Returning to Retail’s Big Show in 2026

January 10, 2026 | NYC

The Definitive
RMN Event 

Now in its third year, What’s in Store for Retail Media has become the required gathering for those shaping the next frontier of advertising. Last year’s standing-room-only audience of over 600 attendees were provided unparalleled insights and networking opportunities.

With zero pay-to-play content, this is no trade show pitch-fest. On stage and in the room are the senior retail media executives, strategists, and creatives candidly reflecting on how they are delivering the future of in-store media. 

Join Industry Leading Brands

Testimonials

“In terms of untapped space, I think digital in-store is the biggest opportunity right now."

— Erin Houg, VP of Media at Ulta Beauty.

“We’ve attended dozens of retail media events—most were just product pitch days. This was absolutely not that.”

— Chris Riegel, CEO, STRATACACHE  

“If retail media sits anywhere near your agenda, you have to be here.”

— Jayesh Rajdev, Controller of Advanced Advertising, ITV

“2025 will be the year of in-store retail media… the industry has reached a tipping point.” 

— Advertising Week

“We’re ready for the conversation around in-store retail media to move beyond potential and into execution.”

— Sarah Marzano, EMARKETER

“This is the only event that truly focuses on the in-store connection.

— Andy Murray, Founder, Saatchi X (former SVP, Walmart) 

View the 2025 Recap Video

Beyond Potential and Into Execution 

When this event premiered in January 2024, in-store retail media was still buried beneath the broader headlines of ecommerce, digital, and programmatic. Fast forward to today: it’s the focal point of investment, innovation, and industry buzz.

2026 Speakers

Amy Andrews
President
Mars United Commerce
Chuck Billups
Global Head of Retail Media Advertising
PRN
Mark Boidman
Head of Media & Tech Investment
  Solomon Partners 
Peter Bond
Co-Host
The CPG Guys
Jeffrey Bustos
SVP, Retail Media Analytics
Merkle
Collin Colburn
VP, Commerce & Retail Media 
IAB
Kristen DiCorleto
Head of Marketing
CVS Media Exchange (CMX)

Jessie Dowd
Journalist & Retail Expert

Quentin George
Partner 
McKinsey 
Dhruv Grewal
Toyota Chair in Commerce and Electronic Business and a Professor of Marketing at Babson College
Beth Gross
Head of Commerce Media
Yahoo DSP

Evan Hovorka
VP of Product Innovation
Albertsons Media Collective

Leora Kelman
Managing Director & Partner  
Boston Consulting Group (BCG)
Pratyush Kumar
GM, Head of Ad Products
Loblaw Advance
Colin Lewis
Co-Founder
Retail Media Works
Tom Limongello
Co-founder, Nextipedia
Host, The Middlemen Podcast
Jia Mei Lin
President of the NRFSA @ FIT
Senior Marketing BS
Tyler Lusebrink
Head of Sales - RedVest Media
Ace Hardware
Sarah Marzano
Principal Analyst 
EMARKETER 
Kiri Masters
Industry Commentator
Retail Media Breakfast Club
Chris McLelland
Director of Business Development
Walkbase
Mario Mijares
Vice President of Marketing, Loyalty, and Monetization Platforms
7‑Eleven
Andy Murray
Founder 
Saatchi X (former SVP, Walmart)  
Joy Navarro
Student at LIM College
Marketing at Phia
Amie Owen
Chief Commerce Officer
OMC
Meera Patel
Senior Director of Global Advanced Analytics, Omnichannel
Mars, Inc.
Caylin Payne
Fashion Merchandising, Brand Management
University of Georgia
Polyxeni Politis
2026–2027 NRF Student Ambassador
Boston University Questrom School of Business, BSBA with a Concentration in Marketing
Sri Rajagopalan
Co-Host
The CPG Guys
Ben Reynolds
VP of Business Development
STRATACACHE
Sarah Reynolds
Senior Director, Retail Experience Strategy
CVS Health
Chris Riegel
CEO 
STRATACACHE 
Liz Roche
VP of Media and Measurement
Albertsons Media Collective
Adam Smith
Head of Retail Media
Iceland Foods
Robyn Sullivan
GM, Go-To-Market
Loblaw Advance
Arthur Sylvestre
VP Digital Commerce
Danone North America
Katie Tummino
Senior Public Relations Student
Marist University
Mark Williamson
AVP, Retail Media
Costco
Russell Young
SVP, Business Development
STRATACACHE

Core Themes and Sessions

Block 1: The Great Reset — The Store Awakens.
Disruption, convergence, and the reawakening of retail’s most powerful media surface.

BCG Presents: The Great Compression — From Funnel to Influence Mapping
Speaker: Leora Kelman, Managing Director & Partner, Boston Consulting Group

Shoppers no longer move in neat, linear stages—they swirl through a fluid mix of streaming, scrolling, and shopping where influence outweighs sequence. In this keynote, Boston Consulting Group unveils its “Influence Map,” a new model showing how awareness, intent, and purchase now converge—especially in-store. Attendees will learn how leading retailers and brands are mapping influence, applying AI to measure impact, and positioning the store as the ultimate high-influence surface in a continuous loop of commerce.
Retail Media, Unfiltered: What RMNs Told Us—And What Brands Are Saying Next
Sarah Marzano, Principal Analyst, Commerce Media, EMARKETER

Following Bain and EMARKETER’s landmark “Retail Media, Unfiltered” study—which revealed retailers doubling down on the store as a high-influence, fraud-resistant media surface—this new presentation flips the lens to the brand side. Sarah Marzano unveils fresh EMARKETER data on how advertisers are recalibrating RMN investment, demanding faster proof of performance, and prioritizing in-store activations that connect media to measurable sales. Attendees will gain insight into how brands and retailers can align on standards, simplify execution, and unlock the next phase of growth inside the store.
The Agentic Reset: How AI Disrupts Online RMNs and Elevates the Store as Retail’s True Media Surface
Speaker: Kiri Masters, Industry Commentator, Retail Media Breakfast Club

As autonomous shopping agents transform how consumers browse and buy, online retail media networks face disruption across data, attention, and monetization. In this presentation, Kiri Masters unpacks how agentic AI is rewriting the commerce journey—and why it positions the physical store as retail’s most powerful, measurable media surface. Attendees will learn how leading retailers are redefining in-store media as both the anchor and competitive advantage in an AI-driven marketplace.
The AI Reckoning for Retail Media: An Industry Insider Discussion
Panel: Moderated by Collin Colburn, Vice President, Commerce & Retail Media, with Ben Reynolds, Vice President, Business Development, STRATACACHE, Liz Roche, VP of Media and Measurement at the Albertsons Media Collective, and Adam Smith, Head of Retail Media at Iceland Foods

A pragmatic, debate-forward conversation translating The Agentic Reset into action. This session examines how AI will reshape both online and in-store retail media—potentially reallocating budgets, reframing measurement, and redefining organizational models for a store-first future. Panelists will offer an inside view of the practical shifts required to move from thesis to execution, and the real tensions shaping the next wave of retail media strategy. Attendees will leave with a sharper understanding of how AI is accelerating transformation and what it will take to build measurable, monetizable growth in the years ahead.
From Retail to Commerce Media: The Great Convergence of Data, Channels, and the Store
Panel: Quentin George, Partner, McKinsey & Company, with Evan Hovorka, VP Product Innovation, Albertsons Media Collective, and Dr. Mark Grether, SVP & General Manager, PayPal Ads.

Commerce media is fast becoming the connective tissue between shopping, travel, and finance—and the store is emerging as its most potent surface. This discussion brings together pioneers across industries to explore how omnichannel commerce creates new value for brands and consumers alike. Attendees will gain a forward-looking view of how data, technology, and collaboration are shaping a new blueprint for influence—one centered in the store but extending across every purchase journey.
Merchant First: How Costco’s Member and Media Strategy Elevates the Store
Presentation: Mark Williamson, Assistant Vice President, Retail Media, Costco
Followed by Fireside Chat with: Sarah Marzano, Principal Analyst, Commerce Media, EMARKETER

In this two-part session, Mark Williamson shares how a merchant-first mindset anchors every part of Costco’s retail media strategy. Built to strengthen the in-store experience—not distract from it—Costco’s “interconnected highway” of data, technology, and partnerships links merchandising, membership, and media into one disciplined ecosystem. Rather than chasing short-term monetization, Costco uses retail media to amplify its core mission: delivering value to members and driving sales for merchants. A follow-on fireside chat explores how retailers can maintain that alignment while expanding off-site and omnichannel reach.
The Paper Tiger: Why the Store’s Most Powerful Surfaces Are Digital
Keynote: Chris Riegel, CEO & Founder, STRATACACHE

Shopper marketing was built on paper signs, cardboard displays, and slotting fees that bought access—not audience. This keynote reveals how digital in-store surfaces—from endcaps to dwell screens—are transforming static displays into measurable media priced on impressions, not inches. What once looked mighty (paper) is becoming obsolete. With IAB and MRC standards enabling verified reach and attribution, retailers can unlock hundreds of sellable slots per screen per hour, serve more brands, drive real sales, and replace tenancy with outcomes.

Block 2: The Great Scale-Up — Proof, Performance & Precision.
From pilots to platforms: the technology, data, and standards powering in-store media.

The Great Scale-Up: Retailers Going All In on In-Store
Panel: Moderated by Colin Lewis, Co-Founder, Retail Media Works, with Russell Young, Senior Vice President, Business Development, STRATACACHE, Kristen DiCorleto, Head of Marketing, CVS Media Exchange (CMX), Sarah Reynolds, Senior Director, Retail Experience Strategy, CVS, and Robyn Sullivan, GM, Go-To-Market, Loblaw Advance.

Despite lingering perceptions that retailers are moving cautiously, a new wave is proving that in-store media can scale—fast. This panel showcases how leading retailers are activating national networks, linking digital and physical touchpoints, and driving measurable sales impact through data, creativity, and collaboration.
Key Themes: Scaling success • Operational playbooks • Measurement that matters • Collaboration in action
The Store as a Media Asset: Wall Street’s View on Retail’s Next Value Engine
Keynote: Mark Boidman, Partner and Head of Media & Entertainment, Solomon Partners

From billboards to buy buttons, investors are re-rating the store—not just as a distribution point, but as a media asset driving measurable engagement and incremental enterprise value. Drawing on Solomon Partners’ 2025 outlook, this keynote examines how the convergence of retail media, out-of-home, and on-premise networks is reshaping how the market values physical retail. With 85% of CPG purchases still occurring in-store and digital screens delivering proven behavioral lift, Wall Street now sees the store as one of commerce’s most under-monetized media surfaces.
Advertising Effectiveness at the Point of Sale: A Large-Scale Study of In-Store Digital Signage
Presentation: Professor Dhruv Grewal, Toyota Chair in Commerce and Electronic Business and a Professor of Marketing at Babson College. Followed by Fireside Chat with Chris Riegel, CEO & Founder, STRATACACHE

This session spotlights the largest-scale academic study to date on the effectiveness of digital signage at the point of sale. Professor Dhruv Grewal presents new, evidence-based findings that validate the impact of in-store digital media on shopper behavior and sales performance. A follow-on discussion with Chris Riegel explores what’s next—how retailers and brands can use these insights to quantify value, prove performance, and shape the next era of in-store measurement.
Beyond the Impression: Defining What Counts In-Store
Moderated by Collin Colburn, Vice President, Commerce & Retail Media, with Ben Reynolds, Vice President, Business Development, STRATACACHE, Liz Roche, VP of Media and Measurement at the Albertsons Media Collective, and Adam Smith, Head of Retail Media at Iceland Foods

From dwell time and digital exposure to verified sales lift, in-store measurement is advancing fast. This discussion explores how leading retailers and technology partners are quantifying influence and accountability across physical environments—paving the way for a unified measurement framework for in-store media.
How Advertisers See the In-Store Media Landscape and Opportunity
Moderated by Jessie Dowd, featuring Chris McLelland, Director of Business Development, Walkbase, Meeera Patel, Senior Director, Global Omnichannel Advanced Analytics, Mars Inc., and Arthur Sylvestre, VP Digital Commerce @ Danone North America

In-store retail media is poised to scale—but complexity in pricing, planning, and execution continues to hold it back. This panel dives into what it really takes to make buying easier: standardized formats, transparent data, and a shared language between brands, retailers, and agencies. Expect an honest, brand-led discussion about what’s working, what’s broken, and what must change to make the in-store channel as seamless and powerful as digital.

Block 3: The Great Experience — Media Meets the Moment.
Where storytelling, context, and commerce converge at the point of decision.

Programmatic Comes Inside: The Store as the Next Addressable Surface
Panel: Moderated by Chuck Billups, with Beth Nussbaum Gross, Head of Commerce Media Yahoo, Pratyush Kumar, GM, Head of Ad Products, Loblaw Advance and Amie Owen, Global Chief Commerce Officer, IPG Mediabrands

As retail media networks evolve beyond the browser, the store is emerging as the next great programmatic frontier. This session explores the technologies, partnerships, and data pipelines bringing automation, targeting, and real-time optimization to in-store displays and experiences. Panelists will discuss what’s working, what’s missing, and what’s next as retailers apply programmatic logic to physical environments—transforming in-store screens into connected, commerce-driving assets.
In-Store Creativity Unlocked: A Framework for the Store as a Modern Media Environment

Presentation by Jeffrey Bustos, Panel led by Tom Limnogello, including Amy Andrews, President of Mars United Commerce, Mario Mijares, VP Marketing, Loyalty, and Monetization Platforms, @7-11, and Tyler Lusenbrink, Head of Sales, RedVest Media Network @Ace Hardware

As the store evolves into a fully expressive media environment, this session begins with a fast, visual presentation by Jeffrey Bustos that introduces a clear framework for understanding in-store creativity today. Attendees will see state-of-the-art examples across three dimensions that define the store’s full expression as a media channel:

  • Surfaces & Formats — the expanding creative real estate, from shelf-edge and cooler doors to large-format and full-store canvases;

  • Signals & Storytellers — how localization, real-time cues, and creator-inspired narratives shape relevance;

  • The Store as Stage — experiential activations and collaborations that turn retail moments into cultural encounters.

A panel of brand, retailer, and platform leaders – moderated by Tom Limongello – will then discuss how these dimensions operate in practice—how creative is selected, adapted, localized, triggered, and evaluated inside the store. Together, the presentation and discussion give attendees a grounded understanding of how to tap into the store’s full potential as a modern media channel.

PRN: The Unexpected Origin Reel

This video cracks open the PRN vault to reveal surprising archival moments and early experiments that quietly shaped the in-store media landscape. Playful and self-aware, it offers a fresh look at the roots of a company that was pioneering retail media long before the industry had a name.

Block 4: The Great Transformation — Tomorrow’s Voices, Today.
The next generation reimagines the future of retail media.

Prediction and Analysis from Tomorrow’s Chief Merchants and Marketers: The Next Generation Speaks.
Moderator: Andy Murray — Founder & CEO, BigQuest; Founder, Saatchi & Saatchi X; Former SVP Marketing, Walmart; Former Global Chief Customer Officer, Asda, Including and Jia Mei Lin President of the NRFSA @ FIT Senior Marketing BS and Katie Tummino Senior Public Relations Student, Marist University

This 30-minute conversation features a select group of 2026 NRF Foundation Student Scholarship winners—top emerging talent across merchandising, marketing, retail technology, and brand leadership. Drawing on their academic work, internship experience, and participation in the NRF Foundation Student Program, the students will share fresh perspectives on retail business practices, the growth of retail media, and the enduring value of physical retail.

In a live, focus-group–style discussion, they will explore how their generation shops, what builds trust and loyalty, and how they view the role of AI in shaping future consumer behavior. The panel will also illuminate their personal motivations, career goals, and the areas of the retail ecosystem—physical, digital, brand, agency, analytics, or technology—where they aspire to make an impact.
The Last Word: What We Learned In-Store and what can we expect this year?
Chris Riegel, CEO, STRATACACHE, and Sri Rajagopalan, Co-Host, The CPG Guys and Peter Bond, Co-Host of the The CPG Guys.

To close the day, Chris Riegel and Sri Rajagopalan bring their trademark insight and humor to a fast-paced recap of the conference’s biggest themes. From the evolution of in-store media to the economics of retail transformation, they’ll connect the dots across panels, highlight what’s next, and offer a few predictions for 2026 and beyond. It’s part analysis, part reality check—and the perfect way to end a day that redefines what “store as media” really means.

Be one of the first to register for this event being held on January 10, 2026 in NYC.

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
Privacy Policy
Privacy Policy Consent(Required)
Register Now
Clicking the register button will take you to the registration page of NRF 2026: Retail's Big Show.

Registration includes the full-day NRF and STRATACACHE Present: What’s in Store for Retail Media Networks special program:

  • $1495 for non-retail/non-brand registrants
  • $445 for retailers
  • Qualified media and press: free

Questions? Contact marketing@stratacache.com or fill out the form on the Contact Us page.

Copyright © 2025 STRATACACHE | All Rights Reserved.