What’s Next in Retail Media: Takeaways from the P2PI Retail Media Summit
Retail media is transforming faster than ever, and the 2025 Path to Purchase Retail Media Summit made one thing clear: the future belongs to those who can align, integrate, and adapt.
Team AdAdapted left the summit energized, inspired, and more confident than ever that the strongest strategies in retail media hinge on one thing: collaboration.
As Retail Media Networks (RMNs) mature and the shopper journey becomes increasingly seamless, winning in this space means more than buying ad inventory. It’s about shared objectives, cohesive execution, and continuous learning.
Here are four big themes we saw emerge across panels, conversations, and case studies at the summit:
1. Joint Objectives Are the New Baseline
Retailers and brands must move beyond transactional relationships and align around shared KPIs from the start. Whether the goal is driving foot traffic, building baskets, or increasing loyalty, success now depends on enterprise-wide coordination.
In her session, “Transforming Retailer Relationships Through Retail Media & Merchant Alignment,” Michele Roney of Mars United Commerce emphasized this shift: retailers are no longer just sales channels, they're media partners. That means brand, media, and merchandising teams need to operate in sync to drive growth.
2. In-Store Media Is Reclaiming Its Spotlight
Digital media may still dominate spend, but in-store integration is making a comeback, and it's not just an add-on. It's a vital part of the omnichannel puzzle.
In the session “Connected Shopping: Creating Impactful Omnichannel Experiences,” leaders from Henkel, Vibenomics, Swish Brand Experiences, and Ahold Delhaize USA discussed how to connect onsite, offsite, and in-store touchpoints. Their takeaway: to influence the path to purchase, brands must intentionally blend the physical and digital.
3. Insights Only Matter if You Act on Them
Retail media produces a wealth of performance data, but insights are only valuable when they lead to smarter decisions.
In a fireside chat on “Transforming Measurement: The Future of Retail Media Networks,” Shafique Niazi (Digitas NA) and Liz Roche (Albertsons Media Collective) explored how evolving measurement practices, from attribution models to unified data sources, are enabling a more transparent and actionable view of success.
4. Test, Learn, Repeat
If there’s one mindset that will define the next phase of retail media, it’s agility. The summit reinforced the need for “test-and-learn” strategies that prioritize experimentation over perfection.
Whether it's piloting new platforms, creative formats, or underutilized channels, the brands that plan to learn and evolve will be the ones that scale with confidence.
A Favorite Moment: Brand Building with Personality
Craig Dubitsky (founder of Hello Products and Happy Products) delivered a refreshing reminder that human connection still matters. In “Building to Delight and Designing to Scale,” he shared how humor, purpose, and personality are essential, even in a data-driven world. His message: if you're not speaking to people authentically, you're missing the point.
Why It Matters, and Where AdAdapted Comes In
Retail media is more dynamic than ever. As priorities shift and evolve, having a strategic partner is critical. At AdAdapted, we help brands bridge the gap between insight and action—aligning efforts across the shopper journey, from discovery to cart.
Whether you’re looking to better align with retail partners, improve your commerce strategy, or amplify off-site performance, we’re here to help.
Let’s connect and talk about how AdAdapted can support your retail media strategy in 2025 and beyond.
