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This Cannes Lions special edition was made possible by CVS Media Exchange |
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JUNE 16, 2025 |
Curious about Cannes Lions 2025? EMARKETER’s coverage center has the latest announcements, analyst insights, and information on where you can find us at the event. Check it out here. | | | |
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Retail and commerce media were huge topics at last year’s Cannes Lions festival, and this year, the festival is doubling down on the channel by introducing a new retail media sub-category in the Media Lions and Creative Commerce Lions awards. However, “the tone is definitely shifting” as the industry matures—and faces the threat of tariff-related impacts, according to our analyst, Sarah Marzano. |
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“I’m actually glad to see the conversation moving from breathless growth to a more thoughtful, critical discussion about what needs to evolve to sustain momentum,” Marzano said. “We’re going to see more energy going into off-site activations and into the physical store. Both bring a different set of math and complexity, and that’s going to surface plenty of challenges, and hopefully, some exciting innovation too.” |
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Here are four major themes our analysts will be looking for at Cannes Lions this year. |
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Retail media, once seen as purely a performance channel, is now emerging ahead of Cannes Lions 2025 as a broader force shaping brand equity, innovation, and retail operations. |
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Victoria Usher, CEO of PR consultancy GingerMay, described retail media as central to this year’s Cannes agenda, noting it will be examined alongside in-store experiences and how effectively campaigns influence consumers.
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Jim Kane, VP of Sales at retail media platform Zitcha, highlighted that retailers are beginning to use their retail media data for more than monetization. “There’s so much to unpack around the wider benefits of retail media within the industry,” he said, calling attention to how brands are leveraging these insights across the full customer journey.
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According to Fabric Media co-founder and CEO Jason Damata, retail media isn’t just growing—it’s “the new black,” reshaping how data is activated and driving tighter integration across platforms like CTV, programmatic PMPs, and search. |
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Community threads—not search bars—are where product discovery now begins, challenging marketers to join the conversation. CVS Media Exchange and Reddit are bridging data and dialogue to turn real-time discussions into measurable sales wins. This article was contributed by Paul Lentz, Executive Director and Head of Strategic Development at CVS Media Exchange. | | |
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