.
[05:15] Debbie Aho Williamson shares surprising data on retailer advertising inside ChatGPT and why Best Buy stood out.
[08:09] We debate whether AI-driven shopping traffic is being dramatically undercounted, and why measuring AI referrals may be much harder than it appears.
Links & Resources
Watch the full CPG Guys episode of this Cannes 2026 panel event
Subscribe to The CPG Guys on Apple Podcasts and YouTube
Check out Sensor Tower's retail media insghts offering here
Follow Sarah Marzano, Retail & Commerce Media at EMARKETER, on LinkedIn
Follow Andrew Lipsman, Analyst at Media, Ads + Commerce, on LinkedIn
Follow Debra Aho Williamson, Analyst at Sonata Insights, on LinkedIn
Follow Ian Simpson, SVP, Innovation & Strategy at Sensor Tower, on LinkedIn
Read my related articles:The Demons Inside Retail Media, Part 3: SHORTCUTS
‘Dark Search’ Is Making AI-Facilitated Commerce Look Smaller Than It Really Is
11% of Shoppers Using AI Think They Bought Something Inside an AI App. They Probably Didn't.
I'm sharing comedy skits on Instagram about retail media! Follow along: @retailmediabreakfastclub
Subscribe to Retail Media Breakfast Club's daily newsletter
Follow Kiri Masters on LinkedIn
We didn't agree on everything — and that's exactly what made the conversation so valuable! We explored the future of marketplaces, the opportunities for retailers beyond Amazon and Walmart, and whether AI is already driving more commerce than current analytics can actually measure. If you're trying to separate the hype from reality in retail media, this episode is packed with ideas that will challenge your thinking.
This episode is sponsored by GrowthLoop
Timeline
[00:00] Why I wanted to share this Cannes panel discussion — and why healthy disagreements make the retail media industry stronger.
[01:42] My perspective on the "internal demons" of retail media networks and why organizational structure determines what an RMN can become.
[03:00] Sarah Marzano explains why long-tail retail media networks need a different playbook (and why physical stores may become their biggest media advantage).
[04:08] Andrew Lipsman makes the case for marketplaces as one of the biggest drivers of retail media growth.
[05:15] Debbie Aho Williamson shares surprising data on retailer advertising inside ChatGPT and why Best Buy stood out.
[08:09] We debate whether AI-driven shopping traffic is being dramatically undercounted, and why measuring AI referrals may be much harder than it appears.
Links & Resources
Watch the full CPG Guys episode of this Cannes 2026 panel event
Subscribe to The CPG Guys on Apple Podcasts and YouTube
Check out Sensor Tower's retail media insghts offering here
Follow Sarah Marzano, Retail & Commerce Media at EMARKETER, on LinkedIn
Follow Andrew Lipsman, Analyst at Media, Ads + Commerce, on LinkedIn
Follow Debra Aho Williamson, Analyst at Sonata Insights, on LinkedIn
Follow Ian Simpson, SVP, Innovation & Strategy at Sensor Tower, on LinkedIn
Read my related articles:The Demons Inside Retail Media, Part 3: SHORTCUTS
‘Dark Search’ Is Making AI-Facilitated Commerce Look Smaller Than It Really Is
11% of Shoppers Using AI Think They Bought Something Inside an AI App. They Probably Didn't.
I'm sharing comedy skits on Instagram about retail media! Follow along: @retailmediabreakfastclub
Subscribe to Retail Media Breakfast Club's daily newsletter
Follow Kiri Masters on LinkedIn
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Read the full transcript
Matterfact has every podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify: 700K+ channels, 120M+ episodes.
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