While CES is ostensibly about previewing the most cutting-edge TVs and connected gadgets, the talk about commerce and advertising have increasingly taken on the attention that rivals the brightest, sharpest screens and loudest sound systems on the Las Vegas Convention Center showroom floor.
Specifically, in the conversations and through the variety of conference stages, it’s clear that the lines between content, commerce, and technology are disappearing faster than ever, as evidenced by the flurry of announcements and insights emerging from CES 2025.
Major retail chain and retail media player Albertsons had a large presence at CES this year. It was another sign of how retail media networks are evolving beyond traditional advertising platforms into sophisticated commerce engines, while artificial intelligence and entertainment technologies are reshaping the in-store experience.
"What I’m hearing at CES this year is a shift toward a more nuanced approach to digital advertising,” said Jonathan Slavin, chief business officer at contextual advertising platform Infolinks. "The conversation is moving away from simply chasing scale and is now focusing on quality over quantity. Advertisers are starting to realize that over-saturation and broad targeting can lead to diminishing returns. Instead, the emphasis is on delivering highly relevant, contextual ads that truly engage the audience. I’m excited to see how AI and data-driven insights will help brands fine-tune their messaging, ensuring it’s not just widespread, but meaningful and impactful.”
On top of Albertsons, Amazon also flexed its retail media muscle by unveiling plans to sell its advertising technology to other retailers through its new Amazon Retail Ad Service. This strategic shift could dramatically alter the competitive dynamics in the retail media space, potentially providing smaller retailers access to enterprise-grade advertising capabilities.
The convergence of retail and entertainment emerged as another dominant theme, with LG showcasing innovations in shoppable TV technology and webOS introducing "one-stop shopping" capabilities. These developments underscore a broader industry shift toward what some are calling “entertainment commerce,” where traditional shopping experiences blend seamlessly with content consumption.
“The data will move business outcomes when it can help serve up ‘surprise and delight’ moments and personalized experiences," noted Uber Advertising Head Megan Ramm, speaking at the CES C Space Studio. She sought to convey how Uber's overarching philosophy has transformed even ride-sharing into an immersive entertainment opportunity through in-car tablets.
Or, as Ramm’s colleague, Ashan Khan, head of Uber’s agency partnerships, pointed out during a Digital Hollywood session, the company claims to be the largest in-car screen network delivering 20% brand reach.
As media buyers are fond of reminding clients and publishers, spending requires measurement and accountability. Naturally, metrics took center stage with Albertsons Media Collective announcement of a new partnership with credit rating agency TransUnion. The retail media network is also launching an API that enables advertisers to integrate campaign performance data directly into their measurement models. This move comes as 61.3% of U.S. marketers are looking to improve their Marketing Mix Modeling efforts, according to an eMarketer survey that Albertsons’ cited as part of its news.
“Walking through CES, one thing is clear: the future of marketing isn’t just data-driven,” said Ryan Nelsen, CMO of StackAdapt. “it’s discovery-driven. With so much talk about different forms of emerging AI, it ensures every insight is actionable and every connection is personal.”
The push for better measurement reflects a broader industry demand for more sophisticated approaches to proving business impact. As Uber's Kristi Argyilan observed in a Wednesday C Space session, “Marketing is a huge investment for any company. Measurement will be really great when it's accountable to the CFO and has to truly prove a return on investment.”
Artificial intelligence continued to make inroads into retail environments, with Samsung's CES showcase demonstrating how AI-powered smart displays are revolutionizing in-store advertising through real-time analytics and dynamic content optimization.
“It was not a surprise that CES was about AI everything, everywhere, all of the time,” said James Shears, VP, Business Development and Client Partnerships at XR Extreme Reach. “A lot of companies at the show are touting their AI chops, mostly around how to leverage AI to create more personalized experiences for consumers. Surprisingly, this wasn’t really focused on GenAI and the ability to create content of any kind, it was more geared towards how you can leverage AI for data, curation, and experiences. It’s going to be fascinating to see how AI plays a leading role in global creative intelligence, delivery and optimization as brands and publishers look to step up impact and relevance across platforms and screens.”
Alongside AI are the ways related technologies promise to deliver more personalized shopping experiences while maintaining consumer privacy.
“Privacy and personalization are not mutually exclusive," said Preeti Farooque, Pinterest’s global head of Measurement. “We're leveraging AI to personalize experiences that are safe and respectful to our shared customers." This sentiment was echoed by Infillion's Laurel Rossi, who noted that "combining retargeting, making sure it's customer and privacy compliant, and being able to serve up something faster and more relevant is when marketing efficiencies get better and the consumer experience gets better.”
The evolution of digital platforms and their role in commerce was highlighted during X CEO Linda Yaccarino's keynote, where she unveiled "Trend Genius," a tool allowing brands to align with viral moments in real-time as the microblog network seeks to regain brand advertisers.
This development signals social media platforms' growing ambition to bridge the gap between trending conversations and commercial opportunities.
The transformation of retail spaces and experiences appears to be accelerating, with technology enabling new forms of engagement across physical and digital channels. As retailers and brands navigate this evolving landscape, the focus remains on balancing innovation with responsibility, ensuring that technological advances serve genuine human needs while maintaining consumer trust.
As CES 2025 demonstrated, the future of retail and commerce technology isn't just about what's technically possible—it's about creating meaningful, personalized experiences that respect consumer privacy while driving business outcomes. With retail media networks becoming more sophisticated, measurement capabilities expanding, and the lines between entertainment and commerce blurring, the industry appears poised for significant transformation in the years ahead.
The convergence of these trends suggests that retailers and brands must prepare for a future where success depends not just on their ability to leverage new technologies, but on their capacity to integrate these innovations into cohesive experiences that resonate with consumers across all channels and touchpoints.
“CES sets the tone for the year, showcasing how brands are evolving their strategies and leveraging emerging technologies to engage consumers in more meaningful and differentiated ways,” said Anna Bager, President and CEO of OAAA. “As traditional channels like TV and digital become oversaturated, many brands are shifting their budgets toward real-time data, personalization, and immersive experiences. This shift is positioning Out of Home (OOH), particularly programmatic and digital OOH, as a key driver for delivering better ROI.”
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