Retail Media Fact vs Fiction: AI, Marketplaces & the Biggest Growth Opportunities Ahead

Today I'm sharing highlights from a lively panel discussion I joined at Cannes, hosted by The CPG Guys and sponsored by Sensor Tower. Alongside fellow retail media analysts Andrew Lipsman, Sarah Marzano and Debbie Aho Williamson, we unpacked some of the industry's biggest debates: from what's really holding retail media networks back to where the next wave of growth is likely to come from.We didn't agree on everything — and that's exactly what made the conversation so valuable! We explored the future of marketplaces, the opportunities for retailers beyond Amazon and Walmart, and whether AI is already driving more commerce than current analytics can actually measure. If you're trying to separate the hype from reality in retail media, this episode is packed with ideas that will challenge your thinking.This episode is sponsored by GrowthLoopTimeline[00:00] Why I wanted to share this Cannes panel discussion — and why healthy disagreements make the retail media industry stronger.[01:42] My perspective on the "internal demons" of retail media networks and why organizational structure determines what an RMN can become.[03:00] Sarah Marzano explains why long-tail retail media networks need a different playbook (and why physical stores may become their biggest media advantage).[04:08] Andrew Lipsman makes the case for marketplaces as one of the biggest drivers of retail media growth.[05:15] Debbie Aho Williamson shares surprising data on retailer advertising inside ChatGPT and why Best Buy stood out.[08:09] We debate whether AI-driven shopping traffic is being dramatically undercounted, and why measuring AI referrals may be much harder than it appears.Links & ResourcesWatch the full CPG Guys episode of this Cannes 2026 panel eventSubscribe to The CPG Guys on Apple Podcasts and YouTubeCheck out Sensor Tower's retail media insghts offering hereFollow Sarah Marzano, Retail & Commerce Media at EMARKETER, on LinkedInFollow Andrew Lipsman, Analyst at Media, Ads + Commerce, on LinkedInFollow Debra Aho Williamson, Analyst at Sonata Insights, on LinkedInFollow Ian Simpson, SVP, Innovation & Strategy at Sensor Tower, on LinkedInRead my related articles:The Demons Inside Retail Media, Part 3: SHORTCUTS‘Dark Search’ Is Making AI-Facilitated Commerce Look Smaller Than It Really Is11% of Shoppers Using AI Think They Bought Something Inside an AI App. They Probably Didn't.I'm sharing comedy skits on Instagram about retail media! Follow along: @retailmediabreakfastclubSubscribe to Retail Media Breakfast Club's daily newsletterFollow Kiri Masters on LinkedIn