Skai Reveals New Report on the State of Retail Media Street Fight

Skai Reveals New Report on the State of Retail Media

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Retail media has become critically important in the marketing mix and is now a part of the plans for 92% of consumer products companies, according to Skai’s just-published 2025 State of Retail Media report.

Brands are Focused on ROI

Despite the massive investment in this channel, marketers are still unsure how to measure it. A third of the survey respondents still aren’t quite sure how to integrate it with other media channels.  Brands with smaller budgets remain the most dissatisfied with ROI. Advanced measurement tools are needed across the industry to prove the value and role of retail media better. Incrementality is also a measurement challenge and close to half (46%) of those surveyed believe access to better data is needed.

Full-funnel strategies are still in their infancy.

Again, related to how retail media fits into the mix, only a quarter of marketers have figured out how to integrate it with other channels. 

Social commerce is a key retail media tactic

A whopping 75% of respondents have incorporated social commence into their strategies, and 68% will increase budgets in 2025.  It’s being used to target younger consumers and as a tool in the marketing of consumer electronics.

Retail Media Will Evolve This Year, According to Skai

The report states, “With record-breaking investments and technological advancements, it is no longer an emerging channel—it’s an essential pillar of modern marketing strategies. Advertisers and retailers alike are pushing boundaries with new innovations, but challenges around measurement and integration remain at the forefront. As retail media matures, the spotlight is on solving these obstacles to unlock its full potential.”

How to Pick the “Right” Retail Media: A Perspective from Skai

Skai predicts:

  • Measurement will need to take a giant leap forward
  • Social commerce is set to explode
  • Connected (CTV), fueled by retail media data, will take targeted audience reach to a new level (although still in its early stages)
  • The RMNs)that innovate with survive and thrive in face of the competition they face from 200 RMNs competing globally
  • Commerce media is no longer just a prediction; it’s the reality of 2025. Says Skai:

“Commerce media has emerged as a fully integrated, omnichannel layer that enables marketers to take control and leverage retail media and other channels to address every stage of the consumer journey from discovery to sale. By leveraging commerce data signals — what people purchase, browse, and search — across channels and platforms, brands can deliver seamless and highly targeted experiences at scale with a singular goal of driving sales.”

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Nancy A Shenker, Chief Trend Officer with Street Fight, is a former big brand (Citibank, Mastercard, Reed Exhibitions) marketing strategist and leader. She has been featured in Inc.com, the New York Times and Forbes.