Your feed is probably flooded with articles about Retail Media’s “next big thing.” But let’s be real—what will actually shape the future of Retail Media Networks (RMNs)? Our experts are going unfiltered and revealing the strategies that will drive real impact in 2025.
Hot Take #1: Merchants as RMN Growth Drivers
Your biggest sales force is your merchants—so why isn’t your RMN on their P&L? Why it matters:
- When your media network and merchants aren’t aligned, you get left out of crucial conversations—think annual planning, product launches, and sell-through strategies. That means you’re inhibiting your ability to scale your RMN.
- The big players, like Amazon Ads, Walmart Connect, and Roundel, figured this out long ago. By launching merchant incentives, they’ve driven supplier engagement and significantly scaled ad revenue.
- The reality? Merchants need a reason to care about driving ad sales. Incentives lead to better supplier experiences and stronger enterprise-wide support.
- The best RMNs aren’t on an island—they’re an essential part of a retailer’s growth strategy. Instead of siloing your RMN, use it as an engine to fuel innovation across your entire company.
Hot Take #2: RMN Growth: Beyond the Basics
The era of easy RMN growth is over. It’s time to rethink your next revenue play. Why it matters:
- The biggest RMNs are making big moves—literally. Amazon’s Twitch acquisition and Walmart’s Vizio buy are clear signals that offsite expansion is the future of RMN growth. These big-picture plays give them the scale to create seamless advertising ecosystems by dominating upper-funnel channels like CTV, DOOH, and social media.
- Smaller RMNs? They’re getting creative. Instacart’s partnership with NYT Cooking and Best Buy teaming up with CNET show how smart collaborations can help you punch above your weight.
- Every RMN is trying to move up the funnel, but offsite advertising only works if RMNs provide meaningful measurement and reach. Advertisers need to see closed-loop performance insights before they invest.
Hot Take #3: The Push for Better RMN Measurement
Advertisers are done accepting unreliable RMN reporting. Why it matters:
- Many RMNs have gotten away with inconsistent measurement—but advertisers are starting to push back. Without fast, transparent, and quality reporting, RMNs risk losing budgets.
- The best RMNs are prioritizing trust and transparency with clean rooms, clear reporting, and advanced measurement, like incrementality testing.
- Amazon now provides free access to their clean room, and with Walmart and Instacart following suit, data accessibility is no longer optional—it’s table stakes.
Hot Take #4: Retail Media’s Biggest Untapped Opportunity? Supplier Experience.
If it’s hard for suppliers to buy ads on your RMN, you’re losing revenue. Why it matters:
- A staggering 58% of suppliers say fragmentation and lack of standardization are their biggest barriers to increasing RMN investment.1 If it’s too complicated, they’ll go elsewhere.
- Many brands turn to third-party platforms like Pacvue and The Trade Desk for a seamless buying experience. At Ovative, our Retail Media team prefers these platforms for their ease of use.
- Partnering with third-party platforms is smart, but that’s not enough. Investing in AI and automation can level up your platform and make campaign execution smoother.
- Amazon continues to lead the way by integrating AI-powered automation that simplifies campaign setup and content creation.2
Is Your Retail Media Network Ready for 2025?
If you lead a retail media network, work for one, or support one, ask yourself:
- Is our RMN integrated into merchant priorities?
- Are we exploring new revenue streams?
- Can we offer trustworthy, actionable measurement?
- Is our supplier experience frictionless and efficient?
If you hesitated on any of these, now is the time to take action. Don’t know where to get started? Ovative’s Retail Media team is here to help. Don’t let complex problems hold back your RMN’s growth in 2025. Let’s make this the year your RMN reaches its full potential.
