By Leah Logan, Vice President, Retail Media Transformation
Creators and retail media have always made sense together, Creators have been a critical media lever in driving sales for years. But, due to perceived complexity, this channel has remained underdeveloped within Retail Media.
In Episode 4 of Retail Media Confessions, Andrew Lipsman (Founder & Chief Analyst at Media, Ads + Commerce), Austin Leonard (Vice President and General Manager of Dollar General Media Network), and I discuss why that is starting to change.
For some, this isn’t a new idea. It is something they have been building toward for a while. Austin shared that perspective when we discussed the growing role of creators within retail media:
"Creators are having a bit of a moment. Due in part to AI integrations, it’s easier than ever to take great content, adapt it for multiple uses, scale it and quickly push it live."
"From a creative standpoint, we love it because it feels more like a trusted voice sharing our story alongside us - not instead of us. Strong brands still matter, but creators add a layer of authenticity and relatability that helps bring that story to life in a different way. That’s why we’re excited about creators and really bullish on how they’ll continue to evolve our business."
That momentum is reflected in the broader market. Retail media spend is growing 18% year over year, while creator marketing is growing 25% year over year, signaling increasing investment on both sides of the opportunity. The opportunity hasn’t changed — the level of industry attention has.
Creator Engagement Is Driving Retail Behavior
Creators have been critical in both bringing awareness and driving conversion, but many marketers wanted to utilize them for one or the other - we know that creators can do both, at the very same time, and more efficiently than many other mediums.
Consumers who engage with social commerce content created by creators are more active shoppers. They visit stores more frequently and over 60% of them visit more than 3 retailers weekly. These are consumers who look to creators to personalize their shopping experience, shortcutting discovery and reducing time to convert because they trust their recommendations.
For brands and retailers, that behavior changes how media should be planned. It creates a need to think beyond single-channel activation and toward a more cohesive experience.
Creators Extend Retail Media Beyond Conversion
Retail media has been built on performance. That foundation is important, but it has also limited how the channel is used. Creators introduce a different layer. They help bring discovery, context, and relevance into environments that are still measurable.
That matters as more brand investment starts to move into retail media. Creators can help bridge upper funnel influence with lower funnel action in a way that feels natural to consumers.
Where AI Fits
AI is already playing a role in how creator content is produced and scaled. It makes it easier to adapt content across formats, extend it into different channels, and operate more efficiently. But it does not replace what makes creators effective.
The value still comes from the creator’s voice and their understanding of their audience. That is what drives trust and engagement.
Connecting Creators to Retail Media Strategy
The next step is integration. Retailers have strong data. Retail media has established measurement frameworks. Creators bring influence and connection. Bringing those elements together creates a superpower for retailers not otherwise replicable.
There is no barrier to using retail data to inform creator strategy, extending creator content across on-site, off-site, and in-store environments to key audiences, and measuring impact in a way that reflects both performance and growth. In one recent food category campaign, as an example, pairing creator content with branded media drove double the sales lift compared to branded media alone.
As adoption continues to grow, the focus will shift from experimentation to execution. The teams that align creators with data, measurement, and media planning will be better positioned to drive results.
Watch Episode 04 of Retail Media Confessions to hear the full conversation.
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