DSPs Wanted: The Retail Media Revolution 96% of Advertisers Crave

Could DSPs Be Retail Media's Panama Canal?In today's episode, I talk about Koddi's new "State of Programmatic Retail Media" report and why programmatic access might be the key to unlocking retail media's next growth phase.The Current LandscapeToday's retail media dollars are heavily concentrated: 77% on Amazon, 7% on Walmart, and only 16% spread across dozens of other retail networksDespite recognizing retail media's effectiveness (81% agree it's effective), many advertisers find the buying process painfulFragmentation and manual processes are the biggest obstacles to wider adoptionThe Case for More DSP IntegrationsI examine how demand-side platform (DSP) integrations could transform retail media buying:96% of buyers say they would consider buying on-site media via a DSP93% would shift non-retail budgets into retail media if they could buy programmaticallyTop advantages buyers see in DSPs: More cost-efficient buying (67%)Eliminating manual tasks and saving resources (51%)More effective targeting (47%)Retailer ConcernsI discuss why retailers might be hesitant to embrace DSP integration:Fear of commoditizing their proprietary first-party dataConcern about negotiated pricing collapsing when inventory sits alongside other ad offeringsUncertainty about maintaining control over their networkA Middle Path ForwardDespite these concerns, retailers can integrate with DSPs while maintaining control:Setting guardrails around dataPreserving exclusive ad formatsOffering curated deals tailored to their specific audiencesUsing the right supply-side technology to mediate demand safelyBeyond DSP IntegrationWhile programmatic access is important, I point out that it's not a complete solution:Cross-retailer measurement remains a sticky challengeBrands still face inconsistent methodologies across platformsWhat actually unlocks budgets: better outcomes, legibility, and ease of useThe alternative to integration—forcing advertisers to navigate each retail media network separately—is increasingly looking like an unnecessarily difficult journey when a more direct route is possible.Subscribe to Retail Media Breakfast Club's daily newsletterLink to written blog version of today's episodeFollow Kiri on LinkedIn