Walmart Connect on Retail Media Measurement at Cannes Lions 2026

Incrementality is quickly becoming the metric that matters most. Advertisers don’t just want to know what happened, they want to know what happened because of their investment. When clients can confidently measure true business impact, everyone wins.

At SG-retail, we believe that retail media networks should reposition themselves - as Nick Ashley at Tesco Media put it, “retail media is a growth engine”. We think about RMN’s as growth engines. It’s not just another media channel, or just an advertising business, it’s a way to drive real, sustainable growth. For retailers as well as brands. Retailers are in a unique position because they simultaneously influence the two key drivers of brand growth – mental and physical availability. No other media channel can do this, and no other media channel can measure penetration growth - in other words, net new customers won as a result of the cumulative impact of retail media campaigns over time. I had a great, albeit slightly warm, conversation with Nick Ashley at Tesco Media on The Retail Media Show in Cannes this year. Here’s a clip, and the full conversation can be found on Spotify or YouTube (links in the comments). SG-retail | #RetailMedia

The next generation of shoppers doesn't separate inspiration from shopping. They expect both at the same time. That's changing how brands think about the in-store experience. The opportunity isn't to interrupt the customer journey — it's to create experiences that inspire discovery while making it easy to shop in the moment. Lara Barmish shares more about how Walmart Connect and L'Oréal brought that idea to life, and what it means for the future of retail.

It might sound simple but listen, really listen, to your consumers. At FQ Beach @ #CannesLions2026, Lara Barmish, Group Director, Head of Consumables at Walmart Connect, shares why the strongest marketing strategies are rooted in consumer insights. When brands take the time to understand how people actually shop, discover, and engage, they build trust.

What was the biggest retail media takeaway from Cannes Lions 2026? As the ecosystem expands beyond digital channels, see how E Ink is helping retailers extend media experiences into the physical store. 🔗https://hubs.ly/Q04ndDX40

🛒 Most retailers already own a media channel. Few are fully monetizing it. That's exactly why we launched the Beyond the Aisle newsletter. Every six weeks, we share practical insights, lessons from leading retail media networks, and strategies retailers are using to turn in-store screens into measurable revenue channels. A few topics we've covered recently: 🛒 Why physical stores are becoming retailers' most valuable media asset 📈 The operational foundations needed to scale an in-store retail media network 💡 How leading retailers are building the infrastructure required to unlock advertiser demand 📨 Stay tuned! Edition #3 lands next week, and we're tackling what matters most to every retail media business: monetization. Subscribe before the next edition drops on July 28: https://lnkd.in/gZaeart4

Excited to be joining the panel at the Retail Media Age lunch this Thursday. We'll be discussing how retail media is evolving from a fast-growing, emerging channel into a more mature media discipline, the challenges that come with that shift, and the increasingly important role agencies play in helping brands navigate this evolving landscape. Looking forward to a great discussion and hearing different perspectives from the panel.

Shared a few thoughts on the news coming from Walmart Connect coming out of Cannes the other week. Walmart's retail media consolidation is not a rebrand. It is a signal. The orchestration model is becoming the industry standard, and Connected Commerce is how brands keep pace. #retailmedia, #publiciscommerce #retailmediastrategy #mediastrategy #walmartconnect, #omnichannel, #mediaplanning

When reviewing the "big news" coming out of this year's Cannes Lions, give close consideration to Walmart’s plan to unite its three retail media businesses (Walmart Connect, International, and Sam's Club) through shared technology, measurement tools, and vision. Far more than a simple rebrand, this initiative might be providing a close look at the "orchestrated" future of retail media, according to Doug Chavez, EVP of Global Retail Channel Strategy: https://lnkd.in/gVuQhWf7

Everyone wants to talk about retail media. Austin Leonard of Dollar General wants to talk about shoppers. In a conversation with QSIC's David Haase, he shares why some of the biggest opportunities in commerce media may already be sitting inside the store. 🎧 Watch the full conversation. Part of Basket Case — having fun with and making fun of commerce media.  https://lnkd.in/e7MaAGJh