Amazon already captures roughly 40% of every dollar spent online in the US, yet it continues to grow at an impressive pace. So I wanted to look at a question we don't hear nearly enough: where does Amazon spend its own advertising money? Because while Amazon gives brands advertising recommendations every day, I think its own media plan may be the more interesting lesson.

In this recap of my recent article for The Drum, I dug into three years of Sensor Tower data to see where Amazon is putting its advertising dollars, which channels are getting the biggest investment, and how its mix is changing. I also look at the shift from desktop display to video, why Amazon is willing to pay more for potentially fewer impressions, and what advertisers can learn from the company's approach to emerging channels.

This episode is sponsored by GrowthLoop

Timeline

[02:09] - Breaking down Amazon's $2.7 billion US advertising spend in 2025

[03:54] - Why Amazon's media plan looks surprisingly conventional

[07:23] - How Amazon can measure Meta impressions against actual Amazon purchases

[08:00] - What Amazon is actually advertising, from AWS and Prime to devices and the retail store

[09:10] - The striking gap between Amazon's rising ad spend and relatively flat impression growth

[10:20] - Why Amazon is shifting dramatically from desktop display into video

[12:15] - The three habits I see in Amazon's media buying strategy

Links & Resources

• Read my full article on The Drum: The best advertising advice Amazon gives isn't in a slide deck
• Check out Sensor Tower, who measure the full digital consumer journey, from mobile apps to web, ads, gaming, and beyond.
• Follow Ross Walker, Head of Retail Media @ Acadia, on LinkedIn
• Read my related articles:
  • Have Retailers Lost Discovery to AI for Good?
  • Some Retailers Want to Power Other Retailers' Ad Businesses. Will It work?
  • Amazon Q2 Earnings: What Industry Experts Say About Power Buying, Ad Overload, and AI Threats
• Check out Basket Case, a project I’m part of with The Drum and QSIC, an irreverent and lively podcast series talking shop: latest episode
• 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