In today's Biz Pulse, gain insight into how:

• AI-powered strategies are reshaping retail media networks, requiring brands to prioritize capability, contextualization, and expanded channel integration.

• Retailers can boost their RMN effectiveness by seamlessly connecting digital campaigns with powerful in-store execution to capture omnichannel shoppers.

• "Restorative retail" is gaining momentum, as consumers increasingly seek meaningful in-person shopping experiences to escape digital fatigue.

Each of these articles is penned by members of Forbes Business Council, successful business owners shaping the future of business.

Let’s dive in!

Retail Media Networks 2.0: How AI is Redefining Ad Strategies

Retail media networks (RMNs) now account for one-fifth of global digital ad spend, and their importance continues to grow. However, there is a caveat: generative and agentic AI tools are reshaping buyer habits and consumer expectations, adding pressure for RMNs to meet new standards of intelligent, intuitive, and relevant engagement.

To thrive in the AI-driven future, retailers must leverage a multidimensional strategy centered on three key pillars: capability, contextualization, and channels.

Here's how retailers can adapt their RMNs for maximum impact:

🚀 Harness AI for Capabilities: Retailers should integrate generative AI to automate campaign execution at scale, significantly reducing costs and execution time. For instance, one retailer improved creative speeds by 40% and reduced operational costs by 45%.

🎯 Deep Contextualization: Move beyond personalization to real-time, emotionally intelligent customer engagement. Use predictive analytics to understand immediate consumer needs and deliver precise, timely messaging.

🏪 Expand Channels: Don't miss the 90% of in-store sales. Retailers should capitalize on physical spaces via smart screens, in-store mobile app experiences, or even bold tactics like store wraps—strategies proven effective in boosting product discovery and customer satisfaction.

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In-Store Power Moves: Boosting Your Retail Media Network ROI

Retail media is booming, with over $10 billion in fresh ad spend predicted by 2025. While digital and e-commerce channels dominate conversations, the real untapped potential lies in savvy in-store executions.

Given that shoppers still overwhelmingly prefer in-store or omnichannel experiences, retailers must master the art of connecting digital campaigns directly to physical stores.

Here's how retailers can maximize their RMN effectiveness:

📱 Bridge Digital-to-Physical: Ensure online marketing aligns visually with in-store signage, making it easy for customers to move seamlessly from click to aisle.

🤝 Empower Store Associates: Equip your in-store teams—your true brand ambassadors—with clear communication, sufficient training, and practical resources to execute time-sensitive retail promotions flawlessly.

🍹 Craft a Custom ROI Cocktail: Blend traditional strategies (product placement, samples, promotions) with modern data-driven tactics like personalized mobile loyalty programs, connecting digital exposure directly to in-store purchases.

🌟 Tap into Unique Strengths: Leverage private labels, distinctive brand collaborations, and localized marketing efforts. Smaller, regional players can aggregate reach and use localized data to uncover hidden sales opportunities.

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Beyond Digital Fatigue: How In-Person Retail Renews Us

Despite the digital boom, physical stores are buzzing again as consumers seek relief from digital fatigue. E-commerce holds just 16% of total retail sales; clearly, there's renewed appetite for "restorative retail"—in-person shopping experiences that rejuvenate and reconnect us.

Here's how brands can leverage the revival of brick-and-mortar to deliver human-centric experiences:

🤝 Human Connection: Prioritize knowledgeable, personalized customer service, like Levi’s custom tailoring or Jumbo supermarket's chat checkout lanes, to rekindle genuine human interactions.

📱 Invisible Tech, Visible Value: Activate unobtrusive technology to streamline, not distract—think Apple Store's mobile POS and On Running’s hidden shoe shelves—for a seamless shopping experience.

🎞️ Nostalgia Power: Harness sensory, memory-rich store designs and materials to evoke comforting nostalgia, exemplified by Palace’s skate-culture flagship and Ralph Lauren’s antique-inspired interiors.

🕵️ Personal Discovery: Counteract influencer fatigue by cultivating stores as spaces for individual self-expression and authentic discovery, free from fleeting online microtrends.

🌎 Community Building: Position stores as community hubs, like Rapha's cycling gathering spots or Lululemon's fitness events, fostering loyalty and a genuine sense of belonging.

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Wrapping Up

If these articles sparked your interest, we have a network that you will love: Forbes Business Council.

This exclusive, vetted community brings together seasoned business leaders — founders, CEOs, partners, and other senior-level leaders of successful companies.

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