I made the trek through Atlanta traffic to attend Home Depot’s Orange Apron Media upfronts, and let me tell you, it was absolutely worth it. In a year where brands are scrutinizing every dollar spent on travel and events, this one-day gathering managed to draw hundreds of suppliers from across the country. That alone says something. But what really stood out wasn’t just the announcements: it was how the event was designed.

In this episode, I’m breaking down the seven smartest decisions Home Depot made with their upfronts. From resisting the urge to copy Amazon’s playbook to creating a tightly focused, high-impact experience for advertisers. If you’re building or scaling a retail media network, there are some seriously valuable lessons here about audience, format, messaging, and momentum.

This episode is sponsored by Mirakl Ads

Timeline

[00:00] – Why hundreds of suppliers showed up for a one-day event (and why that matters right now) 

[00:56] – Why Home Depot didn’t try to replicate Amazon’s “Unboxed” (and why that’s a good thing) 

[01:37] – The power of a closed advertiser ecosystem and how it becomes a strategic advantage 

[02:15] – Why putting merchants on stage before media teams sends a stronger message 

[02:58] – Serving three audiences at once: suppliers, partners, and internal teams 

[04:15] – How supplier voices and testimonials added credibility and broke up the sales pitch 

[05:41] – Why venue choice reinforced Home Depot’s brand identity 

[07:00] – The “narrow and deep” press strategy that led to meaningful coverage

Links & Resources

• My OAM piece from last week: Orange Apron Media is leaning into the things only Home Depot can do
• Karen Jacobs from Emarketer's piece from last week: Home Depot deepens retail media push with Reddit and Pinterest partnerships and new tools
• Read my related articles:
  • Why Home Depot put its merchants on stage at its retail media upfronts (The Drum)
  • Home Depot’s Retail Media Chief Puts Suppliers At The Center
  • The ‘Costco Velocity’ Tech Stack Is Coming Together. Here's How the Pieces Fit.
• I launched an Instagram account with comedy skits about the retail media industry! Follow along: @retailmediabreakfastclub
• Subscribe to Retail Media Breakfast Club's daily newsletter
• Follow Kiri Masters on LinkedIn

Today I’m taking you behind the scenes of a packed stretch of travel — three major industry events in just a few days — and using it as a jumping-off point to unpack a bigger question: are work trips and in-person events still worth it in today’s commerce media landscape?

I dive into fresh data from my LinkedIn poll and explore the growing divide between those constantly on the road and those opting out entirely. I talk about budget pressures, decision fatigue, and the real, often unspoken value of being in the room. If you’ve ever felt torn between FOMO and JOMO when it comes to industry events, this episode will give you a clearer lens on how to think about where and when to show up.

This episode is sponsored by Mirakl Ads

Timeline

[00:00] – A whirlwind week: juggling three major commerce media events across multiple cities
[01:00] – Why I ran a LinkedIn poll on event attendance and what sparked the question
[01:45] – The surprising stat: 28% of industry professionals aren’t attending any events
[02:45] – The real reason behind declining attendance: budget pressure vs. calendar overload
[03:30] – The explosion of commerce media events and why choosing is harder than ever
[05:00] – Decision fatigue, FOMO vs. JOMO, and the emotional side of skipping events
[06:00] – What makes an event truly worth attending in 2026

Links & Resources

• Read my related articles:
  • Writing From the Middle of the Room
  • My Media Diet
  • Get On The Damn Stage
• I am sharing comedy skits on Instagram about retail media! Follow along: @retailmediabreakfastclub
• Subscribe to Retail Media Breakfast Club's daily newsletter
• Follow Kiri Masters on LinkedIn

Today I’m focusing on my recent article for The Drum, breaking down what really stood out from Home Depot’s third annual Infronts event, and there’s more going on than just incremental progress. Sure, merchant alignment and the shift toward self-service are important, but what really caught my attention is how Orange Apron Media is doubling down on the things only Home Depot can do.

From turning the Pro customer into a powerful media asset, to rethinking how in-store and online performance are measured, this episode explores how differentiation (not scale) is becoming the real competitive edge in retail media. I also dig into how tighter integration between media and merchandising data is changing the game for suppliers, and why Home Depot’s so-called “limitations” might actually be its biggest strengths.

This episode is sponsored by Mirakl Ads

Timeline

[00:00] – Two major themes from InFronts: merchant alignment and self-service evolution
[00:30] – Why Orange Apron Media is focusing on what makes Home Depot uniquely powerful
[00:45] – The Pro customer as a high-value, deeply owned media audience
[01:45] – Scaling in-store media: 1,400 stores and a layered retail media ecosystem
[02:45] – Why paint is a top performer when you measure beyond e-commerce
[04:00] – Connecting media spend to real sales through integrated analytics
[06:30] – Home Depot’s hybrid tech stack strategy: build vs. buy decisions
[07:15] – “Quirks are a feature”: turning specialization into a competitive advantage

Links & Resources

• My article on The Drum: Why Home Depot put its merchants on stage at its retail media upfronts
• Read my related articles:
  • Home Depot’s Retail Media Chief Puts Suppliers At The Center
  • The ‘Costco Velocity’ Tech Stack Is Coming Together. Here's How the Pieces Fit.
  • ‘Retail Media has a PR problem’ Says CVS Media Exchange's Parbs Dhariwal
• I launched an Instagram account with comedy skits about the retail media industry! Follow along: @retailmediabreakfastclub
• Subscribe to Retail Media Breakfast Club's daily newsletter
• Follow Kiri Masters on LinkedIn

Today I dig into a question that’s been coming up more and more from retail media leaders: Should we be measuring retail media the same way we measure national media? It sounds simple, but once you get into it, things get complicated fast. I share insights from experts across my network to unpack why there’s no clean, one-size-fits-all answer, and what brands should actually be doing instead.

I explore the tension between commerce-specific measurement models and traditional marketing mix models. Where each one works, and where they fall apart. I also break down real-world failure modes, who should actually own measurement, and the critical mindset shift brands need to make before they even start analyzing performance. If you’ve ever struggled to reconcile ROAS, MMM, and retail media impact, this episode will give you clarity (and a few strong opinions).

This episode is sponsored by Mirakl Ads

Timeline

[00:00] – The big question: Can retail media and national media be measured the same way?
[01:00] – Why different objectives require different measurement frameworks
[02:00] – The “camera lens” analogy: why one model can’t do it all
[03:15] – What goes wrong when brands force a single MMM across everything
[04:00] – How measurement issues start influencing business decisions (in the wrong way)
[05:00] – Who really owns measurement: brands, agencies, or retail media networks?
[07:30] – The maturity gap: why not all brands are ready for advanced measurement
[08:15] – The key takeaway: define the job of each dollar before measuring success

Links & Resources

• Recap of my LinkedIn Live with Jordan Witmer from SALT XC: Whoever Owns the Budget Determines What Retail Media Is Allowed to Be
• Read my related articles:
  • iROAS results can be easily gamed. But we shouldn't just throw it away
  • 'Not 100% altruistic': ad measurement veteran on what retail media is really optimizing for
  • Why ROAS Refuses To Die
• I'm hosting a LIVE event with In-Store Marketplace and Catalyst Media Consulting on April 22 about In-Store Retail Media: are we measuring the wrong things? We'll discuss New Research on the state of in-store retail media measurement — and why the path forward may actually be simpler than the industry is making it. REGISTER HERE
• Follow my new Instagram account for comedy skits about the quirks of retail media @retailmediabreakfastclub
• Subscribe to Retail Media Breakfast Club's daily newsletter
• Follow Kiri Masters on LinkedIn

I recently had the pleasure of joining one of my favorite retail media podcasts, Unlocked, with Austin and Elizabeth. Today, I’m sharing a snippet from that conversation in which we get into something much more personal: my process as a writer, how I consistently create content, and why storytelling has become such a powerful tool in my work.

I also open up about how I actually use AI in my day-to-day workflow (and why I still feel behind!), plus a storytelling framework that’s completely changed how I approach content. And to top it off, I share a slightly embarrassing — but very real — story from my early days in retail media that you likely haven’t heard before.

This episode is sponsored by Mirakl Ads

Timeline

[00:00] – Why I love the Unlocked podcast and what makes it different from typical retail media shows
[00:45] – My real, unfiltered process for creating consistent content (yes, sometimes it’s last-minute)
[02:00] – How I think about content ideas and why I never run out of things to say
[03:00] – The AI tools I actually use (and how they help me scale output)
[04:00] – My storytelling framework and the “Homework for Life” habit
[08:00] – The origin of my retail media journey and the moment that changed everything
[09:15] – The unexpected legal drama behind one of my books

Links & Resources

• Listen to my full appearance on Unlocked
• Subscribe to Unlocked with Austin and Elizabeth on Apple Podcasts
• Follow Austin Leonard, Vice President and General Manager of DG Media Network, on LinkedIn
• Follow Elizabeth Neubauer-Donovan, EVP, Global Head of Commerce & Retail Media Networks @ Acxiom Omnicom, on LinkedIn
• Read my related articles:
  • Writing From the Middle of the Room
  • My Media Diet
  • Get On The Damn Stage
• I'm hosting a LIVE event with In-Store Marketplace and Catalyst Media Consulting on April 22 about In-Store Retail Media: are we measuring the wrong things? We'll discuss New Research on the state of in-store retail media measurement — and why the path forward may actually be simpler than the industry is making it. REGISTER HERE
• Follow my new Instagram account for comedy skits about the quirks of retail media @retailmediabreakfastclub
• Subscribe to Retail Media Breakfast Club's daily newsletter
• Follow Kiri Masters on LinkedIn

Today I'm unpacking a blind spot that completely changed how I’m thinking about AI’s impact on retail media. Recently I’ve been talking a lot about the long-term threat of agentic commerce — fewer ad surfaces, weaker first-party data— but there’s a more immediate issue already happening right now. AI agents are actively browsing retail sites, clicking around, and triggering ad impressions… without a human ever seeing a single ad.

I walk through how this is quietly distorting ad metrics, inflating performance data, and concerningly, corrupting the behavioral signals that power retail media targeting. If AI agents are shaping audience data and driving “fake” intent, what does that mean for the entire measurement system? And are we even asking the right questions yet?

This episode is sponsored by Mirakl Ads

Timeline

[00:00] – Why a Business of Fashion article made me rethink AI’s impact on retail media
[00:45] – The structural threat of AI shopping agents to ad surfaces and first-party data
[01:15] – How AI agents are already clicking ads, and why brands are paying for it
[02:18] – The illusion of impressions: from humans scrolling to bots with no eyes
[03:06] – The “relentless agent” problem: repeated clicks and inflated ad events
[03:45] – How AI activity is poisoning behavioral data and audience targeting
[05:36] – “Cost per human”: the emerging fix, and why it’s harder than it sounds
[06:00] – What this means for retail media networks right now (not someday)

Links & Resources

• Business of Fashion article: How AI Shopping Agents Are Reshaping Fashion’s Ad Economy
• Learn more about AI analytics company DoubleVerify
• Read my related articles:
  • ‘Dark Search’ Is Making AI-Facilitated Commerce Look Smaller Than It Really Is
  • Dark Search, Broken Signals, and What Comes Next for Retail Media
  • Agentic Commerce Is a Sequencing Problem, Not an Existential One
• I'm hosting a LIVE event with In-Store Marketplace and Catalyst Media Consulting on April 22 about In-Store Retail Media: are we measuring the wrong things? We'll discuss New Research on the state of in-store retail media measurement — and why the path forward may actually be simpler than the industry is making it. REGISTER HERE
• Follow my new Instagram account for comedy skits about the quirks of retail media @retailmediabreakfastclub 
• Subscribe to Retail Media Breakfast Club's daily newsletter
• Follow Kiri Masters on LinkedIn

In this episode, I dive into a fascinating recent conversation featuring Gildan’s Jason O’Toole on The CPG Guys podcast and unpack a powerful idea that stopped me in my tracks: brand media lowers the tax you pay on growth. If you’ve ever struggled to justify upper-funnel spend or connect brand investment to real performance outcomes, this one’s for you.

I break down three key takeaways from the discussion, including how Gildan is structuring its teams to align brand and commerce, why traditional metrics like impressions are losing relevance, and what a high-impact Amazon campaign can teach us about speed, scale, and full-funnel execution. There’s a lot here that challenges conventional retail media thinking so let’s get into it!

This episode is sponsored by Mirakl Ads

Timeline

[00:00] – Why apparel is one of the most competitive and margin-pressured categories in retail
[01:12] – The idea that “brand media lowers the tax you pay on growth” and why it matters
[02:40] – How budget ownership shapes the role retail media plays inside organizations
[03:31] – Why impressions are a flawed metric and what to focus on instead
[05:13] – The two metrics that actually matter: branded search and incrementality
[06:30] – Inside Gildan’s Amazon homepage campaign and what made it so effective

Links & Resources

• Listen to the full CPG Guys episode: Winning in Social Commerce with Gildan's Jason O'Toole & Katie Tripodi
• Subscribe to The CPG Guys: Apple Podcasts and YouTube
• Follow Jason O'Toole, Head of Connected Commerce & Media @ Glidan, on LinkedIn
• Follow Katie Sierveld Tripodi, Director, Ecommerce Activation and Strategy @ Hanesbrands Inc., on LinkedIn
• Read my related articles:
  • iROAS results can be easily gamed. But we shouldn't just throw it away
  • 'Not 100% altruistic': ad measurement veteran on what retail media is really optimizing for
  • Ecommerce Signals Are Shrinking. Why Retailers Must Earn New Ones
• I'm hosting a LIVE event with In-Store Marketplace and Catalyst Media Consulting on April 22 about In-Store Retail Media: are we measuring the wrong things? We'll discuss New Research on the state of in-store retail media measurement — and why the path forward may actually be simpler than the industry is making it. REGISTER HERE
• Follow my new Instagram account for comedy skits about the retail media industry @retailmediabreakfastclub
• Subscribe to Retail Media Breakfast Club's daily newsletter
• Follow Kiri Masters on LinkedIn

Today I’m taking you behind the scenes of something I don’t talk about enough: what it really feels like to start over, even after years of experience. From launching a brand-new Instagram account @retailmediabreakfastclub with barely any followers, to reflecting on my early days writing “into the void,” I share the uncomfortable truth about building content, credibility, and confidence in public.

I also dig into the process that’s helped me generate ideas consistently, navigate mistakes, and find my voice in a fast-moving industry like retail media. If you’ve ever struggled with imposter syndrome, wondered how to build your content muscle, or questioned whether your perspective is “enough,” this one’s for you.

This episode is sponsored by Mirakl Ads

Timeline

[00:00] - Starting from zero (again!): launching Instagram after building a LinkedIn audience 

[01:00] - Writing in obscurity: the early days of publishing with no audience 

[01:30] - My breakthrough moment: landing a paid contributor role at Forbes 

[03:00] - Why quantity drives creativity (and how I generate endless content ideas) 

[04:20] - The power of being wrong: how mistakes lead to better, richer content 

[06:45] - “The middle of the room”: finding your voice between expertise and curiosity 

[09:45] - Getting comfortable being bad at something new (and why it matters)

Links & Resources

• My new Instagram account: @retailmediabreakfastclub
• Read my related articles:
  • My Media Diet
  • Get On The Damn Stage
  • Apply For The Damn Award
• I'm hosting a LIVE event with In-Store Marketplace and Catalyst Media Consulting on April 22 about In-Store Retail Media: are we measuring the wrong things? We'll discuss New Research on the state of in-store retail media measurement — and why the path forward may actually be simpler than the industry is making it. REGISTER HERE
• Subscribe to Retail Media Breakfast Club's daily newsletter
• Follow Kiri Masters on LinkedIn

Not all shopping is created equal. And honestly, not all of it is fun.

Today I'm unpacking the tension between the idea of AI-powered shopping and the reality of how we actually shop today. While we love the experience of discovering products and making intentional choices, a huge portion of shopping — especially groceries — is repetitive, operational and tedious.

I explore where consumers are already signaling openness to AI assistance (hint: it’s not where you might think), and why the current tools still fall short of solving the real problem. From meal planning to managing the “messy middle” of grocery lists, I break down what’s missing, what’s coming, and why the future of agentic commerce may arrive faster than expected, once the technology finally catches up to demand.

This episode is sponsored by Mirakl Ads

Timeline

[00:00] – My daily cooking ritual and why grocery shopping is the least enjoyable part
[01:15] – The difference between “fun” shopping and repetitive shopping missions
[01:37] – What consumer behavior data reveals about how we actually shop
[02:15] – Where consumers are already comfortable letting AI step in
[03:00] – A real-world example of DIY grocery automation
[04:30] – Why current retail tools fail to solve the “messy middle” of shopping
[06:00] – The trust gap in grocery delivery (yes, even bananas matter!)
[08:30] – The real barrier to AI shopping adoption: technology, not psychology
[10:00] – Consumer attitudes toward AI agents completing purchases
[11:00] – What needs to happen before agentic commerce goes mainstream

Links & Resources

• Andrea K. Leigh's LinkedIn post about the grocery ordering browser extension she built
• Follow Andrea K. Leigh, Founder @ Allume Group, on LinkedIn
• Read my related articles:
  • Agentic Commerce Is a Sequencing Problem, Not an Existential One
  • Don’t Dance On The Grave Of Agentic Shopping Just Yet
  • How To Be Right About AI, And Still Lose
• I'm hosting a LIVE event with In-Store Marketplace and Catalyst Media Consulting on April 22 about In-Store Retail Media: are we measuring the wrong things? We'll discuss New Research on the state of in-store retail media measurement — and why the path forward may actually be simpler than the industry is making it. REGISTER HERE
• Subscribe to Retail Media Breakfast Club's daily newsletter
• Follow Kiri Masters on LinkedIn

Today I'm unpacking a fascinating shift happening right under our noses in retail media — what has been coined “dark search.” I explore how AI-driven discovery is quietly reshaping the way consumers find and buy products. The big question: is this trend actually helping retail media grow, or is it eroding the very signals it depends on?

I dive into two new pieces of research that seem to tell completely different stories: one suggesting AI is expanding the e-commerce pie, and the other arguing we’re flying blind when it comes to measuring its true impact. If you’re in retail, e-commerce, or media, this episode will challenge how you think about attribution, conversion, and the future of shopper behavior.

This episode is sponsored by Mirakl Ads

Timeline

[00:00] – Why I’m cautious about extrapolating from my own shopping habits and how the Hawthorne Effect plays into consumer behavior
[00:45] – The “dark search” moment: how AI influenced my purchase before I ever hit a retailer’s site
[02:01] – Criteo’s report: AI-driven traffic converts 1.5x higher and lands directly on product pages
[03:45] – RefiBuy’s findings: up to 70% of AI-influenced traffic is invisible to analytics tools
[05:00] – The shocking conversion rates of “dark” AI traffic and what that means for retailers
[06:30] – Reconciling two opposing views: AI growth vs. measurement blind spots
[08:00] – Why this shift could be a structural threat to retail media economics

Links & Resources

• Read Criteo's 2026 Commerce & AI Trend Report
• Read ReFiBuy's DACT piece by Scot Wingo on LinkedIn: Dark Agentic Commerce Traffic (DACT): Answer Engines Are Sending High-Intent Shoppers to your PDPs, But Your Analytics Miss >70%
• Read my related articles:
  • ‘Dark Search’ Is Making AI-Facilitated Commerce Look Smaller Than It Really Is
  • Dark Search, Broken Signals, and What Comes Next for Retail Media
  • Agentic Commerce Is a Sequencing Problem, Not an Existential One
• I'm hosting a LIVE event with In-Store Marketplace and Catalyst Media Consulting on April 22 about In-Store Retail Media: are we measuring the wrong things? We'll discuss New Research on the state of in-store retail media measurement — and why the path forward may actually be simpler than the industry is making it. REGISTER HERE
• Subscribe to Retail Media Breakfast Club's daily newsletter
• Follow Kiri Masters on LinkedIn