Trade vs. Retail Media: Who's Really Eating Whom? ['Snips' from Particular Audience & The Middlemen]

In this 'Snips' episode, I dive into one of the biggest debates shaking up the commerce world: is retail media eating trade marketing, or is it the other way around? To unpack this, I analyse commentary from two industry leaders who see the collision from very different vantage points. James Taylor of Particular Audience makes a strong case that trade dollars are shifting into transparent, measurable retail media channels. Meanwhile, Troy Townsend of Zitcha argues the opposite: trade marketing isn’t being devoured, it’s simply evolving, and in fact, might end up absorbing retail media under its existing merchant structures. I have included links to the full episodes featuring James on the Particular Audience YouTube channel, and Troy on The Middlemen podcast under 'Links & Resources' below.Through their perspectives, I explore what this convergence really means for retailers, brands, and the people managing those ever-blurring budgets. Whatever team you're currently on, I believe this interplay reveals how the smartest players are building unified systems that bridge the two worlds.This episode is sponsored by Connected Commerce at Acosta GroupTimeline[00:00] – Setting the stage: the tug-of-war between trade and retail media.[01:00] – James Taylor explains how supplier dollars are migrating into retail media, backed by Forrester data.[02:30] – Why transparency, attribution, and incrementality are pulling budgets away from traditional trade deals.[04:02] – Transition to Troy Townsend’s take: trade marketing isn’t dying, it’s modernizing.[05:15] – The 'shelf wobbler' story: why unifying physical and digital inventory matters more than ever.[07:45] – The internal friction between merchandising and retail media teams, and why organizational design is key.[08:30] – Troy’s prediction: long-term, merchant teams will own retail media.[09:00] – My closing thoughts: convergence, not competition, is where the future lies.Links & ResourcesWatch the full James Taylor presentation on the Particular Audience YouTube channel, How to Launch a Retail Media Network - MasterclassListen to full Troy Townsend episode on The Middlemen podcast, Trade is Eating Retail Media - Troy Townsend, CEO of ZitchaFollow James Taylor, CEO of Particular Audience on LinkedInFollow Troy Townsend, CEO of Zitcha on LinkedInRead my article Why 'Omnichannel' Misses the PointSubscribe to Retail Media Breakfast Club's daily newsletterFollow Kiri on LinkedIn