Katie Schnepf, executive director at WPP-owned GroupM, isn’t shy when it comes to sharing her thoughts on retail data. “It’s a goldmine for advertisers,” she says. “It influences how we think about our media mix and identifies new audiences that we haven’t even thought of before.” 

Schnepf, a seasoned advertising professional from Mindshare Chicago, with over two decades of experience in the CPG sector, made her remarks in the latest episode of Ad Tech Forum, hosted by Jeremy Bloom and @AdTechGod, earlier this week. 

Schnepf highlighted GroupM’s unique partnership with Walmart as an example of how retail media networks are breaking down traditional silos while also leading to mutual benefits for both agencies and brands. “People are shopping, discovering, researching, searching, really anywhere and everywhere, no matter what platform you're on,” Schnepf said. “To me, media is commerce, commerce is media. Brands really need to start thinking about how to leverage data full funnel, if you still believe in the funnel – it's not just a lower funnel conversion tactic.”  

Although much of industry discussion on AI has centered around large language models (LLMs), little has been discussed about their analytical capabilities.  “Pairing data sharing with the proliferation and explosion of AI, you’re really going to see increased real-time insight, more efficiency, and greater personalization,” she said. 

Schnepf emphasized that retail data enables brands to understand consumer behavior on a granular level, allowing for more precise targeting and engagement strategies. This data-driven approach has become increasingly important for both brands and agencies, as personalized campaigns can help bolster areas such as brand loyalty and conversion rates. “Understanding real consumer behavior through data helps us optimize our media strategies and create more impactful campaigns,” she said.

To capture Schnepf’s full insight on the fusion of media and commerce, be sure to check out the full episode of the Ad Tech Forum here.

Follow and listen to past episodes here.