Blog
Cannes Confessionals #3: The Funnel is Now a Tunnel
A conversation with Microsoft's AI in advertising leader, leadership lessons from eBay's ads chief, and why Andy Jassy prioritizes speed.
Kiri Masters
Kiri Masters is an independent commentator, speaker, advisor, and podcast host covering the retail media industry.
Blog
Cannes Confessionals #2: Retailers Should Tap Brand Budgets & Small Sellers
Yesterday I shared some highlights from the early hours of the Cannes Festival of Creativity. The announcements are starting to come in hot, but I'll be sharing But first a quick comment on the Retail Media Celebrity Death Match hosted last night by Zitcha, QSIC and Grace &
Blog
Cannes Confessionals #1: Where are all the brands?
Its my first year at Cannes, but it's not my friend Lauren's. Lauren Livak is Executive Director of the Digital Shelf Institute and she and my arch-nemisis Colin Lewis were discussing how the brands and CMOs tended to hang out in the Palais section of the
Blog
What I’ve learned from 102 newsletters over 5 months (and my future plans)
I take a moment to reflect on what this journey has taught me so far. I share five key lessons from launching and sustaining this daily(ish) content experiment, and walk through the most popular (and surprising) episodes to date.
AI
My top 6 highlights from the new 'Retailgentic' podcast
The agentic AI wave is coming at blistering speed. Waiting on the sidelines is no safer than it was when retail marketplaces first appeared.
AI
How These 4 Retail Media Leaders Are Using AI Right Now
These examples prove that real problems can be solved with the right tools.
Blog
Should We Really Care What Consumers Think About Retail Media Ads?
Here's the reality: asking shoppers about retail media ads is like asking fish about water—they're swimming in it without realizing it exists.
Blog
How an RMN's tech stack impacts your advertising results
Advertisers have both a duty and a right to understand how RMNs are built—and how that structure impacts their performance.
AI
Why AI Search Advertising Could Reach $25 Billion By 2029
EMARKETER now projects U.S. advertisers will pour over $25 billion—about 14% of all search budgets—into AI-powered search results by 2029.
Career
How These 4 Retail Media Leaders Make Conference Season Count
The reality is that this year, conference expenses will likely be under more scrutiny than ever before across our industry. Successful conference attendance requires the same strategic thinking we apply to retail media campaigns.
AI
Mary Meeker Is So Back: My Notes From Her 340-Page AI Futurecast
I spent 2 hours reading Mary Meeker’s 340-page AI trends report so you don’t have to... But you probably still should. Here are my 6 highlights for retailers, brands and agencies.
Blog
Meta Says ‘Just Trust Us’ With AI Ads, Will Amazon Follow Suit?
The real question is whether Amazon will preserve the transparency and control that increasingly define its competitive advantage against the black box futures its rivals envision.