Retail media has reached a point where measurement is table stakes. But what table stakes actually look like is changing fast. With the launch of its latest measurement tool, Kroger Precision Marketing (KPM) is signaling its priorities for retail media measurement: Speed, incrementality, and clearer decision-making.
While Amazon's Alexa, Apple's Siri, and Google Assistant dominated the 2010s, AI-native voice interfaces like ChatGPT's Voice Mode now set the standard for conversational fluency.
Meta is targeting retail media budgets with product set optimization and insights to bring SKU precision and challenge onsite networks.
Higher gas and delivery costs add fresh volatility to an already fragile retail outlook.
While categories like payments, back-end infrastructure, and in-store systems remain relevant, AI has emerged as a defining force in retail tech for 2026.
Only 6% of marketers have fully deployed AI into workflows. Data silos and weak ROI proof stall progress.
Restaurant reservations become measurable media, as OpenTable’s pay-per-seated-guest model links ad spend directly to confirmed dining occasions.
Rival expansions force sharper value plays and upgraded store experiences.
On today’s podcast episode, we discuss the biggest takeaways from the social media addiction trials so far, what our numbers tell us about social media usage in the US, and where else Americans spend their time consuming media. Join Senior Director of Podcasts and host Marcus Johnson, along with Principal Forecasting Writer Ethan Cramer-Flood and Senior Director of Forecasting Oscar Orozco. Listen everywhere, and watch on YouTube and Spotify.
Automation is becoming programmatic’s second engine, as PubMatic’s latest results highlight early traction from agentic AI tools.
HBO Max and Paramount+ are planning to merge, pairing scale with ad focus to court marketers.
Claude hits No. 1 on iOS as some users ditch ChatGPT, turning AI policy into market leverage.
Its automation pitch at MWC targets telecom cost pressure, not layoffs, tying AI to reliability and revenue protection.
Platform-agnostic user-generated content (UGC) accounts for 35% of influencer marketing campaigns worldwide, surpassing TikTok (21%) and trailing only Instagram (40%), according to a January report from Collabstr.
Its sky-high conversion rates position it to silently siphon customer relationships from traditional banks.
Its launch of stock and ETF trading threatens traditional brokerages as DeFi and TradFi merge.
Customer data platforms (CDPs) promised marketers a unified view of customer data and an escape from fragmented martech stacks. The reality has been more complicated.
Insurtech companies are transforming how insurance products reach consumers, blending AI-driven underwriting with digital-first marketing strategies.
Research shows it builds demand first, then converts—rewarding longer flights and post-campaign tracking.