What does it take for a retail media network to stand out in an increasingly crowded landscape? Sometimes, the answer isn't building more ad tech: it's knowing what makes you special as a retailer and doubling down on that. In this episode, an expansion on my recent article for The Drum, I unpack Gopuff's partnership with Instacart, and why adopting its Carrot Ads technology could be a smart move, giving Gopuff access to a much larger pool of advertiser demand while freeing its team to focus on the bespoke campaigns that only Gopuff can deliver.

I explore how Gopuff leverages its young audience, cultural relevance, and rapid fulfilment to create distinctive brand experiences, from Keebler cookie sampling to the M&M's Rescue Squad Halloween activation. I also look at why owning inventory and the last mile gives Gopuff a competitive advantage, how shared incentives between advertising and merchandising teams can drive better outcomes, and why moving products matters far more than performative vanity metrics like ROI and ROAS.

This episode is sponsored by GrowthLoop

Timeline

[00:00] – Why retail media networks need to lean into what makes them unique as retailers.

[01:55] – The Gopuff–Instacart partnership: Carrot Ads, advertiser demand, and the limits of building your own ad tech.

[03:55] – How Gopuff uses its youth audience and cultural relevance to create distinctive brand activations.

[04:37] – Keebler cookie sampling and the M&M's Rescue Squad: turning fast delivery into an experiential advertising opportunity.

[07:00] – Why owning inventory and the last mile gives Gopuff an advantage when cultural moments happen.

[09:13] – Shared incentives, merchandising alignment, and the concept of “cubic profitability.”

[10:37] – Why moving products is the metric that matters — and the risks facing fast-delivery retail media.

Links & Resources

• A version of this piece was first published to my column at The Drum on October 16, 2026, as ‘I’m a realist’: Gopuff’s head of ads on why it handed its onsite adtech to Instacart
• Details about the Gopuff and Instacart deal that announced in September
• Follow Michael Peroutka, Gopuff’s head of ads and strategic partnerships, on LinkedIn
• Read my related articles:
  • Instacart Ads’ Third Act: Ali Miller on Building the Infrastructure Powering Retail Media’s Future
  • Costco: The Retail Media Network That Refuses to Promote Itself
  • Bulldust Metrics In Retail Media
• 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