Retail Media’s Content Gap, From Creators to Sampling

Most retail media still runs on catalog images and repurposed TV ads, which gives shoppers little reason to stop and look. Content that helps people choose, whether it comes from creators, real-world sampling, or in-store experiences, is what can change that.

Leah Logan (Recess), who spent nearly a decade leading retail media transformation at Inmar Intelligence, joins Jeremy Goldman on this episode of Media in Retail to discuss how retail media networks can make content the common thread across every campaign.

INSIDE THE EPISODE:

Content does double duty

Creator campaigns deliver both reach and a library of content. Bringing that content into retail media as ad creative gives brands something native to run, and lets them measure its impact with retail media’s closed-loop data. Many networks still lack creative that fits their formats, which is part of why social media makes up only about 2% of retail media spend.

Creative should meet the shopper’s moment

A 30-second TV spot dropped into a sponsored video slot does little for someone choosing a toothbrush. A trusted voice, like a dentist, explaining which brush suits sensitive teeth does far more. Asking whether an ad adds value for the shopper at that moment is the first test of a strong content strategy.

Sampling becomes a media channel

Recess places product samples in everyday spaces like fitness studios, zoos, and schools, so people can discover brands in person. Through partnerships with Dollar General, Walmart, and CVS, those experiences now run as retail media products, scaled across hundreds of markets and paired with on-site ads. Because sampling is meant to bring in new buyers, its success shows up in new households, a result short-term ROAS can’t capture.

Listen above to hear why content may be the advantage that sets retail media networks apart, both online and in stores.