The future of retail media is rapidly evolving, and Tesco is leading the charge. At the recent “What’s In Store For Retail Media Networks” event in London, Chris Riegel, CEO and Founder of STRATACACHE, brought together industry leaders from Tesco Media and ITV to share how their innovative partnership is reshaping the way brands connect with shoppers — combining the scale of TV with the precision of Tesco Clubcard insights.
Stacy Gratz, who leads Tesco Media’s commercial and go-to-market efforts, opened the session with a bold vision: Tesco isn’t just a grocer — it’s now a media powerhouse. With over 23 million Clubcard holders (nearly every household in the UK), Tesco Media delivers unparalleled access to high-quality audience data and insight into when, where and what customers are buying.
Gratz emphasized Tesco’s ambition to move beyond bottom-of-the-funnel metrics. “We don’t want to be stuck chasing ROAS,” she noted. “We want to have real brand conversations — about uplift, consideration and long-term value.”
ITV’s Jay Rajdev revealed how the broadcaster is evolving from a traditional TV network into a technology and data-driven media platform. Their collaboration with Tesco, originally called Matchmaker and now rebranded to Retail Match, allows FMCG advertisers to use Clubcard data to target known category shoppers — on TV.
“This is a new use case for TV,” Rajdev explained. “We’re helping brands reach not just the mums of today and tomorrow, but people who are literally in your aisle right now.”
ITV’s self-serve buying platform, Planet V, will soon offer 80+ Tesco audience segments alongside traditional demographic and program-based buys, democratizing access to high-value, precision-targeted media.
Both teams underscored the importance of data integrity. Tesco is meticulous about consent and data usage, currently limiting the partnership to endemic advertisers while clean room technologies like InfoSum and LiveRamp ensure privacy is preserved.
Measurement is also key. While short-term conversion lift is already proven (through more than 70 studies) Tesco and ITV are now working to expand metrics to include customer lifetime value, brand loyalty and new-to-brand buyers.
Rather than replacing traditional TV advertising, Retail Match layers on top of broad audience strategies. ITV’s approach of “smart reach” combines brand-scale exposure with precision targeting, helping brands do more with their AV budgets. And with no added premium (yet) for Clubcard-targeted audiences, it’s a compelling new option for media planners.
As Rajdev put it, “The challenge now is helping buyers consolidate 18 lines on a media plan into fewer, more effective layers — with ITV at the center.”
Unilever’s Magnum was highlighted as a standout success story. Using Tesco audience data, the brand targeted not just ice cream buyers but also confectionery shoppers — discovering that the latter converted at a higher rate. It’s a perfect example of how deep behavioural data can surface new, unexpected opportunities for brand growth.
The beauty category, too, is seeing strong traction. Tesco’s propensity modelling is helping brands discover customers who haven’t bought a category before, but are statistically primed to try.
This partnership is changing the way brands and agencies work. Cross-functional teams — combining brand, shopper, trade and data leads — are becoming the norm. “Sometimes we have people meeting each other for the first time in these meetings,” Gratz joked, pointing out how uncommon collaboration is unlocking fresh insights.
Smaller brands are benefitting, too. Half of the Retail Match launch partners were advertisers Tesco had never worked with before. As the offering goes self-serve, access and experimentation will only grow.
The closing remarks reflected on the pace of change and the talent powering it. “You’re looking for unicorns,” said Gratz — people who understand programmatic, linear TV and in-store activations. As brands and agencies retool for omnichannel retail media, it’s clear that the sector’s future will be built by hybrid thinkers and bold partnerships.
The Tesco and ITV collaboration isn’t just a campaign — it’s a case study in what’s possible when the walls between brand, data, media and retail come down.
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