Retail Media Meets CTV: The New Power Pair

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Two of the fastest-growing areas in digital advertising are colliding, and the timing could not be more significant. Retail media is growing at over 22% (IAB Europe AdEx Benchmark), global commerce advertising is on track to hit $199.6 billion in 2026, and Connected TV (CTV) device penetration in the UK has reached 88%. Consumers are hitting subscription ceilings and shifting rapidly toward free, ad-supported streaming, which is unlocking a wave of premium video inventory. 

Recently, Jason Wescott, Global Head of Commerce Solutions at WPP Media, joined Rahul Sharma, Head of Product at Moloco, for a Retail Media Roundtable podcast discussion. Here are some of the key insights from their conversation. 

Why These Two Worlds Are Coming Together 

The convergence is not just about scale. It is about precision. Retailers hold deterministic, purchase-based data. CTV delivers undivided attention in non-skippable, premium environments. Together, they offer something neither can deliver alone: the ability to reach the right household with the right message at precisely the right moment. 

"What you can do now with connected TV is leverage the deterministic data that a retail media user has in a responsible way to show the ad to your prospective customers in the household while they are paying attention." Rahul Sharma, Moloco 

 Which Brands Benefit Most 

While nearly every brand can benefit from TV exposure, performance CTV delivers particularly strong results for brands with considered purchases or longer decision cycles.  Think automotive, financial products, or anything requiring a 15-second story to drive action. 

One of the most compelling opportunities sits with non-endemic brands: advertisers who do not sell directly through a retailer but can use retailer audience data as a powerful proxy for life stage. 

"If a consumer is suddenly browsing baby formula, nappies, and prams, I know an automotive brand that would be really interested in advertising a family SUV to them." Jason Wescott, WPP Media 

Value for Retailers and Retail Media Networks 

For retailers, CTV is not just an extension of inventory. It is a direct growth driver for their media business, with unspent advertiser budgets being redirected into offsite CTV activations that send shoppers back to convert on-site or in-app. The result is a flywheel effect that benefits both retailers and advertisers, creating new revenue streams while driving measurable commerce outcomes. 

"That is a direct 10 to 20% addition to your retail media business, and it has the same flywheel effect that a retail media business has." Rahul Sharma, Moloco 

Thinking Full Funnel 

Shifting brands beyond pure performance marketing requires evidence. When marketers can see how a CTV exposure, combined with sponsored display and on-site video, drives a measurably higher conversion rate than any single format alone, the case for brand investment alongside performance spend becomes clear. 

"It allows brands to measure the format, but also format combination effectiveness. When combined with sponsored display and a sponsored video ad, the level of conversion was X amount higher than a single exposure to one format." Jason Wescott, WPP Media 

Using Data Responsibly 

In Europe, where GDPR sets the standard, responsible data activation is non-negotiable. The answer is data collaboration. Platforms like InfoSum enable retailers and broadcasters to match audiences without raw data ever leaving the owner's environment. 

The approach is already being applied across the industry. UK grocers Sainsbury's and Tesco have partnered with broadcasters ITV and Channel 4 using privacy-enhancing technologies to connect audiences with CTV inventory while maintaining strict data controls. 

"Raw data never moves and remains within the data owner's environment. We can definitively say: this household saw the ad on Tuesday and bought the coffee in store on Thursday." Jason Wescott, WPP Media 

The Measurement Challenge 

While CTV tech is increasingly interactive, viewing behavior remains overwhelmingly 'lean-back.' According to industry benchmarks from platforms like Innovid and BrightLine, low-friction remote features like 'send to phone' pull 1.5% to 3.5% engagement, while high-friction QR scans are significantly lower. Crucially, remote clicks defer the purchase to another device and time, rather than driving an immediate on-screen conversion. 

Evaluating CTV on last-click attribution misreads this cross-device reality. CTV’s true strength lies in downstream impact, like driving search lift, brand recall, and cross-channel sales. This means data collaboration enabling multi-touch attribution (MTA) is essential for accurate measurement. 

"Click is not the performance. Click is reducing friction in the performance. The performance is in conversion, which is that purchase online, in the app, or in store." Rahul Sharma, Moloco 

What Comes Next 

Looking ahead, expect continued technology consolidation, rising demand for performance-focused CTV, growing adoption among non-endemic brands, and an expanding role for data clean rooms. In Europe, CTV powered by retail data could be a strong driver of overall ad spend growth (forecast at 6.9% for 2026). 

Watch the full podcast episode here.