Partnerships between retail media networks (RMNs) and connected TV (CTV) platforms are giving brands access to better data, more shoppable ad options, and a full-funnel approach that drives results. These collaborations can make targeting smarter, shopping easier, and measurement clearer, helping advertisers prove their effectiveness.

Here are four key benefits of RMN/CTV partnerships and real-world examples of each.

1. Access to more first-party data

A key advantage of retail media is the access to first-party data from retailers.

• 58% of US ad buyers will focus more on first-party data acquisition/partnerships in 2025, according to December 2024 data from the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB).
• 34% of agency professionals worldwide advise clients to invest in retail media as a first-party data source, according to August 2024 data from Digiday.

This value is further amplified as RMNs team up with CTV platforms that have their own pool of first-party customer data.

• Integrating retail data with CTV allows brands to reach precise audience segments, delivering relevant ads to consumers at scale.
• Over half (51%) of US brands and agencies identify data-driven targeting and personalization as a leading opportunity in using CTV within retail media strategies, according to December 2024 data from Skai and Path to Purchase Institute.

Real-world example: Disney Advertising and Walmart Connect. The two companies teamed up in 2024 to enable advertisers to use Walmart’s audience data to target consumers across Disney’s addressable streaming inventory and measure campaign performance via clean room technology.

2. The ability to test shoppable ads

Interest in shoppable ads is growing among consumers and advertisers.

• 46% of consumers have made at least one purchase via shoppable commerce, according to an October 2024 survey from EMARKETER and Bizrate Insights.
• 38% of US ad buyers will focus at least somewhat more on shoppable ads in 2025, according to December 2024 data from IAB.

“Shoppable video, especially with the increasing popularity of CTV, is predicted to be a significant trend in 2025,” said Melanie Babcock, vice president of Orange Apron Media and monetization at The Home Depot. “This format allows consumers to buy products directly from video content, providing a convenient and integrated shopping experience.”

Real-world example: Instacart and Roku. With Roku’s shoppable ad formats, consumers can jump straight from their TV to their Instacart account via text message or QR code. Advertisers can also place ads on the Roku Home Screen and target consumers with Instacart’s first-party data.

3. Off-site inventory for a full-funnel strategy

By collaborating with CTV networks, RMNs can extend their influence beyond their own ecosystems. These partnerships provide the necessary resources and technical expertise to execute off-site campaigns, something many RMNs lack the infrastructure to do in-house.

• The top opportunity for using CTV within retail media is enhancing brand awareness and perception, cited by 54% of US brands and agencies in IAB’s survey.
• 46% of US brands and agencies cite fragmented data systems and 42% cite technical challenges and integration hurdles as a major obstacle when integrating offsite media into their core retail media strategy, per Skai and Path to Purchase.

Real-world example: Waterpik, Walmart Connect, and Roku. Using Walmart Connect audience data, Waterpik launched shoppable streaming ads on Roku which prompted users to click “OK” on their remote to learn more about the product and add it to their cart.

• The campaign drove upper- and lower-funnel results, surpassing Roku’s benchmark for incremental reach by 1.5x and boosting in-funnel conversion rates by 1.67x.

4. Closed-loop measurement

Marketers have renewed their focus on measurement in 2025 as they’re asked to do more with less.

• 47% of US brand and agency marketers say attribution/measurement is a leading investment priority in 2025, according to October 2024 data from InMarket.
• 64% of US ad buyers will focus more on cross-platform measurement this year, according to IAB’s data.

However, retail media lacks measurement standardization and the CTV landscape is increasingly fragmented, making it difficult for marketers to gauge the success of their retail media CTV campaigns.

Partnerships between RMNs and advanced measurement platforms are bridging this gap.

• These collaborations enable brands to implement closed-loop measurement solutions, linking ad exposure to actual purchase behavior.
• Integrating first-party transaction data with attribution tools helps brands understand which channels, creatives, and tactics drive sales.

Real-world example: Albertsons Media Collective and NBCUniversal. Albertsons expanded its CTV inventory to include video ads across NBCUniversal channels and publishers. Now, advertisers can widen their reach and use Albertsons’ measurement tools—including TransUnion’s marketing mix modeling (MMM) solution—to evaluate performance.

This was originally featured in the Retail Media Weekly newsletter. For more marketing insights, statistics, and trends, subscribe here.