Last week I shared some of the hallway chatter from the RampUp conference. And in this episode, I’m emptying the rest of my notebook. One theme kept surfacing everywhere I turned: data collaboration. It wasn’t just a buzzword on stage; it was the real factor determining which retail media networks are winning brand budgets, which ones are falling behind, and who gets invited back next year.

I walk through five of the most interesting insights — from how major CPG brands are scoring retail media networks against Google and Meta, to why platforms like DoorDash are climbing rapidly in media investment priority. I also unpack the growing push for self-service tools, the surprising complexity behind ad serving infrastructure, and what makes a customer event like RampUp genuinely impactful.

If you work in retail media, brand marketing, or commerce media strategy, these observations offer a behind-the-scenes look at how the industry is evolving right now (and where the next wave of investment is headed).

This episode is sponsored by Mirakl Ads

Timeline

[00:12] – Why data collaboration was the defining theme across sessions, panels, and hallway conversations at RampUp.

[00:43] – How major CPG brands are using structured scorecards and investment matrices to rank retail media networks.

[02:37] – Inside the panel I moderated: how DoorDash moved from a small test budget to a priority media channel for brands.

[05:45] – Why CPG brands are pushing retailers toward self-service media platforms and how data access is driving that demand.

[07:30] – The hidden operational complexity of retail media networks, including why some organizations run multiple ad servers.

[09:03] – What LiveRamp’s RampUp event gets right—and why it’s becoming a blueprint for industry customer events.

Links & Resources

• My RampUp hallway convo recap from last week: "We're All Holding Our Breath"
• Read my related articles:
  • Inside Mars's Retail Media Investment Matrix
  • Retail Media's Next Challenge: Proving Real Results
  • Dark Search, Broken Signals, and What Comes Next for Retail Media
• Join me and Jordan Witmer from Salt XC at 11am ET Tuesday March 17, for our next LinkedIn Live on Sponsored Product Ads: shelf space or ad space?. We'll be answering questions LIVE -- join us!
• Atlanta-based retail media professionals: Wednesday, April 1 is the next In-Person Atlanta Happy Hour! RSVP here.
• Subscribe to Retail Media Breakfast Club's daily newsletter
• Follow Kiri Masters on LinkedIn