Episode Details

I finally did something I'd been meaning to do for a while: I requested the full Amazon Ads Consumer File to see exactly what Amazon knows about me. While I expected a few surprises, what I uncovered wasn't just a look into my own shopping habits. It opened my eyes to how brands that don't even sell on Amazon are increasingly using Amazon's audience data to reach consumers.

In this episode, a recap of my recent article for The Drum, I unpack what I found inside my data export, why companies like airlines, banks, insurers and fast-food brands are targeting Amazon audiences, and what this tells us about the next evolution of retail media. If you've been wondering where retail media is headed beyond sponsored products and closed-loop attribution, this is a fascinating glimpse into what's coming next.

This episode is sponsored by GrowthLoop

Timeline

[00:00] Why I downloaded my Amazon Ads Consumer File, and the surprising discovery that nearly 400 companies had placed me into advertising audiences.

[02:34] Why non-endemic brands are increasingly investing in retail media and what's driving this shift beyond traditional ecommerce advertising.

[04:06] Real-world examples from Home Depot, Dick's Sporting Goods and Kroger that show how retailers are monetizing valuable first-party audiences.

[05:15] Why only the most sophisticated retail media networks are positioned to successfully attract non-endemic advertising budgets.

[07:16] Three major reasons Amazon DSP has become dramatically more attractive to non-endemic advertisers, from stronger audience data to better measurement.

[09:15] My biggest takeaway after reviewing my own Amazon data, and why the future growth of retail media may come from brands that don't have products on retailers' shelves at all.

Links & Resources

• Check out my original article on The Drum: Why brands with nothing to sell on Amazon are targeting me there
• US offsite retail media ad spending will reach $17.05 billion in 2026, up 29.5% YoY, EMARKETER forecasts.
• Last year, Kroger Precision Marketing ran Chevrolet's Equinox EV launch through Yahoo DSP on grocery-basket signals rather than automotive intent.
• Ross Walker, Director of retail media at Acadia, argues "The 'Amazon DSP for non-endemic brands' story has existed for years," he wrote last month
• Follow Ross Walker on LinkedIn
• Check out Amazon Days, the newsletter of Dr Koen Pauwels, Professor at Northeastern University: Online Ad Effectiveness at EMAC 2025
• Read my related articles:
  • How retail media improves the shopper journey (yes, really)
  • The retail media lesson inside Dick’s World Cup push
  • Six ways through the commerce media squeeze
• Check out Basket Case, a project I’m part of with The Drum and QSIC, an irreverent and lively podcast series talking shop. The

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