Welcome to the debut episode of Retail Media Vibes, where we're stepping back from the daily grind to swap ideas and pick up insights that you won't hear in boardroom discussions. This podcast was born from the recognition that retail media professionals are living in a constant state of pressure, with demands for growth and performance that never stop.
We welcome Tom Brydon from Accenture as the inaugural guest, diving straight into the fascinating world where retailers and brands intersect. Tom shares his unique perspective from working with major retailers to develop their media capabilities while simultaneously helping brands leverage these same platforms for growth.
The conversation explores several trending topics reshaping retail, starting with "Summerween" – the increasingly popular practice of selling Halloween merchandise as early as June. With Halloween sales reaching $11.6 billion annually and nearly half of shoppers starting their purchases before October, this extension of the season represents significant revenue opportunities for retailers and brands alike.
We tackle the emerging technology of agentic shopping, where AI assistants find and purchase products with minimal human input. While giants like Google, Walmart, and Amazon are all developing these capabilities, the technology and consumer behavior aren't quite aligned yet. BV predicts adoption will begin with routine purchases before consumers trust AI with higher-stakes decisions.
Perhaps most thought-provoking is their discussion about the tension between brand marketing and retail-focused media. If brands ultimately exist to sell products, and most products are sold through retail channels, shouldn't more brands build their identity through retail ecosystems? This segment offers valuable perspective for anyone struggling to bridge the gap between broad brand messaging and retail execution.
The episode wraps with an exploration of the booming "kidult" economy – adults purchasing toys for themselves – exemplified by the Labubu collectible craze. With adults accounting for 43% of toy self-purchases ($1.8 billion in a single quarter), this represents a massive opportunity for brands willing to tap into nostalgic experiences.
Whether you're a strategist, analyst, creative, media planner, or brand manager, this podcast delivers fresh insights into the evolving retail media landscape. Subscribe now and join the conversation about what's really happening in retail media today.
More About this Episode
Retail Media Is Evolving: Here’s What Marketers Need to Know Now
Retail media isn’t just having a moment; it’s undergoing a movement.
If you’ve worked in this space for any amount of time, you’ve likely felt the constant pressure to perform. Whether you're a strategist, a media planner, a creative, an analyst, or part of an in-house brand team, retail media has become a fundamental part of your professional DNA. It’s fast-paced, data-driven, and ever-expanding. While it can be a grind, it’s also filled with exciting shifts that deserve honest, unfiltered conversations.
That's exactly why this podcast, Retail Media Vibes, was born. In this inaugural episode, I was joined by Tom Brydon from Accenture to dig deep into the culture, trends, and evolving dynamics of the retail media space. We unpacked everything from Summerween and AI agents to brand versus shopper marketing and even the rise of collectible toys for adults.
However, this isn’t a podcast recap. This is about extracting the insights you, as a marketer, need to know. Let’s talk about what’s shaping retail media right now and where we’re headed next.
Retail Media: Where Culture and Commerce Collide
The retail media space is no longer just about media plans or optimizing spend across the digital shelf. It’s become a cultural platform that blends consumer behavior, tech innovation, and content at scale. As Tom noted during our conversation, working at the intersection of retailers and brands means you see just how fast things move and how deeply retail media is influencing broader marketing strategies.
Why Retail Media Still Matters More Than Ever
It’s easy to think of retail media as just another marketing lever, but that’s a mistake. The channel sits at a unique crossroads. It’s where branding meets conversion, and where long-term customer value starts to take shape. As someone who has lived and breathed this industry, I’ve seen firsthand how critical it’s become not only to drive growth but to build relevance across the entire consumer journey.
Retail media is not a trend. It is becoming a new foundation for digital commerce.
Summerween: Cultural Flashpoint or Retail Strategy?
One of the big cultural trends we touched on was Summerween - Halloween creeping into the summer months. What started as a quirky internet movement has quickly become a full-fledged retail moment. Think 30-foot skeletons in Lowe’s in August, Halloween candy appearing in Walmart in mid-July, and $11.6 billion in Halloween sales last year, nearly half of which happened before October even began.
This isn’t just about zombies showing up early. This is about how retailers respond to cultural demand.
Here’s what matters:
- Retailers are no longer waiting for consumer seasons. They are shaping them.
- Social sentiment is influencing shelf strategy.
- The sales window for seasonal categories is expanding, and brands need to be ready.
So is Summerween just a made-up marketing stunt? Not really. It’s a reflection of where retail marketing is going: faster, more culturally reactive, and rooted in consumer participation. If you’re a brand thinking about how to show up, the key is relevance. Don’t just jump into a trend. Make sure your product, voice, and storytelling fit the moment.
Agentic Shopping: Is AI About to Buy for You?
Let’s talk AI. And not in a buzzwordy way.
Agentic shopping, or AI-powered systems that shop for you, is still in its early days, but the implications are enormous. Imagine a future where AI doesn’t just recommend products. It purchases them on your behalf.
Every major player is exploring this space. Amazon, Walmart, Google, OpenAI, and others are actively investing. Yet adoption is still limited. Why? Because the technology, trust, and behavior change required to enable AI-driven purchases at scale just isn’t there yet.
Where Agentic Shopping Will Win First
- Replenishable items like toilet paper or pet food
- Low-risk, high-frequency categories
- Products with consistent preferences
This is where AI can drive true value. It is not just about convenience, but also about reducing friction in the purchase journey. As Tom noted, adoption will come in waves, much like the move from PIN codes to Face ID. It starts with small tasks, gains trust, and eventually becomes second nature.
This upcoming holiday season could be a turning point. With consumers increasingly open to AI assistance for discovery, we may begin to see a shift toward AI-enabled transactions. High-volume shopping moments may be the ideal time to reduce decision fatigue and let AI step in.
Brand vs. Shopper Marketing: It’s Time to Blur the Lines
Now for the real tension: brand marketing versus shopper marketing. If you’ve worked in this space, you’ve probably seen the ongoing push and pull between these two disciplines. One is focused on storytelling, brand equity, and top-of-funnel awareness. The other zeroes in on conversion, retailer alignment, and last-mile impact.
Here’s the truth: the funnel isn’t broken. It’s just misunderstood.
As Tom and I discussed, brands are ultimately in the business of selling products. Whether that happens through DTC or retail ecosystems, the goal is the same - conversion. So why do brand and shopper teams still operate in silos?
Retail Media Is the Bridge
Retail media provides a platform where brand storytelling and conversion tactics can finally come together:
- With 95% household penetration, Walmart offers scale and intent.
- With closed-loop measurement, brands can connect awareness to sales.
- With first-party data, brands can target with unprecedented precision.
As a brand marketer, if you’re not considering how your upper-funnel messaging translates on retail media platforms, you’re missing the full picture. If you’re a shopper marketer not tapping into brand-level creative and insights, you’re limiting the impact of your conversion strategies.
It’s not about brand or shopper. It’s about building brands through retail ecosystems.
The Rise of the 'Kidult': When Toys Aren’t Just for Kids
Yes, we went there. From Pokémon cards to Labubu figurines, we’re living in the age of the kidult - adults who are unapologetically buying toys, collectibles, and nostalgia-driven products for themselves.
And the data backs it up:
- Kidults make up 43% of toy self-purchases
- They drove $1.8 billion in sales in Q1 of 2025
- TikTok, Reddit, and Instagram are accelerating the cultural hype
This isn’t a fringe movement. It’s a cultural shift. Collectibles, gaming, sneakers, and even limited-edition cereals are being targeted to adults as much as kids. Brands that understand the emotional drivers behind this trend like nostalgia, identity, storytelling are winning.
Even resale platforms like StockX are jumping in, partnering with retailers to distribute collectible toys like Labubu. It’s a signal that toy culture is intersecting with hype culture, and retail needs to be ready.
Tom made a great point. Not every trend is built to last. Labubu might be peaking now, but the underlying consumer behavior, collecting, nostalgia, self-expression, is not going anywhere.
What’s Next for Retail Media Pros
So where do we go from here? Whether you’re building a media plan, developing a creative strategy, or rethinking your commerce infrastructure, here are a few takeaways to keep in mind:
1. Retail media is a full-funnel platform
Stop siloing brand and shopper strategies. Bring them together to drive smarter, more impactful campaigns.
2. Cultural trends are business opportunities
From Summerween to kidults, trends that start on social are shaping in-store and online assortment. If you’re not paying attention, you’re already behind.
3. AI is changing how consumers shop
Agentic shopping isn’t science fiction. It’s an emerging behavior, and your retail strategy should start accounting for it now.
4. Measurement and planning must evolve
You can’t do everything. Define your KPIs, ladder up your tactics, and resist the urge to make every campaign “drive awareness, consideration, and conversion.” That’s not a strategy. That’s a wish list.
5. Nostalgia sells, but only when it’s authentic
If you’re tapping into pop culture or collectible trends, make sure your brand has a reason to be there. Forced relevance is a fast way to lose trust.
The Retail Media Vibe Is Just Getting Started
We’re just scratching the surface of what retail media can be.
Whether it’s strategic conversations around funnel planning, emerging trends like AI and agentic commerce, or cultural phenomena like Summerween, we’re entering a phase where the smartest brands aren’t just reacting. They’re leading.
Let’s have the conversations that matter. Let’s swap ideas that don’t always make it into the boardroom. And let’s keep bringing good people and good vibes into a space that has never been more essential to brand growth.
Want to join the conversation? Catch us live at the Embark Innovation Summit on September 16, where we’ll be talking all things future of commerce.
Until then, stay curious, stay informed, and most of all keep the retail media vibes going.
