Last Thursday, Ace Hardware took over Wrigley Field in Chicago for the first upfront from Redvest Media, its roughly year-old retail media network. I wasn’t there myself, so I called my friend Tom Limongello, host of The Middlemen Podcast, who was on the ground. I wanted to know what was happening beyond the press releases: who Ace put on stage, what the retailer was really trying to communicate, and what advertisers were saying afterwards.

We dig into what Ace’s executive lineup reveals about the growing integration of retail media with the broader business, why audience innovation and weather targeting matter to Ace’s advertisers, and how partnerships like DoorDash are helping the retailer reach new customers. We also talk about why retail media networks may need to think differently about upfronts, vendor days and industry events — and why creating an experience that makes advertisers want to believe in the retailer could be a powerful part of the pitch.

This episode is sponsored by GrowthLoop

Timeline

[01:29] - How Ace is integrating retail media with merchandising and the broader business

[03:21] - Why Redvest’s new brand and custom audience capabilities could enable better test-and-learn

[04:31] - The message behind Ace’s executive presence and its growth investment

[07:00] - Why advertiser trust is becoming critical for a newer retail media network

[09:21] - Why weather targeting suddenly matters to Ace’s advertisers

[12:00] - How DoorDash is helping Ace reach new customers, particularly Gen Z

[14:30] - Why Wrigley Field may be a smarter retail media pitch than another industry conference

Links & Resources

• Check out The Middlemen's interview with Ace Hardware's Molly Hjelm: When Campaign Results Aren't Enough — Molly Hjelm, RedVest Media
• Subscribe to The Middlemen
• Follow Tom Limongello, host of The Middlemen Podcast, on LinkedIn
• Follow Molly Hjelm, Corporate Vice President and Head of Retail Media at Ace Hardware, on LinkedIn
• Read my related articles:
  • Ace Hardware's RedVest Media: Notes From My Interview With Molly Hjelm
  • Is Retail Media Kidding Itself?
  • Bring the "Retail" back to Retail Media
• Check out Basket Case, a project I’m part of with The Drum and QSIC, an irreverent and lively podcast series where we talk shop.
• 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