Retail media networks need media and merchandising teams working together

Key points

• Albertsons Media Collective VP Julian Mintz said media and merchant teams must connect, or campaigns can run for out-of-stock products.
• Razorfish CEO Dani Mariano called retail media dollars an opportunity to round out budgets under compression pressure.
• Mintz advised brands to shift marketing money toward a retailer's audience rather than necessarily increasing total media spend.
• Mariano said retail data works best when combined with other consumer data for a fuller customer picture.

Why it matters for marketers: Marketers should align retail media budgets with inventory and merchandising, and treat the spend as a growth investment rather than a trade cost.