Today I’m diving into one of the biggest debates in retail media right now: brands are demanding standardization, and retailers are saying it’s not that simple. So… do they kind of have a point?

Using a bolognese sauce analogy (stay with me!), I unpack why every retail media network has its own 'recipe' for measurement, reporting, and ad offerings, and why that might not be entirely by accident. We’ll explore the real reasons behind the resistance to standardization, the tension around transparency and comparability, and what brands and retailers should actually be focusing on as retail media growth begins to cool.

If measurement, incrementality, ROAS, and retail media investment strategy are on your mind, this one’s for you.

This episode is sponsored by Mirakl Ads

Timeline

[00:00] – Why retail media networks are like bolognese sauce: same dish, wildly different recipes.
[01:05] – How retailers built their tech stacks, and why many weren’t designed for modern retail media.
[02:15] – Brands are voting with their wallets: why most only invest in 6–8 RMNs despite the dozens that are available.
[03:15] – Why specialty retailers push back on standardization (and why Amazon and Walmart aren’t the right comparison).
[04:20] – The technical and economic realities holding retailers back from upgrading measurement systems.
[07:00] – Are brands part of the problem? Custom metrics, attribution windows, and internal misalignment.
[08:45] – What brand surveys really say about measurement, profitability, and standardization priorities.
[09:15] – The path forward: focusing on business outcomes over perfect comparability.

Links & Resources

• The bi-annual Sponsored Products Benchmark reports from Pentaleap
• Andrew Lipsman's piece, The Argument for Retail Media Isn’t “Performance”—It’s Marketing Effectiveness
• Read my related articles:
  • The Other Side of the Story: Why Retailers Struggle with Media Measurement & Standardization
  • Retail Media Unpacked: Why retail media still lacks widely adopted measurement standards
  • Interview with Melanie Babcock, the former head of Home Depot’s Orange Apron Media, on Forbes
• Join me and Jordan Witmer from Salt XC at 11am ET Friday Feb 27, for our next LinkedIn Live on When RMNs Come Calling for Your Brand Marketing Budget. We'll be answering questions LIVE -- join us!
• Atlanta-based retail media professionals: Wednesday, Feb 25 is the next In-Person Atlanta Happy Hour! RSVP here.
• Subscribe to Retail Media Breakfast Club's daily newsletter
• Follow Kiri Masters on LinkedIn