But here’s the kicker: retail media is not a strategy in itself. It’s a channel – an incredibly powerful one, yes – but still a channel.

When we think about retail media in the right way, it helps us build better marketing plans, achieve more consistent results, and set clearer expectations for how this channel supports business outcomes.

Retail media’s rapid rise

It’s no surprise brands are leaning into retail media. The ability to reach shoppers close to the point of purchase, combined with rich first-party data, makes it an enticing proposition.

But in the rush to invest, many marketers are treating retail media as if it requires an entirely separate strategic approach. That’s where problems start to emerge.

The role of retail media within the marketing mix

Like any other channel — search, social, programmatic — retail media should be selected and used based on what it can deliver within your broader marketing objectives.

Too often, we see brands running retail media in isolation, without clear alignment to upper-funnel activity or their brand strategy. That can lead to fragmented messaging and inefficient spend.

Instead, we recommend building retail media into your full-funnel plan:

• Understand what role it plays at each stage of the funnel
• Use it to complement (not replace) your other activity
• Set measurement frameworks that capture its contribution to your wider goals

A strategic mindset shift

When you treat retail media as a channel — not a standalone strategy — your planning and execution become more sophisticated. You’ll be clearer about how it fits with brand campaigns, CRM, trade marketing, and ecommerce.

You’ll also set more realistic expectations internally. Retail media can drive sales and support brand growth — but it’s not a silver bullet. Like every channel, its success depends on how it’s integrated and optimised.

Want expert help building an integrated, full-funnel retail marketing plan that gets results? Get in touch.

This article was originally published on AdNews.