Here’s a riddle for you: what’s ugly, chaotic, color-coded, constantly changing but absolutely essential? If you guessed the family calendar, you’re correct. But I’m also talking about how brands are managing retail media in 2026.

Today I unpack why the best-performing brands have stopped waiting for retailers to hand them a clean, unified dashboard, and are instead building their own operating systems on top of retail media networks. Drawing on fresh data from the fifth annual Stratably × Skai State of Retail Media report, I break down the widening gap between brands that are designing systems versus those still juggling platforms. I discuss measurement, incrementality, closed-loop attribution, retail media DSPs, and why only 12% of brands have truly integrated media and commerce data.

If you’re still logging into eight dashboards and hoping your spreadsheet holds, this one’s for you!

This episode is sponsored by Mirakl Ads

Timeline

[00:00] – The 'family calendar' riddle and why it perfectly describes retail media management today

[01:15] – Inside the State of Retail Media report: 166 marketers, 40 interviews, and a growing systems gap

[02:12] – The big numbers: 77% want better cross-network measurement, 68% want operational efficiency, and 52% are shifting budgets to retail media DSPs

[03:16] – The 12% stat that should make you uncomfortable: integrating media spend with commerce data

[04:00] – Why retail media measurement standards exist (but infrastructure fragmentation is still the real blocker)

[06:30] – Retailers’ scaling problem, long-tail advertisers, and why brands are building self-serve control layers

[08:00] – My spicy take: stop asking “Which retail media network should I add next?” and start asking “What system am I building?”

Links & Resources

Why Top Brands Are Building Their Own Retail Media Operating Systems (And Winning in 2026)

Retail Media Breakfast Club

Why Top Brands Are Building Their Own Retail Media Operating Systems (And Winning in 2026)