In the early 1960s, when FM radio (which had been around since the 1930s) finally gained mass adoption in cars, drivers had the welcome option of tuning into the non-commercial band (88.1 to 91.9 MHz) and escaping from relentless AM band advertising. Commuters got even more relief with the advent of in-car media such as 8-track tapes, cassettes, CDs, and at least some parts of satellite radio.
Performance has always been the foundation of commerce media because it tied spend to measurable behavior. From sponsored search to sponsored products, the category scaled by delivering outcomes that could be directly attributed to transactions. Automation, AI-driven optimization and closed-loop measurement accelerated that model and made outcomes-based buying the norm. Outcomes still matter. But as AI reduces friction and increases competition, outcomes alone no longer create separation.
SPINS wanted to expand into MikMak's space - which is to say, serving online ads and driving online conversions - as an extension of its in-store purchase and shelf-monitoring data offering. The conversation quickly changed to, "actually, what would it look like if these two entities came together?" Margolis said. For MikMak, the appeal, according to the startup's CEO and Founder Rachel Tipograph, is that SPINS "has a proprietary data asset that we always wish we had."
"I think there are two tracks in terms of how it changes things. The first is the self-service... we will launch Commerce Go as a self-service tool by the end of Q1 next year. That means an advertiser can go online, put in their credit card information, and have campaigns up and running in 10 minutes. It is competitive with some of the self-service tools from Meta with Advantage+ or from Google with Performance Max"
Vudoo, a global provider of commerce media technology, and Kargo, a leader in delivering breakthrough omnichannel ad solutions across premium publishers for global brands, have announced a strategic partnership that makes scalable, shoppable advertising experiences accessible across leading digital environments. The alliance represents a key moment in the evolution of commerce media, shifting it from early innovation to a core, full-funnel capability for brands and agencies.
Mastercard announced a new commerce media offering that leverages permissioned data and technology from the payments giant, promising more personalized offers and end-to-end measurement for advertisers, according to a press release. Mastercard Commerce Media draws on Mastercard's 500 million enrolled customers and existing base of 25,000 advertisers for scale. The platform is supported by partnerships with Citi, WPP, American Airlines and Microsoft, which are positioned as key to future expansion plans.
MetaRouter may have cracked the code. Its clean-room-style approach lets brands run campaigns across multiple retail networks without exposing commercial secrets. The only constant is change. IAB leadership warned that consolidation is inevitable and agentic AI could accelerate disruption. Data is the new fuel. Clean rooms, first-party data strategies and privacy-safe attribution were recurring themes across nearly every panel. Think beyond holidays. Marketers were reminded that peak shopping moments aren't just Black Friday or the Super Bowl - commerce media now touches year-round cultural events.
A new force is at play - one that sits in the blind spot of most marketers despite its sheer scale: small businesses. Small businesses make up 99% of all US companies and account for more than 51% of GDP. Collectively, they generate around $6tn in revenue and employ almost half the US workforce. In other words, if small businesses were a nation, it would be the world's third-largest economy.
