Retailer media platforms may have only emerged in recent years, but they’ve already had a profound effect on the discipline of shopper marketing, blurring the lines between trade, shopper and media spending.

Taking note of the success at Amazon and even the advertising dollars amassed by Google and Facebook, retailers such as Walmart, Target and Kroger have worked to build up their digital media assets in recent years to better establish themselves as legitimate and powerful options for national brand advertising, not just trade and shopper programs.

“I think two years ago, maybe you would have said, ‘Yeah, this is something we’re going to test out. This is something that, you know, we’re not totally convinced about yet,’” says Michael Schuh, director, product strategy and innovation at 84.51°, Kroger Precision Marketing. “I think the perception now is that, ‘Yes, retailers are here to stay.’ They have the scale – especially the top sort of three or four media platforms – to support large CPG or agency investment teams and can be really impactful channels.”

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