That’s a wrap! On the 4th of February 2025, digital advertising EU policy took centre stage in Brussels at our first dedicated policy event Advertising Horizons 2025.

With over 150 people in attendance, we saw European industry leaders, innovators, and policymakers come together to explore the future of our industry, delving into integral policy matters that will shape the road ahead. 

Featuring exclusive panel sessions with policymakers and industry experts, quick-fire lightning talks, case studies, and more it was a day filled with powerful insights, practical takeaways, and all-important opportunities to connect with peers and the “EU bubble”. 

The agenda covered key issues such as digital skills, the EU’s digitisation gap, consumer protection policies, and data protection.

Throughout the sessions, speakers highlighted the vital role of digital advertising:

• As an engine for economic growth and a key tool for businesses - large and small - seeking to digitise.
• As a driver of high-end software engineering and digital skills, creating future-ready jobs at the intersection of data, AI, and the creative industries.
• As a crucial funding source for independent media and journalism, ensuring access to quality news for all.
• As a system that empowers users to choose between paying for content or viewing ads, all within the framework of the EU’s strict privacy and data protection laws.

To help you relive the event and explore the key insights from the day, we've put together a Recap Video alongside overviews of our standout sessions below, complete with top takeaways and on-demand videos for you to watch in your own time.

Watch the Recap Video here.

Enjoy!

Opening Keynote - Townsend Feehan, CEO of IAB Europe

The event began with our CEO, Townsend Feehan, taking to the stage to set the tone for the day’s discussions. In her opening remarks, she described the event as an invitation to all to explore the benefits digital advertising brings to Europe’s society and economy, the hard facts that must be acknowledged and overcome, and the opportunities it offers to enhance competitiveness and accelerate the future of the EU. 

“Today’s event is an invitation.  An invitation extended to everyone who wants Europe’s internet to reflect its values – values such as equity, freedom, peace, democracy, and sustainability.   The invitation is to explore with us the benefits that digital advertising brings to Europe’s society and economy, the challenges that accompany those benefits, and the opportunity it provides to advance the strategic autonomy and competitiveness goals that top the new Commission’s agenda.” 

Keynote: How is Innovation and Creativity Shaping the Future of the European Digital Advertising Industry

“It’s time to restart Europe’s innovation engine” - EU Chief Ursula von der Leyen

Following the opening remarks from our CEO, Daniel Knapp took to the stage to discuss the roles of innovation and creativity in driving our industry forward.

Here are some of the top takeaways from the session:

• Marketing plays a critical role in transforming innovation from untapped potential into tangible impact through storytelling. Without marketing, innovation risks remaining in a box - confined, unseen, and underutilised. 
• In today’s climate of slow economic growth, there’s an urgent need to reignite the innovation engine, with competitiveness and the process of creative destruction being vital for Europe’s business landscape.
• Digital advertising has emerged as a key toolset, serving as both the default advertising channel and a catalyst for the digital transformation of traditional media channels. 
• Its economic impact is also substantial with every euro spent generating significant returns, contributing to 13% of the EU’s GDP. This effect ripples through the supply chain with an estimated €18 return on every euro invested in advertising, fueling services, goods, and materials beyond the point of sale. 
• But advertising is not just about driving sales. It’s also about fostering consumer experiences and supporting free access to media. 
• Looking ahead, Daniel stated that the EU must embrace AI. At present the current adoption rate of AI among businesses is 14%. In terms of its use in advertising, AI-driven ad send is already shaping the industry helping usher in a new era of growth but more needs to be done.
• Finally, Daniel discussed how balancing privacy with innovation can be achieved through trusted policy dialogues, where the industry can collaborate with regulators to ensure data-driven creativity thrives within a secure framework.

Watch the session recording here.

Keynote: How Can Creative Ads Fuel Innovation

Next up, Fabien Le Roux, Head of Creative Department at TikTok talked us through the power of creativity in driving innovation. He discussed how TikTok is reshaping the entertainment category by prioritising creativity. This ranges from simple visuals to ideas that unlock new ways of engaging audiences. 

With creators now replacing traditional influencers as the new currency of entertainment, TikTok provides a good example of how new technologies can drive significant economic growth for small businesses and help fuel both creative industries and advertising by bringing bold ideas back to the forefront. 

Watch the session recording here. 

Panel Discussion: Skills Gap - How to Address the Mismatch Between Today’s Digital Skills and Tomorrow’s Needs

Our first panel looked to tackle the digital skills gap in Europe. Moderated by VIA Netherlands’ Director, Saskia Baneke, the following panellist looked to bridge the gap between the digital skills available today and what is needed to drive the future of our industry tomorrow:

• Romain Lerallut, VP, Head of Criteo AI Lad, Criteo 
• Andrea Calbeaza, Senior Manager, Government Affairs, Microsoft 
• Saskia Van Uffelen, Manager Future, Workforce, Agoria

Here are the main highlights from this session:

• In terms of the current challenges faced in Europe, the panellists discussed the urgent need to develop talent in emerging areas like AI and AI literacy, not just for building technology but also for its effective use.
• A more optimistic vision for Europe’s future workforce was also shared. One that drives innovation and inclusivity, with a cultural shift towards viewing human capital as a key asset rather than a cost. The Draghi report highlighted skills as one of the key pillars of European competitiveness - How we view and approach the workforce and the new AI economy can be powerful drivers for growth. 
• The importance of redefining digital skills to encompass not only technical competencies like AI but also multilingualism, leadership, and other human-centric abilities were also highlighted. The pandemic exposed the limitations of traditional leadership models, underscoring the need for a culture of lifelong learning to accelerate digital transformation.
• The growing trend of multi-skilled individuals in tech, particularly the socially conscious Gen Z workers, who bring fresh perspectives that align with European values was also noted. We need to inspire young talent amidst widespread pessimism in the media, advocating for more mentorship programmes and coaching.
• Addressing some of the policy challenges, and how to overcome barriers including affordability, lack of awareness, and insufficient competencies, more cohesive policymaking, better alignment of initiatives, and an increased investment in both non-formal education and communication were discussed. 

Watch the session recording here. 

Case Study: Innovation Gap - How Do European Start-Ups Innovate and Grow Through Creative Digital Ads?

After a short coffee break, we were straight back into some great content with a case study from Teresa Solman, Digital Media Team Leader at Allegro, and Martyna Dziubek, Head of Marketing & NPD at Yope. The duo demonstrated how the two companies worked together to make the local Polish brand more marketable, utilising smart optimisation and personalisation through Retail Media to communicate key messages directly and transparently.

Watch the session recording here.  

Panel Discussion: Digitisation Gap - How to Incentivise the Efforts of EU Businesses to Develop Innovative Ways of Creating Value Online

Our next panel took to the stage to discuss how we can encourage businesses in Europe to develop greater value in the online world through innovation and collaboration. Moderated by IAB Ireland’s CEO, Suzanne McElligott, the panel of speakers included:

• Marco Giorello, Head of Unit, Directorate-General for Communications Networks, Content and Technology (CNECT)
• Rhys Nölke, Chief Data Officer, Bertelsmann 
• Thomas Lue Lytzen, Director, Ad Sales & Tech at Ekstra Bladet 
• Patrick Waelbroeck, Professor of Economics, Telecom Paris / Institut Polytechnique de Paris 

Here are some of the top points discussed during this session:

• In terms of key challenges, the panel discussed the pressing need to align the regulatory landscape. Differing interpretations create disparities that complicate data agreements and hinder innovation, especially in the complex implementation of the GDPR.
• The conversation also covered how there is a need for the EU to gain data sovereignty to shape Europe’s digital future, in particular in the context of global competition from countries like China.
• GDPR’s broad interpretations have also made personalisation challenging for our industry. The panel talked about basic practices like frequency capping being considered as personal data requiring consent, making it more difficult for publishers to understand and engage with audiences effectively. 
• The speakers also considered the opportunities available through regulation. While regulations like the DSA and DMA present compliance challenges, the panel emphasised they hold the potential to foster fairness, transparency, and new business models.
• All in all, they concluded that we should view the regulatory framework as an opportunity to engage with policymakers, foster cross-industry dialogue to bridge gaps and recognise digital's role in media pluralism and European values. 

Watch the session recording here. 

Panel Discussion: How to Ensure that Personalised Advertising Benefits Consumers and Businesses Alike

We then moved the conversation to focus more on the benefits of personalisation to consumers and businesses in Europe. Moderated by Jacob Dexe, Public Affairs Manager at IAB Sweden, the following panellists discussed personalised advertising and how regulatory and trust-related challenges can influence its effectiveness.

• Stacey Featherston, Public Policy Manager, Meta 
• Stevan Randjelovic, Head of Public Policy & Industry Affairs, WPP 
• Marco Pierani, Director of Public Affairs & Media Relations at Euroconsumers 
• Maria-Myrto Kanellopoulou, Head of Unit, Consumer Law, DG JUST

Check out the main takeaways from this session:

• The panel opened by discussing the current state of play in personalised advertising in the context of legal certainty and consumer protection. They emphasised how legal clarity is needed to protect business values while providing a consistent application of rules that are crucial for safeguarding consumers. 
• The panel explored how despite an overload of regulations, companies must try and prioritise transparency to maintain meaningful relationships with consumers. While new legislation aims to address market failures by positioning consumers as active participants in the value exchange.
• Panellists flagged that the EU's goal should be to simplify the legal framework to enhance both consumer empowerment and business opportunities. 
• The group then dived into the challenges of data transparency and control. With some consumers finding the consent process confusing and GDPR overly complex, they discussed how simplification should not compromise data protection but show regulatory clarity and effective enforcement. 
• The panel agreed that meaningful transparency, rather than just compliance, is key to rebuilding trust here. 
• The value of personalised advertising for SMEs was also discussed, as it enables them to reach audiences effectively and competitively. 
• Considering everything that had been discussed, the panel concluded that there is a strong desire to reduce regulatory complexity while maintaining high standards of consumer protection. Consumers should be viewed as active stakeholders in the digital advertising economy, and, despite the challenges, optimism for regulatory certainty can be seen.

Watch the session recording here. 

Keynote: How do Creative Ads Address Societal Challenges?

It was then time to shift gears back to creativity. Welcoming to the stage Shahnaz Ahmed, Director of Creative and Innovation from The Social Element agency, the audience saw how creative campaigns can influence people to do more.

During the session, she shared several creative advertising examples that didn’t need big moments to make an impact. From the Assume I Can So Maybe I Will campaign that highlighted and supported those with Down Syndrome, to fictional characters that encouraged meat eaters to take on a more vegetarian lifestyle, we saw how putting the ‘What If’ and creativity at the centre of campaigns can move very human problems into measurable impact for brands. 

Watch the session recording here. 

Case Study: The Future of Fraud Fighting

From creative examples to battling bots. Jack Smith, Chief Innovation Officer at DoubleVerify then took us through the current status of ad fraud and ways in which this challenge can be addressed. He emphasised that industry collaboration was important in this area and that we all need to spot the anomalies as they appear to protect advertisers. 

Watch the session recording here. 

Panel Discussion: How to Enable Privacy and Innovation in Digital Advertising

The final panel of the day, saw Matthew Newman, Global Chief Correspondent at MLex lead a discussion on how the industry can work with policymakers to ensure privacy and innovation are achieved. The following speakers shared their thoughts on how to tackle the intersection of data privacy, technological advancement, and regulatory frameworks. 

• Oliver Pischke, Global Digital Director, Kantar 
• Kamal Janardhan, Sr. Director of Product Management, Google 
• Pierre Devoize, Deputy MD in charge of Public Affairs, Alliance Digitale 
• Karolina Mojzesowicz, Deputy Head of Unit, DG JUST C3 

Explore the highlights from this session:

• The panel kicked off by highlighting that while the core challenge of managing large data volumes remains, new technologies like privacy-enhancing technologies (PETs) are helping to unlock data’s potential securely. They help pave the way for rich data-driven experiences while maintaining strict first-party data boundaries. 
• A lack of standardisation in privacy tech, however, hinders interoperability across platforms. For these innovations to be truly effective, our industry must establish common standards that are accessible to all stakeholders.
• The importance of ensuring new privacy technologies are practical and incentivised within the current legal framework was also stressed, in order to support a thriving and diverse advertising ecosystem. 
• It was pointed out that the ongoing debate around targeted advertising is driven by privacy concerns. Panelists stressed the need for clarity in the privacy rules, as ad revenues are critical to publishers, along with viable models for them to sustain free content online. 
• The panel also discussed models like ’Consent or Pay’, and frustration over inconsistent regulatory opinions.
• It was suggested that a shift in focus from how data is collected to what happens after collection is needed. Greater standardisation, differentiation of use cases, and cooperation could improve consumer trust and reduce malpractice.
• Privacy was also framed as a potential tool to foster innovation rather than being seen as a barrier. By reducing compliance burdens and providing clear incentives, businesses can focus on economic growth while respecting user rights.
• Concerns were voiced about the EU lagging behind in tech innovation, particularly with areas like Generative AI, which has been developed further outside the EU. Speakers urged policymakers to leverage the EU’s regulatory influence to drive economic power. 

Watch the session recording here. 

Keynote Presentation: Closing the Gap

To conclude a day filled with deep insight and innovation,  Achim Schlosser, VP of Global Data Standards, Bertelsmann walked us through how we can all seize the opportunity of advertising as an economic growth engine by fostering data and innovation in a digital Europe.

He showcased how the Industry has responded to regulatory requirements, creating building blocks for a European digital “infrastructure”, including the great work of IAB Europe’s Transparency and Consent Framework (TCF) and how a new collaborative approach is needed to promote consumer choice and unlock Europe’s digital business potential, enabled by trusted interlocutors like IAB Europe. 

Watch the session recording here. 

Lightning Talks

Beyond the main stage discussions, our Lightning Talks provided rapid and impactful deep dives into some of the most critical questions shaping the digital landscape today. Delivered by senior industry experts from our member companies, these sessions offered clarity on topics ranging from privacy and consumer trust to the evolving role of innovation and technology.

Key sessions included:

• “Why Are There Ads Everywhere I Go on the Internet?“
  Christer Ljones, Director of Ad Data Capabilities, Schibsted Marketing Services explored how ad targeting works, the mechanics behind digital advertising, and why users see certain ads across platforms.
• “How Do SMBs Unlock Growth Through Advertising?“
  Benjamin Cohen, CEO & Founder, Y-Brush examined how small and medium-sized businesses can leverage digital advertising to scale their operations effectively.
• “Why Do We Need Cookies?“
  Stuart Wilkinson, Senior Business Development Director, Kantar provided a breakdown of the role cookies play in online advertising, their impact on measurement, and potential alternatives.
• “What Will An Internet Without Personalised Ads Look Like?“
  Alexander Whalen, Public Policy Manager, EU Affairs, Meta considered the implications of a cookieless future, the economic impact, and potential shifts in advertising strategies.
• “Is Contextual Advertising Economically Viable?“
  Lionel Basdevant, Senior Product Director, Criteo discussed the resurgence of contextual targeting and whether it can deliver comparable value to personalised advertising.
• “Will Technology Innovations be a Game Changer For Data Protection?“
  Ari Levenfeld, Government Affairs and Public Policy, Google assessed how emerging technologies can help balance data privacy with advertising effectiveness.
• “How Do You Design Consent Banners to Better Inform Consumers, Increase Their Trust and, Ideally, Their Consent Rate?“
  Prof. Max von Grafenstein, Professor of Law, Universität der Künste Berlin analysed best practices for consent banner design, exploring ways to enhance user understanding and improve engagement.

As we look ahead, the discussions and insights shared at Advertising Horizons 2025 underscore the pivotal role of collaboration between industry leaders, policymakers, and innovators in shaping the future of digital advertising. From addressing the digital skills gap and fostering creativity to navigating complex regulatory landscapes, the event highlighted the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead. With privacy and innovation at the forefront, it is clear that the path forward requires a balance of trust, transparency, and forward-thinking policies that will empower businesses and consumers alike.

If you would also like to learn more about IAB Europe’s policy work, membership opportunities, and how you can get involved, please contact the team at communication@iabeurope.eu. 

Retail Media continues to grow at a rapid pace, remaining one of the industry's hottest topics this year. Staying ahead of the curve requires expert insights, strategic discussions, collaboration, and forward-thinking solutions, which is exactly what our new Retail Media Roundtable podcast mini-series is here to provide. 

Hosted by our Industry Development & Insights Director, Marie-Clare Puffett, each episode brings industry experts together to explore the latest trends, challenges, and opportunities in Retail Media across Europe. 

Whether you're looking for practical tips, expert perspectives, or just a deeper understanding of this rapidly evolving space, The Retail Media Roundtable is your go-to series for engaging and thought-provoking conversations.

So grab a seat at the table, and dive in!

Listen to Available Episodes Here

You can discover more about IAB Europe’s Retail Media initiatives here and connect with Marie-Clare Puffett at puffett@iabeurope.eu to learn about membership opportunities and how to get involved.

IAB Europe is thrilled to announce our media partnership with Performance Marketing World: Unlocked 2025, the premier event for marketers looking to harness the latest innovations in performance-driven strategies. Taking place across two dynamic days, this year’s event promises to deliver cutting-edge insights, inspiring speakers, and unparalleled networking opportunities for marketing professionals across industries.

As part of our collaboration, IAB Europe is proud to host the E-commerce Stage, a dedicated stream set to address the rapidly evolving world of e-commerce and retail media. 

Here’s why you should secure your spot at Performance Marketing World: Unlocked 2025 and what to expect from this exciting event…

Elevating Performance Marketing to New Heights

Performance Marketing World: Unlocked 2025 sets itself apart by rewriting the ‘rules’ of performance marketing. The event focuses on how marketers can measure and optimise their campaigns, with a growing emphasis on creative and brand elements, as the field continues to evolve. With 6+ stages, over two days, and an exclusive after-party, this is more than just a conference - it’s a full-blown marketing experience.

Attendees will have the opportunity to engage with over 70% brand representation, including fast-growth names like Wild and Tony’s Chocolonely, and industry giants such as Apple, Disney, and Microsoft. The event also features a mix of legendary speakers and rising stars, creating a vibrant, diverse program designed to inspire and educate.

Introducing the E-commerce Stream

In partnership with Performance Marketing Unlocked, IAB Europe is delighted to present the E-commerce Stage. This dedicated stage will delve into the latest strategies shaping the e-commerce landscape, offering actionable insights for brands, retailers, and agencies alike. Key themes include:

• Retail Media: Understand the growth of retail media and its impact on the marketing landscape. Speakers like Laura Thomas from Unilever will delve into the role of first-party data, closed-loop attribution, and precision targeting in shaping successful campaigns.
• Walled Gardens: Learn how to navigate the complexities of data barriers, unlocking valuable retailer insights and using AI to enhance targeting precision.
• Community-Driven Sales: Explore how building and nurturing a loyal community can significantly drive conversions and foster long-term customer relationships. Lavinia Fanti from The Beauty Crop will discuss strategies for turning customers into brand advocates.
• Cross-Border Strategies: Discover how to optimise your digital presence in global markets, focusing on building a global brand identity, local search optimisation, and leveraging social media for engagement.
• Diversifying Performance Marketing Channels: Hear from industry experts on the importance of a multi-channel approach to maximise efficiency and ROI.
• Future Trends: Stay ahead of the curve with insights into emerging technologies, such as AI, machine learning, and data-driven strategies, that will shape the future of e-commerce marketing.

The E-commerce Stream offers attendees the opportunity to hear directly from award-winning marketers, retail pioneers, and innovative brands. It’s a can’t-miss opportunity to stay ahead of the curve in an ever-changing industry.

Spotlight on Keynote Speakers

Performance Marketing Unlocked 2025 boasts a stellar lineup of speakers, featuring some of the brightest minds and boldest voices in the industry:

• Les Binet, a world-renowned expert on marketing effectiveness, will deliver a keynote unlike anything he’s ever done before, challenging assumptions about the intersection of brand and performance marketing.
• Sophie Miller, founder of Pretty Little Marketer, will join a panel discussion on marketing across generations, bringing fresh perspectives from her vibrant LinkedIn community of over 550,000 followers.
• Jordan Schwazenberger, CEO of Sidemen, Europe’s biggest YouTube group, will share their journey from content creators to global sensations.
• Dr. Grace Kite, will provide insights into retail media, offering attendees practical advice to make data-driven decisions.

These headliners are joined by a host of other speakers, including rising stars and established leaders from across the marketing spectrum.

Networking and Immersive Experiences

Performance Marketing Unlocked 2025 isn’t just about learning—it’s about connecting. With immersive activations and experiences throughout the venue, the event promises an engaging and enjoyable atmosphere for making meaningful connections.

Why You Should Attend

Whether you’re an e-commerce marketer, agency professional, or brand leader, Performance Marketing Unlocked 2025 offers something for everyone. From actionable insights on paid media and influencer marketing to deep dives into AI, culture, and creativity, the agenda is packed with valuable takeaways.

Get Your Tickets Today

Tickets for Performance Marketing Unlocked 2025 are now available, with options for agencies, suppliers, influencers, and affiliates. Visit performancemarketingworldunlocked.com to secure your place at the must-attend marketing event of the year. We’ll see you there!

What a start to 2025! On 22nd January, we headed to London for our first Retailer Council for the year, where we brought some of the brightest minds in the industry together to tackle the challenges and opportunities shaping the future of Retail Media from a Retailer perspective. 

From emerging trends to evolving buyer needs, the insights shared were nothing short of inspiring.

Thank you to SMG for hosting the session and to our Retailer Leaders’s Council members including those from Ahold Delhaize, Bol.com, Rewe Group, Uber Ads, Unlimitail, Ica Gruppen, and Allegro who joined us. 

For those interested in learning more about what the session covered, check out the highlights below:

The Retail Media Landscape with IAB Europe’s Chief Economist Daniel Knapp

Daniel kicked things off with an insightful update on the ad economy and how this is impacting retail media development, highlighting shifts in growth and challenges across regions. Some key takeaways included:

• Retail Media is catching up with search, as brands look to optimise on-site experiences.
• Social commerce and off-site Retail Media are emerging as priorities, with off-site seeing rapid growth.
• Retailers are expanding into video content, taking cues from players like Amazon Prime.

With Retail Media spend concentrated within a small number of players, differentiation is critical. This calls for stronger industry standards and increased data sharing amongst retailers to foster competition and innovation.

Retail Media - From the Buyer’s Perspective

After a period of reflection on the information Daniel shared, guest speakers from GroupM, Uber Advertising and SMG shared key insights with the group. 

Here are some of the key takeaways that were shared by GroupM to provide Retailers with an agency perspective on what brands are looking for from Retail Media. 

Key Challenges for Agencies:

1. Pressure to prioritise: With more limited ad budgets, agencies are facing increasing demands to prioritise projects and allocate spend strategically. Thie requires more granular planning, especially in high-potential areas like Retail Media.

2. Audience Targeting and Insights: 

• Agencies must target on-site Retail Media with precision, leveraging data to identify consumers based on their interactions with brands, purchase history, and timing in the customer journey.
• Granular audience targeting is critical, as is understanding how to align on-site tactics with broader campaign objectives.

3. Balancing Ad Load with Experience: Retailers were advised to diversify beyond sponsored ads and consider organic placements and contextual targeting to optimise both performance and customer experience.

4. Off-Site Retail Media Growth: Off-site channels offer significant potential for audience curation and upper-funnel opportunities. However, agencies are finding that they must carefully manage audience and supply parameters to ensure brand safety and access premium inventory.

Opportunities for Agencies:

1. Omnichannel Attribution: Connected, cross-channel attribution is the future of Retail Media. Agencies are looking to push for more sophisticated measurement systems to link on-site, off-site, and in-store media to clear business outcomes.

2. Non-Endemic Brands:  For non-endemic brands, Retail Media presents a chance to stand out. Agencies can help these brands leverage data points to prove audience relevance and drive awareness in a unique space.

3. Collaborative Partnerships: Agencies have a growing role as orchestrators, collaborating with retailers and brands to align strategies and maximise returns. 

The GroupM representatives rounded everything up by encouraging the Retailers to unlock new opportunities by experimenting with innovative ad formats beyond traditional approaches. Video and contextual targeting, in particular, offer significant potential to enhance engagement and performance. In-store media also presents unique advantages, providing brands with opportunities for high-impact reach and engagement.

Retailer Priorities for 2025

The final part of the day brought an open discussion between participants on what Retailers felt should be the priority areas for 2025 and how IAB Europe can support this. 

Here are some of the areas of focus that were discussed: 

1. Importance of Incrementality Measurement: Recognising that Retail Media needs to move beyond Return on Ad Spend (ROAS) the group discussed alignment on defining incremental sales measurement. This workstream will be led by IAB Europe with measurement guidelines coming out in the next couple of months.

2. Building the Retail Media Narrative: The group discussed the need to build the narrative of Retail Media and its USPs in the broader media landscape and IAB Europe encourages all ecosystem participants to lean in on this initiative. 

Thoughts From Our Retailer Participants

If you are a retailer or a key player in the advertising ecosystem interested in shaping the future of Retail Media, discover more about IAB Europe’s Retail Media initiatives here and connect with Marie-Clare Puffett at puffett@iabeurope.eu to learn about membership opportunities and how to get involved.

Have you secured your space to attend Advertising Horizons 2025? Taking place on 4th February in Brussels, IAB Europe’s flagship policy event promises to be an unmissable experience for anyone navigating the fast-paced world of advertising and policy.

Here are 5 reasons you can’t afford to miss it:

1. Expert Insights: Hear from top policymakers and industry leaders about the latest trends shaping the future of advertising.
2. Groundbreaking Agenda: Dive into thoughtfully curated sessions covering critical topics that matter to you and your business.
3. Inspiring Speakers: Engage with a stellar lineup of thought leaders and change-makers driving innovation in advertising and policy.
4. Networking Opportunities: Connect with peers, decision-makers, and innovators from across Europe.
5. Be Future-Ready: Gain actionable insights to navigate the intersection of advertising, technology, and policy.

Spaces are filling up fast, so don’t delay! Find out more about the event via the link below and register now to secure your free spot, before it’s too late.

Brussels, Belgium, 16th January 2025 - IAB Europe, Alliance Digitale, BVDW, IAB Finland, IAB Ireland, IAB Italia, IAB Polska, IAB Spain, and SPIR have submitted to the European Data Protection Board (EDPB) a feedback paper outlining key remarks and concerns after the EDPB’s stakeholder event on the forthcoming draft Guidelines concerning “Consent or Pay” (CorP) models, organised on November 18, 2024. 

The undersigned trade associations emphasise the need for a unified European approach consistent with existing legal frameworks, such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and rulings by the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU). It has to be noted that CorP models have already been recognised in various jurisdictions, demonstrating their legality and alignment with GDPR principles. 

A major concern is the assessment of "freely given consent" in the context of CorP. CorP models inherently provide users with autonomy by offering clear options for accessing an online service involving paying a fee or accepting the processing of personal data for personalised advertising purposes to have free access. Users also retain full freedom to choose neither option and seek alternative services instead.

Additionally, there is no obligation for businesses to provide their services for free, nor is there any obligation for businesses to provide their services at a loss which would inevitably be the case should a third, free alternative without personalised advertising be required where CorP models are used. Personalised advertising is a significant revenue driver for many online services, with contextual advertising falling short as a viable alternative. Studies indicate that contextual ads generate significantly less revenue and are less effective in filling available ad slots. It will therefore no longer be feasible for many businesses to maintain a free (or lower-priced) access option funded by advertising due to much lower revenues should such an alternative be required - which would ultimately be to the detriment of users. 

The undersigned trade associations therefore encourage the EDPB to adopt a balanced, evidence-based approach to CorP models, recognising their role in sustaining access to free online services while respecting user autonomy. Given the significant economic implications that may result from the EDPB’s evaluation of CorP, any guidance should also be adequately based on empirical research as well as appropriate consultation with competition authorities and consumer protection authorities.

The feedback paper can be found here. For more information, please contact Gosia Kowalska, Privacy & Compliance Manager, IAB Europe - kowalska@iabeurope.eu / Ninon Vagner, Privacy Director, IAB Europe - vagner@iabeurope.eu. 

What’s in store for Retail Media in 2025? We asked members of our Retail Media Committee to share their predictions on the trends and themes that will shape the industry over the next 12 months. Take a look below to see their insights, including their buzzword predictions. 

A big thank you to the following contributors for sharing their thoughts:

Q. What major trends do you see shaping Retail Media in Europe in 2025?

Jason: “Innovation will be a key trend that shapes 2025. This can be interpreted broadly in the way that industry players will seek growth through differentiation as markets become more saturated. Data collaboration, automation, AI creative tools, and incrementality are key innovation fields promising bigger, better, and faster. I also think opportunism will be a trend, and I use this without negative connotation, but more in the sense of striking whilst the iron is hot. Retail Media is in demand and FOMO is in full effect for retailers who have been slow to mobilise. AdTech providers are well positioned to capitalise, with Amazon even throwing their hat in the ring recently announcing their Amazon Retail Ad Service rollout, in the US for on-site search, initially.”

Tanguy: “Retail Media will accelerate its transformation to be omnichannel. It is making a lot of sense for shoppers, retailers, and brands. Many omnichannel retailers are now becoming mature in Retail Media, enabling them to invest in-store and create opportunities for brands to connect with shoppers at the point of purchase where the large majority of sales still happen. This trend also corresponds to the key need to connect digital and physical touchpoints and measure the contribution of each interaction on total sales to reflect shopper behaviour.”

Katie: “I think the major trend we’ll see is Retail Media consolidation and partnerships. We know that the buy-side is finding it hard to navigate the explosion in Retail Media Network (RMN) launches that have cropped up across Europe in the last 2 years, yet there are still further retailers with interesting data and media propositions who could play an interesting role for advertisers. I believe that we’ll see a combination of smaller retail players partnering with larger networks, as well as new market propositions being launched that help to create more aggregated and integrated Retail Media offers. This should be good for everyone - it’ll drive simplification and ease of buying for agencies and brands, and it’ll create a role in the market for those with valuable media capabilities who can’t win on their own.” 

Lucie: “Retail Media Goes Programmatic: Break Down Silos

Even if Retail Media will still be a gated garden, to increase revenue and fill rate, retailers will open their inventory to a certain extent. Bringing programmatic demand from standard DSPs through deals helps retailers meet their goals without relying solely on their internal sales house teams.

CTV Will Play a Big Role in Retail Media

Connected TV is poised to be a big driver in the next phase of Retail Media. With streaming becoming increasingly dominant, CTV offers retailers a new medium to capture consumers’ attention within the home.”

Troy: “I think we’re going to see European retailers level up when it comes to using data to deliver real value to their customers. They’ll focus on meeting shoppers where they’re spending their time—whether that’s Connected TV, social platforms, or other emerging channels—and using Retail Media to make those touchpoints more meaningful. The store is also going to play a much bigger role, with more retailers doubling down on store measurement. By connecting brand spend to in-store transactions, they’ll unlock some of the most valuable insights and opportunities for growth. It’s all about creating smarter, more connected retail experiences.”

Q. How will advancements in technology impact Retail Media strategies this year?

Jason: “Data clean rooms will significantly impact Retail Media growth in 2025 by enabling secure data collaboration between retailers and brands without compromising consumer privacy. Using encrypted data, both parties can gain deeper insights into consumer behavior and optimise advertising strategies. For example, Amazon Marketing Cloud allows advertisers to perform analytics on their Amazon advertising data. Criteo’s partnership with LiveRamp enables Boots Media Group to offer transparent attribution by uniting loyalty card data with online exposure and in-store sales. As more retailers and brands adopt these capabilities, more effective advertising campaigns will drive further growth in the Retail Media sector.” 

Tanguy: “Identity Resolution is the technological backbone to develop enriched experiences for brands. Having a robust identity resolution technology opens for retailers the offsite Retail Media opportunity by recognising shoppers not only on retailer websites but also in all publisher environments. Likewise, identity resolution connects offline signals and purchases with online customer behaviours. This is the only way to power and measure a robust ROPO effect on Retail Media activities to follow shoppers across channels and reflect their behaviour. This advancement in tech is already live but its usage will undoubtedly grow a lot in 2025.”

Katie: “Much of the existing Retail Media technology is still digital only but over the next year I hope we’ll start to see more seamless integration of in-store and digital media into single commerce media platforms as this is what both retailers and brands need. Perhaps we could even get to the point where these platforms enable a single customer view using loyalty data so that campaigns can be planned, activated, and measured on a genuinely 1-2-1 customer basis. That would be a significant advancement but it’s not out of the realms of possibility in the next 12 months”

Lucie: “Advancements in technology will significantly shape Retail Media strategies this year, driven by AI and machine learning. AI-powered tools will enable retailers to optimise creative assets dynamically, tailoring ads to specific audiences for better engagement. Machine learning will automate budget allocation and campaign performance optimisation across various Retail Media channels, ensuring efficient spending and maximizing ROI. These advancements will empower retailers to execute more precise, data-driven strategies, offering personalised experiences at scale while improving operational efficiency.”

Troy: “The next wave of technology will focus on integrating Retail Media operations seamlessly. Unified platforms are becoming essential, connecting planning, execution, and reporting into a single view. Automation will play a big role in reducing manual work, freeing up teams to focus on strategic goals. AI-driven analytics will deliver real-time insights, enabling smarter decision-making and more precise omnichannel execution. These advancements will also prioritise privacy-first architectures, ensuring first-party data remains secure while empowering retailers and brands to optimise campaigns and drive meaningful growth.”

Q. What progress do you expect to see in standardising measurement and reporting?

Jason: “I’m optimistic the industry can make strides forward on more standardised measurement and reporting this year. Publishing Retail Media measurement standards last year was a positive start, but there is much to be done to facilitate widespread adoption. Our Retail Media Measurement Certification programme (currently in beta testing) will help progress standardisation by offering retailers the chance to substantiate (and promote) their adherence, and thus offer assurance to advertisers.” 

Tanguy: “We have seen tremendous effort over the last two years on measurement standardisation, which is a good sign. As Unlimitail we are seeing a common and shared interest from retailers and brands to reach the goal of having the same definitions and structure regarding standards. More and more mature retailers do understand the need for a standardised approach to measurement and their benefits. For 2025 I expect to see more retailers using the same measurement framework via the same KPI definitions such as shared by IAB Europe and the work of local entities like Alliance Digitale in France.”

Katie: “Retailers are working hard behind the scenes to adopt the measurement frameworks developed and championed by the IAB. This takes time (it’s often far more about the practical realities of systems inside retailers rather than appetite or desire to standardise), but I think we’ll see progress in adoption, particularly in the second half of 2025.” 

Troy: “In 2025, real-time reporting will become more prominent, giving stakeholders actionable insights to optimise campaigns dynamically. Standardisation will also take center stage, as retailers and platforms push for greater transparency and consistency in how performance is tracked and evaluated. Efforts by organisations like IAB Europe will play a key role in driving the adoption of uniform metrics, building trust, and making it easier for buyers to understand the direct impact of their retail media investments across all channels.”

Q. What will be the biggest challenges for buyers investing in Retail Media in 2025?

Jason: “As the sector continues to mature and advertisers (and their agencies) are becoming savvier in relation to the value and context of Retail Media performance metrics, ostensible claims of success through an inflated ROAS without broader context on campaign objectives, targeting and placements will no longer fly. This progression is an undoubtedly positive development but will make buying more complex as advertisers demand the use of more sophisticated and commercially robust KPIs i.e. sales uplift, iROAS.” 

Tanguy: “There are two big challenges on the buy side in 2025. First, concerns on the budget allocation by the retailer. With the improved options offered by retailers in Europe, brands and agencies have multiple relevant choices regarding where to put their focus. Buyers will need to consider their retailers and marketplace turnover to balance their investments correctly and invest where their shoppers are. The second challenge concerns attribution with the need for buyers to have a deep look at their performance metrics and the scope of attributed sales. It is key to compare apples with apples and to be able to gain precise performance metrics such as standardised post view and post click lookback windows and ROAS.”  

Katie: “I think internal alignment and structures are a growing challenge. Retail Media is disrupting the traditional categorisation of media and that means that bridging gaps between brand, shopper, and media teams (plus, of course, agencies) to build cohesive Retail Media strategies is crucial but also incredibly difficult. It often takes a single brand-side champion to connect the dots manually which is a great short-term intervention, but we will likely need more systemic reorganisation inside brands to make this truly work. I also think a key challenge is balancing short-term performance with long-term brand building. I’d love advertisers to properly rethink Retail Media's role beyond lower-funnel objectives, and that will mean a whole new planning and measurement approach.”

Troy:  “We will continue to see the critical challenge of fragmented teams, with marketing, merchandising, and operations often working in silos, leading to misaligned strategies and inefficiencies. To succeed, organisations must prioritise unifying these teams through platforms or systems that enable seamless collaboration and shared visibility. This internal fragmentation is compounded by external challenges like the lack of standardisation across Retail Media networks, concerns around data ownership, and rising costs for premium placements. Overcoming these hurdles requires a focus on integrated solutions that bring teams together, ensure transparency, and empower buyers to make data-driven decisions with confidence.”

Top retail media buzzwords for 2025

Jason: “Incrementality (this is my favourite), full-funnel (I loathe this one but keep hearing it), offsite and in-store (these two will be ubiquitous), and non-endemic advertiser (just rolls off the tongue?!)”

Tanguy: “Omnichannel will be much more part of the conversations to reflect shopper behaviour through advanced technologies. Regarding measurement, incrementality will be a hot topic and surely be covered by professional associations.”

Katie: “It’s got to be consolidation and upper-funnel right?! Plus, standardisation will still be high in the Retail Media conversation agenda” 

Lucie: “In-store and sustainability. Retailers will expand interactive digital displays to personalise in-store promotions, increasing real-time relevancy based on shopper data and behavior. In-Store Data Integration: Expect deeper integration of in-store shopping behavior with online profiles, enabling more unified omnichannel campaigns. Sustainability will be a growing concern in advertising in general.”

Troy: In 2025, "merch" is definitely going to be a buzzword to watch—it’s where merchandising and Retail Media finally come together in a meaningful way. JBP (Joint Business Planning) isn’t going anywhere either; it’s still the backbone of strong retailer-brand partnerships. Omnichannel will keep making waves as businesses focus on tying together in-store, online, and offsite experiences seamlessly. And, of course, ROAS is here to stay—it’s the metric everyone loves to rely on for measuring campaign success.” 

The 9th edition of E-commerce Berlin Expo, the trade fair and conference for the B2B e-commerce industry in Berlin, is approaching. This year’s expo will span two days - 19th - 20th February. Attendees can look forward to many networking opportunities, rare insights, and forward-thinking discussions.

Industry leaders from giants like Google, Microsoft, Deloitte, and TikTok, along with renowned brands such as Zalando, flaconi, and IKEA, will talk about the future of online retail. Plus IAB Europe's Industry Development & Insights Director, Marie-Clare Puffett will be taking to the stage on day two to discuss Retail Media Growth Trends & Opportunities.

The event will be inaugurated by Franziska Giffey, Berlin’s State Senator for Economy, Energy, and Enterprise.

E-commerce Berlin Expo is one of Europe’s leading events for the e-commerce and digital industries, providing a platform for professionals to network, learn from industry leaders, and explore the latest trends shaping the sector. Its 9th edition will take place on 19th-20th February in Berlin. In addition to an exhibition showcasing 290 service providers presenting the latest solutions, the event will include an extensive conference program featuring e-commerce professionals from the DACH region and beyond.

The upcoming expo will aim to tackle the most pressing challenges facing the e-commerce sector, focusing on strategies for differentiation and innovation in a rapidly shifting environment. The agenda will delve into a variety of topics, including AI, emerging technologies, international expansion, logistics, payments, the customer journey, marketing, and leadership.

Industry-Leading Keynotes

More than 150 industry experts will deliver presentations and workshops across five conference stages and two masterclass tracks. Talks will be held in either English or German, catering to a broad audience. Among them attendees will find presentations and case studies from representatives of globally recognised brands and retailers such as REWE, Zalando, MediaMarktSaturn, OTTO, Fielmann, flaconi, Philips, Lampenwelt, Deutsche Telekom, and IKEA, as well as new-com players like Snocks, Waterdrop, KoRo, ON, and Amorelie. Giants including Microsoft, Google, TikTok, Deloitte, and Amazon will also deliver insights on the latest innovations driving the industry forward. Additionally, industry associations such as HDE and IAB Europe will contribute to shaping the discussions.

Panel Discussions and New Focus Areas

In addition to keynote speeches and masterclasses, the event will feature panel discussions. This year, special attention is given to the AI panel, considering its growing role in today’s world. Insights will come from top players in the field, including Meta and OTTO.

For the first time, organisers are also introducing a Shop-tech block, offering e-commerce platforms a chance to share their knowledge and experience. Key speakers, including the Co-CEO of Shopware, CTO Central Europe of Adobe, and CEO of JTL Software, will explore how technology and platforms are revolutionizing the e-commerce landscape.

How to Participate in the Event

For more information and to register as a visitor, please visit the official event website: https://tinyurl.com/4bpredvn. Registration is free of charge. The event takes place on 19th-20th Febraury at STATION Berlin. The expo starts at 9:00 AM and runs until 6:00 PM on the first day and 5:00 PM on the second day.

Last month, IAB Europe and TikTok hosted a roundtable discussion to explore the impact of creative content looking at how it can be used as a mechanism for success, and how AI can help creativity to scale. Featuring experts from GroupM Nexus, Glo Motion Studios, Spark Foundry, Social Element Agency, TikTok, and IAB Europe, the session explored how brands, creators, and agencies are navigating creativity and what we can expect next. 

The insights gathered during this discussion will form part of a comprehensive Playbook that IAB Europe and TikTok will release in Q1. The Playbook will offer actionable guidance and strategies to help industry stakeholders leverage creative content effectively. 

Here are some of the themes we explored:

The State of Creativity in 2024

With attention spans shrinking and users empowered to skip content, the bar for engagement has never been higher. The group discussed how creativity today must deliver instant impact, but also adapt to more long-form, audience-interactive approaches.

It was also discussed how campaigns now demand channel-specific strategies, where creativity and media planning converge, and how performance marketing is becoming more dependent on high-quality creativity to achieve its goals.

Creators: The Heart of Community and Authenticity

The conversation then shifted to the rise of creators and how they have redefined how brands connect with audiences. Once focused on long-form content, creators have evolved to meet the demands of dynamic, short-form platforms. 

“Creators are synonymous with community,” said one participant. “They live and breathe the audience’s world, making them invaluable partners in relaying a brand’s message.” However, it was suggested that this approach isn’t without challenges and that agencies play a critical role in ensuring safety and aligning brand objectives with creator-driven campaigns.

Finally, authenticity remains a buzzword, but the discussion revealed a deeper shift toward relatability. Consumers increasingly demand value exchanges from content, which for brands, means staying consistent while remaining brave enough to take risks.

The Role of AI in Creativity

AI emerged as both a tool and a topic of debate. While it has revolutionised operational aspects of advertising, like audience targeting and campaign measurement, it also acts as a co-pilot in the creative process. AI can refine ideas, generate novel concepts, and democratise creativity by lowering barriers for small brands. However, the consensus is clear: AI isn’t replacing human creativity but augmenting it.

Looking Ahead

As the boundaries of creativity, technology, and performance marketing blur, the central takeaway is: creativity thrives on collaboration, authenticity, and a willingness to adapt. Whether through creators, AI, or data-driven insights, the future of digital advertising will rely on blending art with science to forge meaningful connections.

Stay tuned for the release of the Playbook in Q1, where these insights and more will be shared in greater detail to help guide the industry forward in creativity and innovation. 

Leaders from across the digital advertising ecosystem, EU Commission, and education institutions, including Criteo, Meta, DG JUST, and Télécom Paris, are among the first speakers to be announced for IAB Europe's new policy event Advertising Horizones in Brussels in February 2025. 

IAB Europe is thrilled to reveal the first confirmed speakers for its new policy event, Advertising Horizons: Fuelling Europe’s Digital Future, taking place on 4 February 2025 at Sparks, Brussels. 

Advertising Horizons will feature engaging panel debates, thought-provoking keynote speeches, and interactive sessions designed to explore the key trends and technologies revolutionising the digital advertising landscape. Attendees will gain actionable insights on topics such as privacy, innovation, creativity, and digital transformation.

Confirmed Speakers and Key Topics

The first speaker announcements highlight an impressive line-up of experts who will lead discussions across pivotal themes:

• Daniel Knapp, Chief Economist, IAB Europe
  Daniel will provide insights into how innovation and creativity are reshaping Europe’s digital advertising landscape and driving the industry forward.
• Romain Lerallut, VP and Head of Criteo AI Lab
  Romain will speak at the panel debate session on the skills gap in Europe, discussing strategies to address the mismatch between today’s digital capabilities and future workforce needs.
• Patrick Waelbroeck, Professor of Economics at Telecom Paris / Institut Polytechnique de Paris, Thomas Lue Lytzen, Director, Ad Sales & Tech at Ekstra Bladet / Chair of IAB Denmark’s Advisory Board and Marco Giorello, Head of Unit, Directorate-General for Communications Networks, Content and Technology (CNECT), Unit F4 – Platforms Policy and Enforcement - Technological and Economic Assessment
  Patrick, Thomas and Marco will participate in the panel debate addressing the digitisation gap and explore strategies to accelerate the digital transformation of European industries and the role digital advertising can play in driving growth.
• Maria-Myrto Kanellopoulou, Head of Unit, Consumer Law, DG JUST; Marisa Jiménez Martín, Director and Deputy Head of EU Affairs, Meta; and Marco Pierani, Director Public Affairs & Media Relations, Euroconsumers
  They will take part in  the panel that will examine how personalised advertising can deliver tangible benefits to both consumers and businesses, backed by the latest research and policy insights.
• Kamal Janardhan, Sr. Director Product Management, Google, Oliver Pischke, Global Digital Director, Kantar, Karolina Mojzesowicz, Deputy Head of Unit, DG JUST C3 and Pierre Devoize, Deputy CEO, Alliance Digitale. In their panel debate, they will explore how to facilitate compliance with EU data protection rules through innovative data protection solutions, while supporting data-driven innovation in Europe.
• Christer Ljones, Director of Ad Data Capabilities at Schibsted Marketing Services. Christer will present one of the Lightning Talks on the impact of programmatic advertising and ad personalization.

Why Attend Advertising Horizons?

This is not your average policy event. Advertising Horizons goes beyond traditional discussions, offering a day packed with:

• Dynamic panel debates featuring top industry voices.
• Interactive sessions showcasing cutting-edge technologies and concepts.
• Lightning talks by senior executives addressing industry misconceptions and hot-button topics.
• Networking opportunities to connect with the policymakers and leaders shaping the industry’s future.

Secure Your Spot Today

Register your interest to join policymakers, advertisers, and industry leaders in shaping the future of Europe’s digital advertising landscape.

For the full line-up of speakers and agenda updates, visit our event page here.

Stay tuned as we announce more speakers and session highlights in the coming weeks!

It is no secret that the data retailers have is unparalleled and the growth of Retail Media Networks (RMNs)  is interlinked with this. This blog dives into the utilisation of retailer data, how it can be used across other media channels, and how the insights can enable brands to sharpen their advertising campaigns. 

A big thank you to the following contributors for sharing their thoughts:

Q. What data is available to brands via RMNs?

Esme: “We all know retailer first party-data is the cornerstone of a Retail Media offering, and this can encompass multiple things – who is buying, what are they buying, when are they buying, trends, performance, and insights – all sorts of invaluable data that can be used to deliver impactful messages to build a trusting relationship between consumers and brands, and measure impact. In addition to this, RMNs can partner with vendors with second or third-party data bringing further intelligence and insights to brands, to create more relevant and personalised messages across the whole funnel. Even with users who may be new to the retailer or brand.” 

Jakub: “RMNs uniquely combine media performance metrics with deep insights into customer behaviour, offering a level of data that other sources cannot provide. This combination enables brands to better understand their audience, craft personalised communication, and verify what works, driving meaningful engagement and measurable impact.”

Helen: “Retailer data has always held high value to brands, from historic CRM programmes to general EPOS data. However, the landscape has transformed over the past 5 years with the explosion of rich, large-scale loyalty card schemes and critically the development of technology which has made this data available to advertisers in a sophisticated way across instore, onsite, and offsite.

Taking the UK as an example, with 80% of British shoppers being members of at least one loyalty scheme and thus many UK retailers having millions of consumers as an addressable audience, this has cemented retailer first-party data as a powerhouse in delivering superior insights, precision targeting at scale and the holy grail of closed-loop measurement to brands.”  

Ollie: “RMNs provide brands with comprehensive shopper data, including transaction details, real-time inventory, and loyalty programme insights. The data covers customer demographics, purchase frequency, preferences, and lifetime value analysis. Brands gain access to basket composition patterns, product competitive intelligence, price sensitivity and sales performance metrics, and online purchasing behaviour including basket abandonment.” 

Q. What are some key insights from retailer data that can help brands improve their advertising campaigns?

Jakub: “IAB Europe’s standardised metrics, provide robust tools for most campaign needs, offering valuable insights into performance. Additionally, there is an opportunity for brands to collaborate closely with RMNs to develop tailored campaigns that align with specific goals. For example, in partnership with Pampers, we focused on engaging new customers by using RMN data (developed by the Data Science team) to expand the brand’s audience, focusing on the audience with the highest growth potential. This collaborative approach in setting up a campaign highlights how working together can maximise results, creating a win-win dynamic between RMNs and brands."

Helen: “Retailer data has transformed the advertising process and net output for brands and consumers. From a targeting perspective, brands can not only target their consumers with superior precision but also target consumers who have a high propensity to buy or engage with their brand, limiting media wastage. With closed-loop measurement, brands can measure if their campaigns deliver incremental sales based on real (not claimed or inferred) purchases across both in-store and online and critically this can be done in real-time, allowing optimisation across touchpoints and creative executions.” 

Esme: “Beyond the expected performance metrics, which are becoming increasingly standardised thanks to work by organisations such as IAB Europe, there are a host of other insights that can be provided to brands. For example, basket analysis to showcase what other products/categories customers are shopping alongside a brand, or share analysis to see how a brand is trending against the wider category or even how frequently customers are purchasing a brand (vs other brands/the category) – these examples all create actionable insights.” 

Ollie: “Retailer data delivers actionable campaign insights, enabling precise customer segmentation and a deeper understanding of purchase behaviours. Through detailed analytics, brands can develop targeted advertising strategies, uncover cross-category patterns, and benchmark against market dynamics. This data-driven approach maximises ad relevance, engagement, and conversion rates.” 

Q. In your opinion, what partners or technology are necessary to utilise this data on other media channels?

Helen: “Some of the UK’s retail loyalty schemes have been around for decades, often meaning that some are operating in clunky legacy data systems, and thus connecting these to third-party channels can be challenging. There are multiple data tech partners available but retailers have three key need areas 1) a simple way of sorting and having visibility of data internally; 2) a clean room that provides a secure, privacy-compliant way for data to be analysed and/or shared with other data sets; 3) an interoperable identifier such as EUID or RampID that allows retailer data to be matched and used across non retailer inventory such as the open web in a GDPR compliant way.” 

Esme: “Identity resolution has to be the number one priority here – to create audiences of real people tied to real transactions, connected to attributes or insights to create a segmentation, to control frequency, to tie channels back to conversions without double-counting, all of this relies on tying touchpoints to a real person. This is easier said than done, and working with a vendor who can offer both identity resolution and activation allows brands and retailers to minimise wastage and signal loss and have more control over the end-to-end process.” 

Jakub: “Here we face two sides of the Retail Media coin. The good news for brands is that even without their own data, RMNs can provide all the necessary insights and tools to drive success. On the other hand, this places responsibility on retailers to understand, manage, and continually enhance these capabilities. At Allegro, being at the forefront of MarTech innovation is a key priority—not just in advertising but across the entire organisation. This includes unifying our user ID graph, implementing a CDP by year-end, and more still to come.  From a brand perspective, if they don’t have their own data, the RMN can provide the necessary data and tools to deliver successful campaigns.”

Ollie: “Retailers need a robust data strategy built on either a CDP (Customer Data Platform) or DMP (Data Management Platform) to develop their desired taxonomy. Retailers can share their data through direct integration with supply-side platforms (SSPs) to enable targeting for media buyers and advertisers, or by partnering with data onboarding specialists to facilitate secure data transfer.  The recommendation here is for partners to offer buyers core targeting options plus custom segment capabilities. This approach generates market demand and interest for their data without having to upload the full catalogue.” 

Q. How are retailers developing their strategies to enable offsite expansion?

Jakub:  “Standardisation and transparency. These are the homework RMNs must complete to succeed, especially as over 50% of brands see them as key challenges. Establishing these foundations builds trust and attracts advertisers’ investment. I've highlighted data capabilities and MarTech implementation, but the Retail Media wave also requires retailers to think and act like media owners. Offsite means that no inventory is within retailer ownership, making partnerships with publishers essential. At Allegro, we prioritise collaboration with major local and global platforms such as Google (YouTube), Meta, and TikTok to deliver impactful and scalable campaigns.”

Helen: "There are three core strategies retailers are driving – firstly, ensuring that they have a sizable (in terms of breadth and depth) addressable audience, ensuring that their first-party data is competitive and has a clear proposition usage for brands. Secondly, they have been creating alliances with third-party media owners such as CTV, social platforms and open web DSPs ensuring that they are offering brands a full omnichannel proposition to activate against and elevating their capabilities in planning, activation and measurement to deliver this. Lastly, they are looking at broadening their access to brand investment, creating partnerships with media agencies and developing their non-endemic strategy."   

Esme: “For brands to invest, retailers need to be competitive in what they offer. This can be anything from data hygiene and organisation, to channels offered, and measurement capabilities. Regardless of the individual capabilities, what RMNs need to do is reduce fragmentation. Fragmentation was the number one investment barrier (58% of respondents) according to IAB Europe’s  ‘Attitudes to Retail Media Report’. By working with the right partners, retailers can reduce fragmentation for a better experience and will be rewarded with increased investment.” 

Ollie: “UK retailers are expanding offsite data strategies through partnerships with DSPs, SSPs, social platforms, and broadcasters. Using data clean rooms enables secure insight sharing for targeted advertising across digital, social, and CTV platforms. The integration of in-store and online data drives personalised offsite campaigns, enhancing customer engagement and omnichannel strategy. While larger retailers already monetise their data for offsite use, others seek guidance on activation. The convergence of retail data and CTV has created direct partnerships with broadcasters for first-party data measurement and monetisation. Success depends on maintaining customer trust through relevant advertising that enhances the shopping experience.”

Q. Can you provide examples of how retailer data has been successfully utilised in omnichannel media strategies?

Ollie: “I have seen this successful typically when the advertiser, agency, and retailer collaborate in their approach. An example would be a health and beauty brand that partnered with a retailer to leverage first-party data for market share growth. They analysed purchase history to deliver personalised ads across digital, social, and in-store channels. Customers who bought specific products received targeted ads for complementary items, creating cross-selling opportunities. This integrated approach significantly increased both online and in-store sales, with clear measurements, showing digital ads' impact on physical purchases—proving the value and effectiveness of retailer data in offsite advertising.“

Jakub: “I’ve already mentioned the Pampers case, and we also have recent examples of collaboration with a cosmetic brand (achieving a ROAS of 10), and a cleaning supplies brand (reaching 5.5 million category buyers). Leveraging first-party data is the sine qua non of digital campaign success. 85% of our campaigns are powered by this data, delivering a twofold increase in ROI compared to those without it. Our MarTech implementations enable a 90% customer match rate for offsite activities. With 20 million monthly users, our data drives an average of 50% better ROAS than industry benchmarks while reducing media waste by targeting only relevant audiences.”

Helen: “A360, which is Boots’ award-winning first-party data proposition, connects the 16MM users of Boots’ Advantage Card to both Boots’ owned and third-party media channels. This allows brands to deliver audience-led campaigns across instore, online and offsite with precision planning, real-time optimisation and closed-loop measurement within the AI-enabled proprietary software platform Plan Apps, both at a managed and self-service level. This has been used by brands such as L’Oreal, Oral B, Dior, Dove, Phillips and Estée Lauder. It has proven to deliver positively against short-term conversion in incremental ROI as well as measures such as new to brand and category and longer-term customer value, transforming the role Boots can play for brands across the total media funnel.” 
Esme: “Currys, representing the largest consumer transactional database for electrical purchases began to leverage their first-party data with Epsilon – linking to Epsilon’s COREid and enhanced with contextual and buyer demographic information to provide deeper understandings and message the most relevant in-market individuals to ensure better targeting, performance and more efficient media spend. By connecting in-store data, Currys was able to see the impact of the advertising on offline sales, with 26% of tracked purchases occurring in-store and achieving a total of 8:1 SKU-level ROAS with 65% of buyers being new-to-brand. By taking advantage of the retailer’s rich first-party data and Epsilon’s offsite behavioural information, it was able to reach a large audience in a short period, driving real revenue and value for Currys and Currys brands.” 

Find Out More

IAB Europe’s Retail Media Committee is at the forefront of the Retail Media industry. Members are driving Retail Media growth and shaping the landscape by:

• Creating definitions
• Defining pan-European standards
• Providing market education

All of the committee's work can be found in our Retail Media Hub here. 

Find out more about getting involved by contacting Marie-Clare Puffett - puffett@iabeurope.eu. 

With the festive season in full swing and a new year fast approaching, we invite you to join us in reflecting on what has shaped 2024 for us, our members, and the industry overall.

This blog post showcases some of IAB Europe’s best bits and all the great work we have accomplished with our wonderful members and partners this year. Thank you all for your hard work, support, and expertise and for helping us make 2024 a great success. 

So, let’s dive in…

Key Stats for 2024

Most Participated Events of 2024

From our flagship conference Interact in Milan to newly added Great Debates, Virtual Programmatic Days, and dedicated webinars on topics such as DE&I, we have covered a variety of interesting topics through our virtual and in-person events this year.

Below we have highlighted some of our most popular events. If you want to watch any of our events on demand, simply head to our Knowledge Hub and select ‘Watch on Demand’ in the side menu. 

Interact 2024 in Milan - The Big Questions. The Sharp Answers

This year we headed to the vibrant city of Milan for Interact 2024, where we brought industry leaders, innovators, and experts together to answer the big questions shaping the future of digital advertising. Going beyond standard keynote presentations and panel discussions, we brought the ‘interactive’ back to Interact, with each session framed around a key question that our elite, expert speakers endeavoured to answer.   

From the demise of third-party cookies and Retail Media to sustainability, policy, measurement, and more, we had the smart, sharp answers to our industry's biggest questions of today. Check out the event wrap-up here. 

One Virtual and One Hybrid Virtual Programmatic Day

Our Virtual Programmatic Day (VPD) is one of our most popular events, bringing industry experts and thought leaders together to explore the latest trends, drives, and barriers impacting programmatic trading in Europe. 

This year our H1 virtual event covered the hottest topics in the news, the new programmatic ecosystem, media quality, attention, and more. 

Check out the session recordings and highlights from our H1 event here. 

For our H2 hybrid event, we headed to Berlin, where topics included the results of and thoughts on our 10th annual Attitudes to Programmatic Report, the future of personalisation, the impact of MFAs, and how prepared the industry is for the addressability era.

Check out the session recordings and highlights from our H2 event here. 

The Great Debate Series

Our Great Debate series of events brings industry experts together to discuss and debate the industry’s hottest topics of the moment. This year we added AI to the agenda and also hosted a hybrid event on Retail Media. 

Check out our Great Debate event recordings and highlights below:

• The Great Debate - Retail Media H2
• The Great Debate - Trust & Transparency
• The Great Debate - AI
• The Great Debate - Retail Media H1 in Amsterdam 
• The Great Debate - Sustainability

More Bespoke Events

As well as our main events, we hosted several bespoke events and webinars on critical topics including Connected TV, Quality, DE&I, and Programmatic Outcomes. Check out some of them below: 

• Virtual CTV Day 
• Programmatic Outcomes: All I Want For Christmas is Great Outcomes
• Driving Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DE&I) in Programmatic  
• Quality in Digital Advertising

Top Five Industry Reports

We have a passion for research, and our wealth of experience conducting industry attitudes and benchmarking studies across various digital advertising topics speaks for itself. Here are our top five research highlights from 2024:

• 2023 AdEx Benchmark Report 
• 10th Annual Attitudes to Programmatic Advertising 
• Attitudes to Retail Media 
• State of Readiness - Sustainability in Digital Advertising 
• Understanding the Adoption and Application of AI in Digital Advertising

Top Trending Guides Authored by Industry Experts

All of our guides are created with the help and expertise of our industry committee members. Check out some of our top trending pieces below:

• Bitesize Guide to Connected TV
• Guide to Omnichannel Retail Media
• 101 Guide to Retail Media
• Guide to Quality

Retail Media Spotlight

In collaboration with our Retail Media Committee, we have been actively driving initiatives to educate and elevate the Retail Media landscape in Europe, focusing specifically on the development of standards such as: 

• Retail Media Measurement Standards for Europe - provides media buyers with a framework for consistent metrics to compare on and off-site retail media investments. 
• In-Store Retail Media Standards - provides unified definitions, measurement, and best practices for ad formats and store zones.
• Retail Media Certification Programme - currently in Beta phase, the programme will reward those who adhere to our Retail Media on and off-site measurement standards.

"2024 marked a transformative year for IAB Europe in Retail Media, as our focus on the category intensified. Witnessing the positive impact and influence of our efforts across the industry has been immensely gratifying, as we united to enhance understanding of digital Retail Media and establish standards to enable its growth and success across Europe.

Looking ahead to 2025, I am excited to announce that In-Store Measurement Standards, Certification for Measurement Standards, and a Retail Media Training Programme are all in the pipeline. These accomplishments are a testament to the knowledge and dedication of our exceptional committee members and industry network, along with our efficacious collaboration."

You can explore all of this great content and more of the work from our committee on our Retail Media Hub.

Sustainability Spotlight

In collaboration with our Sustainability Standards Committee, we have continued our great work to help reduce the carbon emissions produced by the delivery of digital advertising this year. Here are some of the new tools and key outputs we have produced to support this important topic:

• CreativeLi - developed by our Sustainable Creatives Task Force in collaboration with Ad Net Zero, this tool optimises digital display advertising creatives, reducing file size without compromising visual quality
• OpenGHG - a tool designed to estimate greenhouse gas emissions from digital advertising campaigns in compliance with emerging global standards
• Mapping Greenhouse Gas Estimation Solutions - presents the wide variety of emissions frameworks and solutions currently available in Europe.
• Guide to the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) - an educational resource, providing valuable insights and guidance on the CSRD. 

"Sustainability is a multifaceted journey—one that resembles a marathon more than a sprint. It requires resilience, innovation, and the courage to navigate complexity. I am deeply grateful to our IAB Europe Sustainability Standards Committee, a passionate and driven group that continues to embrace every challenge with enthusiasm. No task has proven too big, no solution too ambitious.

As we reflect on 2024, we celebrate the tangible progress made. From tools like CreativeLi and OpenGHG to our educational Guide to the CSRD, we have provided even more essential resources to help navigate through the challenges of the industry. Furthermore, we are proud to have played a key role in shaping the digital component of the Global Media Sustainability Framework (GMSF), marking another significant step forward. These achievements are milestones in a long-term effort and demonstrate what is possible when collaboration and determination come together.

Looking ahead to 2025, the road may become even more intricate, but I am confident in this team’s ability to face the challenges head-on. Together, we will continue to push boundaries, drive meaningful change, and make sustainability not just a goal, but a shared success."

You can explore more of this great work and valuable resources on our Sustainability Hub. 

New Working Groups for 2024

This year, we also welcomed two new working groups, expanding our knowledge and expertise across two key areas for progress:

• AI Working Group - Formed as part of the Brand Advertising Committee, this group’s mission is to empower stakeholders across the digital advertising ecosystem with the knowledge, resources, and support necessary to navigate the growing AI space.
• Post Third-Party Cookie Working Group -  Formed as part of the Programmatic Trading Committee, the group's main focus is on producing an alternative solutions matrix/playbook, as well as a series of spotlight presentations from members on alternative solutions.

Stay tuned for the 2025 plans in which we’re ramping up on industry education and outreach in both addressability and AI topics. 

Policy & Advocacy Spotlight

Let’s dive into policy! This year, we have maintained our focus on policy advocacy, showcasing the industry's value, actively engaging in discussions on key EU policy dossiers, and updating the industry on the new EU Commission.

Here are some of the key highlights:

• One of this year’s main highlights was the release of our Guiding Principles for the New EU Institutional Mandate. A paper that outlines the vision and commitments of IAB Europe and its members, towards shaping a sustainable and responsible digital advertising ecosystem for the future.
• IAB Europe published a repository of European IAB’s Initiatives. This repository, which will be updated regularly, highlights the collective efforts of IAB Europe and these National IABs to promote a better and more sustainable digital advertising ecosystem. It outlines industry-led initiatives that align with and support key European Union digital policy priorities.
• Additionally, we commented on the results of the Mario Draghi Report, welcoming the report’s findings and outlining the role of digital advertising in Europe’s competitiveness and innovation. 
• The most recent output has been IAB Europe’s expectations for the new European Commission. In this public statement, we present our wishlist for the new Commission, which mainly focuses on the implementation of the extensive digital rulebook, fostering innovation, and promoting cooperation between policymakers and stakeholders. 

2025 - What's Coming Up?

As we set our sights on 2025, get ready for even more outstanding content, valuable insights, dynamic events, and exciting updates from IAB Europe.

From expanding our work in Retail Media and Sustainability to exploring new areas such as AI, programmatic advancements, and other key topics, we’re eager to collaborate with our members as we tackle the industry's most pressing and innovative challenges in the coming year.

We’re also thrilled to announce that our annual Interact conference will take place in an exciting new location—stay tuned for more details soon!

That wraps up 2024! A heartfelt thank you to all our members for engaging with our initiatives this year and helping us deliver content that continues to inspire and provoke thought.

If you’re interested in joining IAB Europe or are already a member and want to get more involved in our committees, task forces, outputs, or content, don’t hesitate to reach out at communication@iabeurope.eu.

Wishing you a joyful festive season and a well-deserved break. We’re excited to reconnect and collaborate in the new year as we drive the industry forward in 2025 and beyond.