Why Retailer Magazines Are the Next Big Retail Media Channel (Post-AI Shopping Era)

Today I’m revisiting a recent article I penned for The Drum and digging into something that feels almost counterintuitive in a world obsessed with AI and automation: the resurgence of print magazines, catalogs, and direct mail as powerful retail media channels. I share why Gen Z and millennials are actively seeking out physical, tactile experiences, and how that shift is creating a surprising opportunity for retailers and brands to reconnect with shoppers in more meaningful, high-trust environments.I also walk through real-world examples — from Costco to Amazon to retailers in Australia — who are already turning editorial content and print media into high-performing retail media assets. If you’ve been thinking about the future of retail media as purely digital, this episode might challenge that assumption. Because in an AI-driven shopping landscape, the most defensible advantage might just be sitting on your customer’s kitchen counter!This episode is sponsored by Mirakl AdsTimeline[00:00] – Why Gen Z is rediscovering print, vinyl, and physical retail experiences[01:02] – How AI-powered shopping is threatening traditional retail media margins[01:37] – The overlooked opportunity in retailer magazines and print media[02:03] – Costco Connection: scale, trust, and measurable purchase influence[04:15] – Bunnings and building a retail media network around print content[06:19] – Chemist Warehouse and turning content into a full media brand[08:00] – The rise of programmatic direct mail and why it’s outperforming digital[09:32] – Escaping the retail media “doom loop” with editorial strategiesLinks & ResourcesMy original article on The Drum: The humble magazine might be retail media's most defensible surfaceRead my related articles:Dark Search, Broken Signals, and What Comes Next for Retail MediaStanding Room Only: What Shoptalk Attendees Wanted Most Wasn’t on the Main StageWhile We Debate What's 'Really' Agentic, Retail Media's Foundation Is Already ShiftingAtlanta-based retail media professionals: Wednesday, April 1 is the next In-Person Atlanta Happy Hour! RSVP here.Subscribe to Retail Media Breakfast Club's daily newsletterFollow Kiri Masters on LinkedIn