Retail media networks have quietly become one of the most important forces in advertising.

In this episode, Kelly and Sean break down what retail media actually is, why it’s growing, and where it may be heading next.

At its core, a retail media network allows retailers to sell advertising using their own customer data—whether that’s on their website, app, or even in-store screens. Companies like Amazon, Walmart, and Target are leading the way, using shopper behavior to deliver highly targeted ads.

But the real story is in the growth.

Retail media accounted for roughly 15% of total U.S. media growth last year, making it one of the most impactful drivers in the industry.

So why is it working?

Two major factors:

• High purchase intent – Ads reach consumers already in buying mode
• Closed-loop measurement – Platforms can directly connect ad exposure to purchases

From an advertiser perspective, that combination is hard to ignore.

The episode also explores how the space is evolving:

Key trends shaping retail media

• Amazon continues to dominate, driving about 40% of retail media ad revenue
• Traditional retailers like Walmart, Kroger, and Target remain strong
• New entrants—like Uber, Instacart, and airlines—are entering the space
• Over 50 large-scale retail media networks now exist in the U.S.

At the same time, signs of maturity are starting to appear:

• Fewer new network launches in 2026
• Slowing user growth as adoption approaches saturation
• Increased competition for the same audiences

So where does growth come from next?

Sean outlines three emerging directions:

1. Offsite advertising – Using retail data to sell ads beyond owned platforms
2. Audience matching & data partnerships – Expanding targeting capabilities
3. Continued expansion from existing players – Rather than new entrants

The takeaway: retail media isn’t slowing—but it is changing.

Key Topics

• What retail media networks are (simple explanation)
• Why brands are shifting budgets into retail media
• Amazon’s dominance and growth outlook
• The rise of Walmart, Kroger, and big-box players
• New entrants like Uber, Instacart, and airlines
• Why closed-loop attribution is driving adoption
• The rapid growth in retail media networks (50+ in the U.S.)
• Signs of market maturity and saturation
• What’s changing in 2026
• Future growth drivers: offsite, data partnerships, audience targeting

Chapters

00:00 Intro & Trader Joe’s story
03:10 What is a retail media network?
05:38 Why retail media is growing
08:01 Key advantages: targeting + attribution
09:49 Major players (Amazon, Walmart, grocery)
11:18 Growth of new entrants (Uber, Instacart, airlines)
12:22 Market saturation & slowing expansion
13:37 User growth limits
14:46 Future growth strategies
19:04 Key takeaways
19:29 Closing thoughts

If you’d like access to the benchmark report or want to suggest a topic for the next part of the programmatic series, reach out to press@guideline.ai.

If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to follow or subscribe so you don’t miss future conversations on advertising, media strategy, and cultural marketing moments.

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A recent jury verdict against Meta and Google has reignited a long-running debate: are social media platforms simply hosting content, or are they designed in ways that can cause harm?

In this episode, Kelly and Sean break down the case, the broader legal context, and what it could mean for the advertising industry.

The ruling found that platform design—features like endless scroll and autoplay—played a role in addictive behavior and worsening mental health for a young user. It’s part of a growing wave of over 2,000 similar cases targeting how these platforms operate, not just the content they host.

But here’s the key question: will anything actually change?

Looking back over the past decade, both Meta and YouTube have faced repeated controversies—from data privacy issues to concerns about youth safety. Despite this, advertising spend has continued to grow. Sean shares data showing that across dozens of major scandals, platform revenue and ad spend not only held steady—they increased.

So why does advertising remain resilient?

The answer comes down to scale, targeting, and efficiency. These platforms still offer unmatched reach and performance, making them difficult for advertisers to replace.

That said, this moment may still be different. The volume of legal cases, combined with growing public scrutiny, suggests potential pressure ahead. Kelly and Sean outline two key indicators to watch:

• Monthly active users – Are audiences starting to pull back?
• Ad pricing (CPMs) – Are costs rising due to shifting demand or platform changes?

They also touch on how evolving AI-driven ad tools may impact pricing and performance, adding another layer to watch.

The episode closes with a simple takeaway: history suggests stability—but the scale of what’s happening now makes this worth monitoring closely.

Key Topics:

• The Meta & YouTube lawsuit explained
• Why this case focuses on platform design, not content
• The rise of addiction-related social media lawsuits
• What history tells us about scandals and ad spend
• Why advertisers continue to invest despite controversies
• The role of reach, targeting, and efficiency in platform dominance
• The “tobacco moment” comparison
• Two key indicators to watch: users and pricing
• How AI tools may impact ad costs and performance
• What could actually trigger change in the industry

Chapters:

00:00 Intro & spring break check-in
00:46 Meta & YouTube lawsuit overview
01:36 Platform design and addiction claims
03:00 Scale of legal cases and context
03:49 History of scandals in social media
06:28 What the data shows (no change in ad spend)
07:38 Why this moment feels different
08:38 Advertiser behavior explained
10:22 What to watch: users and CPMs
12:27 Final takeaways
13:08 Closing thoughts

If you’d like access to the benchmark report or want to suggest a topic for the next part of the programmatic series, reach out to press@guideline.ai.

If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to follow or subscribe so you don’t miss future conversations on advertising, media strategy, and cultural marketing moments.

And if you’re listening on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, a quick rating or review helps more people discover the show.

Economic headlines are everywhere—but how do they actually impact advertising?

In this episode, Kelly and Sean unpack three key indicators—oil prices, liquid natural gas (LNG), and unemployment—and explain how each one connects to ad spend, media planning, and category performance.

They start with oil, often treated as a leading economic signal. While rising oil prices affect everything from transportation to manufacturing, the impact on advertising isn’t immediate. Sean explains why ad spend typically lags behind economic shifts, sometimes by several months, due to the long cycle of campaign planning and execution.

From there, the discussion moves into which industries are most sensitive to oil-related changes. Travel, restaurants, personal care, and automotive brands tend to react faster than others, making them useful signals when tracking broader market shifts.

The conversation then shifts to LNG, which is closely tied to oil production but behaves differently in terms of global supply and pricing. While LNG volatility can influence certain sectors, its impact on advertising tends to be more indirect and limited to specific categories like insurance, restaurants, and alcohol.

Finally, Kelly and Sean focus on unemployment—highlighting it as the most important metric to watch. Unlike oil or gas, unemployment reflects broader economic health and has a much stronger and more immediate relationship with advertising budgets. Even small increases can trigger meaningful changes across multiple industries.

They close by discussing what to expect in the coming months, including how major events like the World Cup may temporarily mask underlying trends in ad spend.

Key Topics

• Why oil prices don’t immediately impact advertising
• The lag effect between economic shifts and ad spend
• Which industries react fastest to rising costs
• How LNG differs from oil in economic influence
• The connection between unemployment and advertising budgets
• Why unemployment is a stronger predictor than oil or gas
• Categories most sensitive to economic pressure
• How major events can distort short-term data trends
• What to expect in advertising through 2026

Chapters

00:00 Intro and NYC client presentations
01:14 Why economic indicators matter for advertising
03:03 Oil prices and advertising lag explained
06:40 Industries most affected by oil changes
10:04 Oil price thresholds and impact scenarios
11:21 LNG explained and its role in the economy
14:08 LNG-sensitive industries
16:03 Why unemployment matters most
17:52 Categories affected by rising unemployment
19:23 Outlook for Q2–Q3 and World Cup impact
20:18 Final takeaways

If you’d like access to the benchmark report or want to suggest a topic for the next part of the programmatic series, reach out to press@guideline.ai.

If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to follow or subscribe so you don’t miss future conversations on advertising, media strategy, and cultural marketing moments.

And if you’re listening on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, a quick rating or review helps more people discover the show.