Retail Media's Measurement Problem Isn't Technical — It's Political

In this episode, I break down some of the key insights from my recent op-ed for WARC on the state of retail media measurement standards. While there’s been progress with guidelines from the IAB and MRC, real adoption is still patchy, and the reasons why might surprise you.I explore why brands and retailers alike are struggling to align on measurement, the paradox of custom reporting requests, and why success will only come when the cost of fragmentation outweighs the comfort of the status quo. You’ll also hear what retail leaders at Albertsons, Dollar General, and Home Depot are saying about incrementality, identity resolution, and what “good” measurement actually looks like.Whether you’re a brand marketer, retail media practitioner, or just trying to make sense of the chaos, this episode will give you a sharper lens on what’s really blocking standardization — and where the industry needs to head next.This episode is sponsored by Connected Commerce at Acosta GroupTimeline[00:52] - The paradox of brands demanding standardization while asking for custom metrics[02:18] - Why both brands and retailers share responsibility for slow adoption of standards[03:22] - Industry perspectives on incrementality and methodological consistency[04:47] - Why leading retail media networks resist 'dumbing down' to meet benchmarks[06:00] - Moving beyond ROAS: redefining success with Return on Marketing Objective (ROMO)[07:48] - The tech and identity infrastructure problem undermining measurement[09:15] - Why relationships with governing bodies like IAB and MRC matter for credibility[10:50] - My take on when standardization will actually happenLinks & ResourcesMy full WARC op-ed is free to access for the next 7 days, read it here - Retail Media Unpacked: Why retail media still lacks widely adopted measurement standardsRead my article Why Real-Time Bidding Is Retail Media's Next FrontierRead my article Retail Media Buyers Say They Want Transparency, Then Ask for ROASSubscribe to Retail Media Breakfast Club's daily newsletterFollow Kiri on LinkedIn