Walmart, Albertsons execs discuss the promise of AI and opportunity for marketers to more fully embrace retail media at Possible
Retail media networks and the powerhouse retailers behind them took the mic at the inaugural Possible conference and expo in Miami yesterday, extolling the value of RMNs. Notably, Kristi Argyilan, senior vp of retail media at Albertsons Media Collective and William White, CMO of Walmart, talked of the imapct of artificial intelligence — a strong theme throughout the conference — on RMNs, while offering guidance on how to convince skeptical marketers to get in on the action.
But RMN-related news broke beyond the walls of the Fontainebleau Hotel where the conference was being held. Disney today announced a deal with Kroger (with which Albertsons is hoping to merge next year) to bring that retailer’s shopper and purchase data insights to Disney streaming beginning with Hulu. The companies quietly launched a beta program to activate purchase insights in streaming, working with PepsiCo., which alpha tested the program.
Argyilan discussed the role AI can play in helping RMNs more effectively work. “Think of a lot of the tasks that humans still have to touch — simple things like optimizing campaigns — and how AI can accelerate that and get us to a place to do more optimizations in any given campaign,” Argyilan said.
White said his main message to marketers skeptical of RMNs is that “if your marketing remit is to drive growth for your business, then you’re probably going to want to play in the retail media space. The way that we’re able to reach customers who are in the moment of buying really helps drive brands forward. I’m not really sure what there is to be skeptical about.”
More in Media
Publisher execs talk AI licensing deals, new applications for AI in latest earnings calls
Publicly-traded media companies touted new deals with generative AI tech companies and other new applications for the technology in their Q1 2024 earnings calls.
Transparency shift: CMOs navigate new norms in agency profit models
Many CMOs seem to be okay with their agencies finding new ways to increase margins, as long as the process is transparent, or at least openly acknowledges a lack of transparency.
Media Briefing: Publishers’ Q1 earnings show promise, but also room for improvement
Publishers’ Q1 earnings show some promise in the digital ad market.