Integrating Retail Media Networks with Trade Marketing and Shopper Marketing

The Trade Marketing to Retail Media Shift

Traditional trade marketing spend — estimated at $200B+ annually in the U.S. — is notoriously difficult to measure. Slotting fees, temporary price reductions (TPRs), and co-op advertising generate uncertain ROI. Retail media offers what trade marketing never could: measurable, targeted, performance-based advertising with closed-loop attribution to actual sales.

CPG brands are responding by shifting 5-15% of trade budgets into retail media annually. This shift accelerates as retail media measurement improves and CFOs demand better accountability for trade spend.

Integration Strategies

Align with Promotional Calendars

Schedule retail media campaigns to support existing promotional events. If a brand is running a BOGO promotion, amplify it with in-store audio ads and screen placements during the promotional window. This drives incremental redemption and provides measurable lift data.

Joint Business Planning (JBP)

Include retail media as a line item in annual joint business plans between retailers and manufacturers. This elevates retail media from a tactical buy to a strategic partnership component, unlocking larger budgets and longer commitments.

Unified Reporting

Combine retail media performance data with trade marketing results in unified reports. Show how in-store media amplified the TPR, drove incremental display compliance, or increased coupon redemption. This demonstrates retail media's value as a trade marketing multiplier.

Shopper Marketing Integration

Coordinate retail media messaging with shopper marketing activations like sampling, demos, and end-cap displays. A shopper who hears an audio ad, sees a screen promotion, and encounters a product demo is far more likely to convert than one who experiences any single touchpoint.

Budget Considerations

Retail media budgets typically come from three sources within CPG organizations: shopper marketing, digital/brand marketing, and trade marketing. The largest opportunity is trade marketing, which represents the biggest pool of retailer-directed spend. Position retail media as accountable trade spend to access these budgets.