By: CLC Editorial Staff
Let’s set the scene.
It’s 2025. You’re in a meeting. Someone says “retail media,” and half the room perks up while the other half starts checking their email or Googling “what is retail media but in plain English.” If you’re on the sales or brand team and still treating retail media like it’s your cousin’s MLM hustle—this post is for you.
Spoiler: It’s not optional anymore. It’s essential. And if you’re not in the conversation, you’re probably missing the one thing that matters most: growth.
Wait, What Is Retail Media Again?
Imagine if your product could talk to shoppers right before they buy something. That’s retail media. Except instead of a talking cereal box (although that would be cool), it’s ads on websites, apps, screens in-store, even smart carts. It’s targeted. It’s measurable. It’s where commerce and media had a baby, and that baby is really, really good at driving sales.
For Brand Teams: It’s Not Just a Pretty Banner Ad
Retail media is your new best friend, and it comes with receipts. Literally. Want to know how many people saw your ad and bought your product? Retail media can tell you. Want to test a new product or packaging? Retail media can amplify it and report back with real-time data. Want to know what’s working? You don’t need a Ouija board anymore—just a clean dashboard and some closed-loop reporting.
And here’s the kicker: if you’re not driving share-of-voice online, someone else is. Probably your competitor. Possibly someone with pickle-flavored popcorn.
For Sales Teams: You Can’t Just “Sell Through” Anymore
Shelf space is great, but mind space? Even better. If your product is on shelf but not showing up when a shopper searches “healthy snacks,” what’s the point? Retail media doesn’t just support marketing goals—it drives sell-through. It turns your buyer meetings from “we hope it sells” to “we have data that proves it already is.”
And guess what? Retailers expect this now. Showing up without a retail media plan is like showing up to a potluck with nothing but napkins.
But Isn’t This Just a “Marketing Thing”?
You know what else used to be “just marketing”? Social media. Now your CEO is on LinkedIn doing thought leadership posts about inventory velocity. The line between sales, brand, and media is blurrier than ever—and retail media is where those lines converge and turn into revenue.
If sales is about revenue and brand is about relevance, retail media is the bridge between them.
TL;DR
Retail media is no longer the weird cousin of the marketing family. It’s the golden child. The data whisperer. The budget line item with actual ROI.
If you’re in sales, it helps you win buyer meetings, drive velocity, and keep your retailer happy.
If you’re in brand, it gives you control, precision, and a feedback loop that doesn’t require guessing.
If you’re still ignoring it? Well, good luck explaining that to your P&L.
Final Thought:
Retail media isn’t a trend—it’s the new shelf talker, endcap, commercial, and loyalty card… rolled into one and available in real-time. It’s the only place where you can advertise and prove it worked without waiting for a six-month syndicated report and a prayer.
So go ahead, add it to the agenda. Or better yet—build the agenda around it.
Because if you’re not using retail media to grow your brand, someone else is. And they brought snacks.