In this edition of the Glossy+ Research Briefing, we highlight findings from the second installment in our 2024 CMO Strategies series, which examines marketer strategies across retail media networks.
Amazon is still the most used RMN but popularity of Walmart Connect and Target’s Roundel rises
Research questions: With the recent surge in popularity of retail media networks (RMNs), which platforms are the most popular among marketers this year?
Answers from research:
Like last year, Amazon is still the most popular RMN among marketers surveyed for Glossy+ Research’s 2024 report on retail media, but Walmart and Target are building up their offerings. For example, in February, Walmart announced plans to acquire Vizio, an electronics company that focuses on TVs and streaming data. The deal is currently under review by the Federal Trade Commission, but if it closes, Walmart will be set to increase its streaming capabilities as well as add enormous amounts of consumer data that can be attractive to advertisers.
“I think they’re going right after Amazon, as they should,” said Vinny Rinaldi, head of media at The Hershey Company, when asked if Walmart’s deal with Vizio could compete with Amazon. “But Walmart has a leg up on especially fast-moving consumer goods where we don’t own the endgame,” Rinaldi said.
Glossy+ Research’s 2024 survey results showed an increase in marketer respondents’ adoption of Walmart Connect and Target’s Roundel from 2023 to 2024, with Walmart Connect almost doubling in percentage points from 24% to 46% and Roundel increasing 6.6 percentage points.
Marketers also increased their use of Kroger’s RMN by 5.5 percentage points and eBay’s RMN by 3.6 percentage points since last year, signaling greater diversification of their RMN investments. With data privacy laws becoming stricter and Google continuing to inch closer toward the end of the third-party cookie, access to networks with customer purchase data is an attractive future alternative for advertisers.
