It´s fair to say the Retail Media space is getting crowded and it´s getting confusing with the large retailers establishing their own platforms, hold co´s rapidly acquiring and forming partnerships to muscle in on the momentum, the adtech DSPs and SSPs playing to this niche, as well as the good "old-fashioned" marketplaces. Even the consultancy firms are joining in; EY for example have their Parthenon division dialled in to Retail Media.
Using the Goldilocks analogy:
🥣 This one´s too big (ok, maybe not really too big!) - The longest-established behemoth and undisputed market leader, Amazon, can´t afford to sit on its laurels with the frenzy of activity in this space. It´s biggest competitor Walmart Connect accounts for a lot of ad spend dollars too, and players like Instacart, Wayfair, Target Roundel, Kroger Precision Marketing, certainly aren´t small change.
🥣 This one´s just right (you know what I mean!) - There are a lot of long-standing adtech players who capitalised on the Retail Media trend ahead of the curve, including the likes of The Trade Desk and Criteo. Many other large retailers have moved into this space, as have hold co agencies, with Publicis for example acquiring CitrusAd sitting under epsilon, and partnering with the supermarket giant Carrefour.
🥣 This one´s too small, by which I mean it´s a newer entry into the market and not necessarily small at all, but ones to watch, including:
Pacvue: acquired by Assembly in 2021 and currently growing their headcount as opposed to some of their key competitors like Skai and Teikametrics who have shrunk headcount.
Firework: seem to be set for triple digit YoY growth and raised $30m in Series A funding last year.
Perion Network: acquired Sizmek in 2019 and have had 20% YoY growth in the last 12 months.
The fastest growing companies right now, according to various industry publications are: The Trade Desk, Kroger Precision Marketing, OMD Retail Media Group, Walmart Connect and EY-Parthenon.
#retailmedia #adtech #ecommerce #marketplaces
See you there!