Over 500 attendees spent a day hearing from leading retailers, brands, and agencies during What’s in Store for Retail Media Networks, produced by STRATACACHE, as a special presentation of the NRF 2025 program.

Following a welcome from Scala and PRN (both STRATACACHE companies) CEO Kevin Carbone, tactical insights, real-world experience, and future predictions for in-store retail media were shared. Andy Murray (Saatchi and Saatchi X) began with a rousing presentation that laid out the promise of retail media networks, the challenges to getting there, and suggestions for the organizational and philosophical changes needed to get there. 

Many of the topics highlighted by Murray were echoed across the day, namely those of collaboration, measurement, loyalty, and customer-centricity. Omer Gajial (Albertsons Companies) in a conversation with Quentin George (McKinsey & Company), used the metaphor of a dance floor to illustrate how retail media brings different teams together to make the most of the potential of retail media, noting that “We’re making new music and we’re making new dancefloors.” Michael Krans (Macy’s) also highlighted the importance of working across teams to execute projects with the best chance of success. 

“Loyalty is the new cookie,” declared Alexis Marcombe (Unlimitail), underlining how crucial customer loyalty and loyalty programs are to successful retail media networks. This point was reinforced by Mark Williamson (Costco), who shared the importance of memberships and truly serving members in his presentation, and Brendan Rogers (CVS Media Exchange), who cited the long tenure of the majority of their loyalty card holders. 

Respect for customers was a clear priority for Patricia Grundmann (OBI First Media Group). This awareness and consideration of the customer journey was a goal shared by many on the panels. 

Other themes and engaging topics explored across the day included ways in which retailers are evolving into media companies and how they can do more powerfully with accurate attribution (Robert Jozic, Schwarz Group)) and the excitement, what brands need to activate and increase investment in the in-store opportunity effectively, the role connected television (CTV) will play in the growth of retail media, and the likely trends, mergers and area for investment we will see in the retail media space in 2025 (Mark Boidman, Solomon Partners). 

Full videos of the sessions, as well as additional articles, interviews, and infographics, will be available in the coming weeks. The Next What’s in Store for Retail Media Networks event is scheduled for April 1, 2025, at The Banking Hall in London. It will precede the Retail Technology Show, which will take place at ExCel London on April 2-3. STRATACACHE is exhibiting at NRF with a selection of technology showcased at booth 5213