2024 YEAR IN REVIEW AND PREPARING FOR 2025
2024 Year in Review and Preparing for 2025: A DIGITS Agency Perspective
If you told me back in 2003, as I ordered Video Games to Target stores as a merchant, that in 2024 I’d still be in retail, but would be buying and selling ads on phones, I probably wouldn’t have believed you or even knew what that meant! Yet here we are!
DIGITS Agency has spent the year making Retail Media work – for established brands needing deep retail expertise but also for new to media brands and freshly starting smaller retailers. The real opportunity lies in us being specialists and enabling everyone through our enterprise-grade capabilities and years of experience. And 2024 delivered some powerful validation for that vision.
DIGITS’ 2024 Highlights
This year was monumental for DIGITS as we continued to serve the underserved in retail media:
- Made the Inc. 5000 List: A testament to the success of focusing on specialized sectors.
- Joined the Ascendant Network Advisory Council: Contributing to the future direction of the industry.
- Managed through Target Circle ReLaunch: Guiding clients and Target to succeed and increase ROI given platform changes that enable higher and more widespread discounts
- Launched the DIGITS RMN: A retail media solution aimed at regional grocers and convenience stores. Powered by our partnership with PubMatic, combining their advanced retail media technology with our business services and sales.
- Launched The Cheers Network: A retail media solution tailored for alcohol beverage brands.
Key Retail Industry Trends from 2024
But the bigger story isn’t about DIGITS, it’s about the retail media evolution we’ve witnessed this year:
1. Regional Grocers Rising
Regional grocers finally had their moment, proving they can play on the same field as retail giants. With the right strategies, they are becoming serious contenders in retail media.
2. Retailers as Media Companies
Retailers continued their transformation into media powerhouses, leveraging first-party data to fuel personalization and enhance shopper engagement. This need is spinning up a large industry or tech companies built to help retailers get technical.
3. Digital Promotions Evolved
Promotions moved beyond simple discounts. New tools like audience-segmented offers, universal digital coupons, and innovative media boosts redefined the possibilities.
4. Alcohol Retail Media
With food retail media being mainstream, retailers are aiming to figure out how to apply those capabilities and processes to the highly regulated alcohol industry. Walmart, Kroger have added 1P offsite options in 2024. Other retailers like Target and Albertsons are leaning into 3P options to deliver similar messages with less legal complexity.
Top 2024 Posts That Sparked Conversation
Here are some of our most engaging stories this year that reflect retail media’s progress:
- “Black Friday Flashback Target 2004”: From hunting newspaper ads to building retail media networks. Read here
- “DIGITS RMN Future with PubMatic Partnership”: Why partnerships, not consolidation, will drive retail media forward. Read here
- “Lucky to Sit Next to Wife on Flight to Chicago”: Memories happen when you least expect them. Read here
Looking Ahead to 2025
The retail media opportunity is poised to expand beyond traditional boundaries. From regional grocers to alcohol brands, the tools and technologies are ready, it’s all about execution.
DIGITS’ 2025 Predictions
- Target Layups:
- Target Circle 360 Partnerships: Enhancing value beyond free shipping.
- Video Ads on Site: Launching shoppable display video units.
- Target Could Happen:
- Self-Serve Onsite Display Ads: Vendors might finally get more control.
- Vendor Fee Structure Reimagined: Addressing feedback on inefficiencies.
- Universal Digital Coupons (8112): Modernizing digital promotions across retailers.
Industry-wide Predictions:
- AI Agents for Shopping: From clipping coupons to building carts, AI is revolutionizing the shopping experience.
- 3P Retail Marketing Ecosystems: Growth in influencers, retailer-focused podcasts, and shadow circulars.
- RMN Partnerships: Regional grocers teaming up to compete with retail giants like Walmart and Amazon.
Final Thoughts
2024 was a year of transformation, but 2025 will be about optimization. To all retailers and brands fighting for their piece of the retail media pie, you don’t need to be a giant to win. With the right strategy, partners, and willingness to evolve, the future is yours.
Let’s build that future together. Contact DIGITS today to harness the full potential of retail media in 2025.
Dave Glaza, Founder & CEO of DIGITS, remains committed to bringing digital capabilities to physical stores!
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/
