The People Vs. Google, And The Shoppers Who May Win

Advertising

Aug 29

Retail Media is already crushing it. Does a potential Google breakup put the sector into another stratosphere? Or is there not enough room for all these would be freed up dollars?

These are some of the questions I've been kicking around as summer draws to a close, and somewhat quietly, Google is enduring a mega trial that could reshape digital advertising.

We all know that brands are spending more and more on “commerce media” - in large part because it works (or its ability to prove attribution is superior). But also, as Ad Age notes, RM is booming because retailers have excellent first-party data assets at a time when digital IDs like cookies are under serious threat.

Now throw in the fact that Google is facing enormous pressure from regulators - and if you weren't paying attention, or have been cynical (the walled gardens always win!), well, things are starting to look really bad. I'm not a lawyer, but the details coming out make you think that the government will almost have to drop the hammer.

So if Google gets hit hard, is that RM’s gain? Well, according to Digiday, there is some reason to worry. Too many of the newer retailers are doing the same thing, and limiting their products to their own ecosystems. Only so many brands want to reach shoppers just on DickSportingGoods.com. That's why, if any budgets are up for grabs following a Google breakup, RM may not be able to handle it all - unless the bigger players are truly able to expand beyond their own walls in a meaningful way.