Retail Media Breakfast Club

Kiri Masters

10 minutes of expert insights every weekday. Your morning ritual for staying ahead in retail media.

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Top 10 Retail Media Breakfast Club Episodes

Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best Retail Media Breakfast Club episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to Retail Media Breakfast Club for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite Retail Media Breakfast Club episode by adding your comments to the episode page.

Panel: How These Three E-commerce Leaders Think About Hiring Retail Media Talent

Retail Media Breakfast Club

03/07/25 • 4 min

In this episode, we hear from industry experts Brian Dudzinski, Alicia Ponzani, and Brea Keating as they discuss the multifaceted nature of e-commerce roles. Brian emphasizes the need for versatile talent who can adapt to ever-changing platforms. Alicia shares insights on defining the balance between sales and marketing in job descriptions to attract the right candidates. Brea compares e-commerce professionals to 'roller coaster people' who thrive on unpredictability and excitement, highlighting the importance of adaptability in this dynamic field.

CHAPTERS:

(00:00) About Today's Topic
(00:39) About the Show
(01:01) Wanted:Unicorn by Brian Dudzinski
(01:54) Defining the balance by Alicia Ponzani
(03:04) Two types of people by Brea Keating
(04:22) Outro

SOCIAL LINKS:

Website: https://www.retailmediabreakfastclub.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kiri-masters/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@retailmediabreakfastclub

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/retail-media-breakfast-club/id1782187624//

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3s5MuqcrsOmQDKn3uMYJKb

PRODUCED BY:

https://aipodcast.ing

Retailers Are Learning to Sell—But This Time, It’s Media, Not Products (Part 1/3)

Retail Media Breakfast Club

03/13/25 • 8 min

In this special 3-part series, Jordan Witmer, Managing Director of Unified Commerce at the agency Nectar First, joins Kiri to riff on the business of retail media from an advertiser, technology, and retailer perspective. we discuss about how retailers are jumping into the business of selling their ad inventory to brands. As they stand up these highly profitable properties, retailers need to grapple with a very "retail" challenge: their unique value proposition - but this time to advertisers rather than consumers. Today's discussion delves into the concept of retailers reverting to their core competencies by utilizing advanced retail media technologies. Throughout the episode, Jordan explains the industry's shift from viewing retailers as media companies to focusing on their primary role of merchandising products effectively. The discussion also explores the growing sophistication of retail media networks, the technologies that power them, and the reasons behind some retailers' reluctance to disclose their tech stacks.

This is Part 1 of the special 3 part series.

Link to LI profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jordan-witmer-b220b646/

Link to Nectar First: https://nectarfirst.com/

PRODUCED BY:

https://aipodcast.ing

CHAPTERS:

(00:00) About Today's Topic
(00:27) About the Show
(00:48) Introduction to Retailers Becoming Retailers Again
(01:04) The Role Reversal in Retail Media
(02:47) Understanding the Backend Tech
(03:18) The Gold Analogy and Retailer Strategies
(05:12) Retailers' Secrecy on Tech Stacks
(07:59) The Debate Continues
(08:12) Outro

SOCIAL LINKS:

Website: https://www.retailmediabreakfastclub.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kiri-masters/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@retailmediabreakfastclub

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/retail-media-breakfast-club/id1782187624//

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3s5MuqcrsOmQDKn3uMYJKb

'Vibe Marketing' comes to retail media

Retail Media Breakfast Club

04/17/25 • 10 min

In this episode, Kiri Masters explores how "vibe marketing" - a concept originating in tech circles - can be applied to retail media strategies. She breaks down how this AI-powered approach enables marketers to rapidly iterate emotional angles at scale while maintaining authentic brand connections, despite the structured nature of retail media environments. Kiri offers four practical applications for retail media professionals: scaling content across multiple channels, personalizing at scale using retailer first-party data, quickly capitalizing on emerging shopper trends, and automating tedious workflows to optimize campaigns. While acknowledging that not every retail media placement needs this approach, she suggests vibe marketing provides a fresh framework for leveraging AI capabilities in the retail media landscape.

Kiri's post on Vibe Marketing: https://www.retailmediabreakfastclub.com/p/4419d48d-34a0-4c45-ae7f-23820211605d/

PRODUCED BY:

https://aipodcast.ing

CHAPTERS:

(00:00) About Today's Topic

(01:10) About the Show

(01:30) Introduction to Vibe Marketing

(01:59) AI's Role in Vibe Marketing

(03:40) Vibe Marketing in Retail Media

(05:13) Practical Use Cases of Vibe Marketing

(07:52) Internal Advocacy and Education

(09:32) Balancing Vibe Marketing with Reality

(10:08) Conclusion and Final Thoughts

(10:33) Outro

SOCIAL LINKS:

Website: https://www.retailmediabreakfastclub.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kiri-masters/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@retailmediabreakfastclub

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/retail-media-breakfast-club/id1782187624//

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3s5MuqcrsOmQDKn3uMYJKb

Our New 2-Speed Marketplace

Retail Media Breakfast Club

04/15/25 • 10 min

In this insightful episode, Kiri Masters analyzes data from Momentum Commerce that reveals a fascinating "frugal frenzy" emerging across Amazon's marketplace. She explores how consumers are simultaneously stockpiling products like baby formula (up 26 times week-over-week) while becoming increasingly price-conscious, with average selling prices among top sellers dropping 0.8% year-over-year. The episode highlights a clear divide between value-driven categories where consumers are trading down to cheaper alternatives (like diapers) and emotion-driven categories like pet care and makeup where premium pricing remains resilient despite economic concerns. Kiri provides strategic guidance for brands navigating this complex consumer landscape, suggesting different approaches depending on whether products fall into functional or emotional purchase categories.

Link to Kiri's blog post discussing the same: https://www.retailmediabreakfastclub.com/p/c3bfeb51-dc46-45e8-976c-036c6a4c4328/

Source of Data discussed in today's episode: https://www.momentumcommerce.com/

PRODUCED BY:

https://aipodcast.ing

CHAPTERS:

(00:00) About Today's Topic

(02:27) About the Show

(02:47) Price Trends Analysis Introduction

(03:59) Diaper Category Insights

(05:24) Panic-Buying Behavior Patterns

(06:11) Emotional Purchase Categories

(07:09) Brand Strategy Recommendations

(09:52) Outro

SOCIAL LINKS:

Website: https://www.retailmediabreakfastclub.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kiri-masters/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@retailmediabreakfastclub

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/retail-media-breakfast-club/id1782187624//

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3s5MuqcrsOmQDKn3uMYJKb

Walmart puts the hard word on advertisers with 25% spend bump

Retail Media Breakfast Club

04/16/25 • 10 min

In this episode, the host Kiri Masters examines Walmart's reported push for brands to increase their retail media spending by 25% year-over-year as part of joint business plans, based on recent reporting by Adweek. She explores how the impressive profit margins of retail media networks are creating pressure for continued growth, leading to what many brands describe as a "retail media tax" - mandatory advertising spending without proportional returns. While some brands are pushing back or even breaking agreements with major retailers like Walmart, Kroger, and Amazon, Kiri questions whether Walmart's increased spending requests might be tied to funding future capabilities like their $2.3 billion VIZIO acquisition for connected TV advertising.

Kiri's Forbes article referenced in the epsiode : https://www.forbes.com/sites/kirimasters/2025/04/11/walmarts-25-ad-spend-mandate-highlights-retail-medias-trust-problem/

PRODUCED BY:

https://aipodcast.ing

CHAPTERS:

(00:00) About Today's Topic

(01:18) About the Show
(01:38) Retail Media Profit Margins
(02:50) Retail Media Tax Pressure
(05:19) Digital Shelf Space Dilemma
(05:34) Sam's Club Contrasting Approach
(07:02) Brands Pushing Back
(08:09) Walmart's VIZIO Investment
(09:26) Future Partnership Approach
(10:30) Outro

SOCIAL LINKS:

Website: https://www.retailmediabreakfastclub.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kiri-masters/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@retailmediabreakfastclub

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/retail-media-breakfast-club/id1782187624//

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3s5MuqcrsOmQDKn3uMYJKb

Panel: The One Change These 3 Retail Leaders Wish for in Retail Media

Retail Media Breakfast Club

02/21/25 • 3 min

In this episode, industry experts Brian Dudzinski, Alicia Ponzani, and Brea Keating discuss the challenges and potential improvements in retail media. Brian emphasizes the difficulties in analyzing data across various platforms due to their unique quirks and reporting types. Alicia highlights the need for standardized reporting across retail media networks to enable better comparison and informed decision-making. Brea points out the disconnect between media attributable sales and actual e-commerce sales, which forces brands to independently manage and combine data. The speakers collectively stress the importance of data transparency and standardization for more effective media investment and campaign performance evaluations.

CHAPTERS:

(00:00) About Today's Topic
(00:42) About the Show
(01:04) Brian Dudzinski: Standardizing Retail Media Data
(01:40) Alicia Ponzani: Challenges of Walled Gardens
(02:49) Brea Keating: Aligning Media Attribution with Sales Data
(03:37) Outro

SOCIAL LINKS:

Website: https://www.retailmediabreakfastclub.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kiri-masters/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@retailmediabreakfastclub

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/retail-media-breakfast-club/id1782187624//

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3s5MuqcrsOmQDKn3uMYJKb

PRODUCED BY:

https://aipodcast.ing

Don't Just Put the Intern on It: Breaking the Cycle of E-Commerce Resistance

Retail Media Breakfast Club

04/23/25 • 10 min

The host Kiri Masters shares her framework for how brands evolve when selling on Amazon, from initial ignorance to full integration, while drawing parallels to current digital commerce challenges. She discusses insights from Stratably's report "How to Educate Senior Leaders on eCommerce," which offers strategies for overcoming organizational resistance to e-commerce investments. Kiri also provides practical advice for e-commerce leaders looking to advocate for digital transformation within traditional organizations, including using relatable metaphors, creating compelling digital visions, and building partnerships with key stakeholders like finance teams.

Link to Stratably's report, How to Educate Senior Leaders on eCommerce: https://stratably.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Stratably_How-to-Educate-Senior-Leaders-on-eCommerce_2024.pdf

Link to Kiri's blog post on this: https://www.retailmediabreakfastclub.com/dont-just-put-the-intern-on-it-breaking-the-cycle-of-e-commerce-resistance/

PRODUCED BY:

https://aipodcast.ing

CHAPTERS:

(00:00) About Today's Topic

(01:24) About the Show

(01:45) The Evolution of a Brand Selling on Amazon

(01:50) Stage One: Ignorance

(02:14) Stage Two: Put the Intern on It

(02:36) Stage Three: Panic

(03:08) Stage Four: Engagement and Integration

(03:36) New Digital Battlegrounds

(04:04) Challenges in E-Commerce Adoption

(04:47) Overcoming Resistance to E-Commerce

(06:24) Accelerating E-Commerce Evolution

(06:38) Practical Tips for E-Commerce Success

(08:37) Building Internal Understanding and Partnerships

(10:19) Conclusion: The Evolution Continues

(10:23) Outro

SOCIAL LINKS:

Website: https://www.retailmediabreakfastclub.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kiri-masters/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@retailmediabreakfastclub

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/retail-media-breakfast-club/id1782187624//

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3s5MuqcrsOmQDKn3uMYJKb

WOAS: Waste of Ad Spend

Retail Media Breakfast Club

04/22/25 • 9 min

Podean, an independent retail media and marketplaces agency, recently launched the "WOAS" Awards (Waste of Ad Spend Awards), a parody award highlighting how brands unknowingly waste retail media budgets. The awards spotlight three key issues: ineffective targeting, unoptimized budgets, and disconnects between media buying and business goals. Industry experts including Vanessa Hung, Danny Silverman, Tony Crutcher, and Mike Feldman weigh in on additional problems, from applying uniform strategies across different product categories to misallocating traditional digital talent to retail media roles without proper training. As retailers demand increased spending and the ecosystem grows more complex, cutting ineffective spending and implementing specialized expertise is becoming a competitive necessity rather than just a cost-saving measure.

Kiri's Forbes Post on WOAS: https://www.forbes.com/sites/kirimasters/2025/04/22/retail-medias-waste-problem-sparks-industry-awards-for-bad-practices/

PRODUCED BY:

https://aipodcast.ing

CHAPTERS:

(00:00) About Today's Topic

(01:33) About the Show

(01:54) Introduction to the WOAS Awards

(02:22) Identifying Retail Media Waste

(03:32) Insights from Industry Experts

(03:51) Vanessa Hung on Category-Specific Strategies

(05:30) Danny Silverman on Talent and Org Design

(06:34) Tony Retcher on Fragmented Retail Media

(07:15) Mike Feldman on Cutting Ineffective Spend

(08:19) Conclusion: Navigating the Retail Media Landscape

(08:49) Outro

SOCIAL LINKS:

Website: https://www.retailmediabreakfastclub.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kiri-masters/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@retailmediabreakfastclub

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/retail-media-breakfast-club/id1782187624//

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3s5MuqcrsOmQDKn3uMYJKb

Scouting For Tech: Lessons From Schwarz

Retail Media Breakfast Club

04/03/25 • 11 min

In this episode, we delve into key insights from an interview with Mirko Saul, the SVP of Innovation at Schwarz Digital, featured on the Off Bounds podcast hosted by Paula Macaggi. Schwarz Digital, the parent company of Lidl and Kaufland with 14,000 stores across 30 countries, is a significant player in the retail landscape. Mirko shares his team's structured approach to technological innovation, which includes problem-first technology scouting, rigorous preliminary research and vetting, lab testing in a controlled environment, defining KPIs from day one, incremental store rollouts, and thorough integration versus evaluation. These methodologies ensure that technological advancements are cost-effective and aligned with core business goals. The discussion also offers valuable lessons for retail media, emphasizing the importance of starting with business objectives, simulating testing environments, validating vendor scalability, and making strategic decisions on data sovereignty and in-house development versus external partnerships.

Link to podcast interview that Kiri refers to in this epsiode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HrYSTb9-zfg&t=80s

PRODUCED BY:

https://aipodcast.ing

CHAPTERS:

(00:00) About Today's Topic
(01:35) About the Show
(01:57) Introduction to Schwarz Digital Team's Innovation Approach
(02:05) Problem-First Technology Scouting
(03:32) Preliminary Research and Vetting
(04:19) Lab Testing in a Simulated Store Environment
(05:07) Defining KPIs from Day One
(06:37) Incremental Store Rollouts
(07:10) Integration and Evaluation
(07:50) Key Takeaways and Final Thoughts
(11:27) Outro

SOCIAL LINKS:

Website: https://www.retailmediabreakfastclub.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kiri-masters/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@retailmediabreakfastclub

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/retail-media-breakfast-club/id1782187624//

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3s5MuqcrsOmQDKn3uMYJKb

Trump’s Tariff Shock May Drive Major Shift In Retail Media Spending

Retail Media Breakfast Club

04/21/25 • 11 min

President Trump's sweeping tariffs are forcing consumer brands to make difficult trade-offs, with one of the most immediate impacts being on advertising and retail media spending. As brands face tariffs exceeding 100% on Chinese imports, many are cutting advertising budgets to offset margin compression, particularly on Amazon where smaller sellers are struggling to either absorb costs or raise prices. While some experts like Harry Joiner recommend focusing ad spend only on margin-accretive products, others like Jason Landro advocate maintaining advertising investment to gain market share while competitors retreat. The tariff impact varies dramatically by product category, with toys and games being among the hardest hit, potentially reshaping the $62 billion retail media industry as brands reconsider their channel strategies.

Host Kiri Masters' original post on Forbes on this topic: https://www.forbes.com/sites/kirimasters/2025/04/08/tariff-shock-may-drive-major-shift-in-retail-media-spending/

Harry Joiner's 90-day tariff plan for ecommerce leaders: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/harryjoiner_download-90-day-tariff-game-plan-activity-7314980336621285377-iNSe/

PRODUCED BY:

https://aipodcast.ing

CHAPTERS:

(00:00) About Today's Topic

(00:31) About the Show

(00:51) Impact of Trump's Tariffs on Consumer Brands

(01:56) Advertising and Retail Media Spending Shifts

(02:33) Amazon's Ecosystem and Ad Spend Reductions

(03:35) Challenges for International Manufacturers

(04:41) Strategic Shifts in Retail Media