AdTechGod Pod Ep. 94 – First-Party Data, Retail Media, and Resilience with Elizabeth Donovan

Guest: Elizabeth Donovan, SVP, Global Head of Commerce and Retail Media Networks at Kinesso (Axiom, IPG)
Host: AdTech God
Date: August 26, 2025

Overview

This episode spotlights Elizabeth Donovan, a pioneering leader in retail media and commerce at Kinesso, Axiom, IPG. The conversation dives deep into the evolution of retail media networks, first-party data strategy, and the challenges and inspirations of executive leadership, particularly for women in adtech. Elizabeth’s compelling personal story and industry expertise provide practical insights for navigating the rapidly changing adtech landscape.

Key Discussion Points

1. Elizabeth Donovan’s Career Journey (03:08 – 06:25)

• Early Career & Entry to Retail Media:

  • Began in sales enablement and account management, with a focus on creativity, curation, and data.
  • Was an early adopter, moving from Discovery to Accuweather, and led the charge to integrate programmatic and first-party data solutions.
  • Played a critical role at Accuweather, leveraging data for high-impact campaigns (e.g., health/behavioral targeting with CVS).
  • Her introduction to IPG came via industry connections made during this period.

• Retail Media at Marriott:

  • Joined Marriott to ramp up their retail media network, leveraging scale and loyalty programs.
  • Helped build personalization engines to enhance customer experience and boost revenue.

“It was a no brainer for me to enter this space because… they have scale and loyalty programs and that's really the foundation of retail and commerce networks.”
— Elizabeth Donovan (04:32)

• Role at Kinesso/Axiom, IPG:
  • Describes herself as a “unicorn”—experience in sales, product, and tech.
  • Focus is now on pushing the entire industry forward through an integrated, data-driven approach.

2. Kinesso’s Position and the Evolving Retail Media Landscape (06:25 – 11:57)

• Kinesso’s Differentiators:
  • Provides end-to-end solutions for retail and commerce networks: consulting, network management, monetization.
  • Emphasis on brands being “data ready” for activation and measurement.
  • Supports both network-side and brand-side operations, with technology interoperability as a foundation.

“Think about it as the network side supporting the networks, but also the brands and making sure that they're reaching the right customer at the right time.”
— Elizabeth Donovan (07:32)

• Change in the Market:

  • Market has exploded from a few players to over 240+ retail and commerce networks.
  • Huge acceleration in sophistication and scale.

• Full-Funnel Approach:

  • Retail media has moved beyond bottom-funnel; now delivers value up and down the funnel.
  • Importance of both loyalty and personalization, spanning on-site, in-store, digital out-of-home, and more.

“If you can solve that in a way that doesn't feel like you're shoving ads down people's throats, there's a lot to be said on giving back to the client or the customer.”
— Elizabeth Donovan (10:48)

• Trends: First-Party Data & Privacy:
  • Help brands achieve “privacy by design” and comfort with off-site activations.
  • Legacy brands are beginning to leverage their own data assets outside “walled gardens” and seeking expansive reach.

“Brands are getting more comfortable, especially legacy brands… this is an opportunity for them to help personalize their owned and operated, but also have expansive reach.”
— Elizabeth Donovan (12:22)

3. Measurement, Attribution, and Closing the Loop (14:01 – 15:23)

• Measurement in Retail Media:
  • Retail media’s proximity to conversion and strong first-party data help solve industry challenges in attribution and ROI.
  • Ability to localize campaigns and match messaging to real demographic and behavioral signals.

“A lot of the vagueness that happens in online advertising and performance kind of goes away.”
— AdTech God (14:31)

4. Women in AdTech: Growth, Challenges, and Advice (15:23 – 22:57)

• Elizabeth’s Leadership Story:
  • Raised by immigrant parents with strong work ethics; learned resilience, creativity, and the value of hard work.
  • Experienced adversity and longer hours as a woman rising in a male-dominated sector.
  • Constantly advocates for mentorship—both giving and receiving.

“I've been lucky enough to have male and female allies throughout my career… those relationships that you build and those that you have learned from, you really need to cultivate that at all levels.”
— Elizabeth Donovan (18:05)

• Work/Life Balance & Role as a Working Mom:
  • Stresses the importance of “sending the elevator down” for other women, and balancing presence at work and home.
  • Passionate about teaching her daughters (and all young women) to pursue ambition without sacrificing authenticity.

“Don’t dream small… The way you have to get to where you want to be is to show up every day and do your best work. There are no shortcuts to life.”
— Elizabeth Donovan (21:10)

5. The Next Generation: Passing on Work Ethic and Opportunity (22:57 – 24:49)

• Kids and Industry Aspirations:
  • Elizabeth wants her daughters to follow their passions, whether inside or outside advertising.
  • Supports any pursuit that “sparks their interest,” and underscores the ongoing evolution of adtech.

6. Resilience and Self-Care (24:50 – 26:23)

• Staying Grounded:
  • Navigates caretaker responsibilities for family while in demanding roles.
  • Maintains a “personal board of directors” for emotional support.
  • Prioritizes one hour a day for herself (“read, hike, or just get margaritas with old colleagues”).
  • Advocates presence—“be present in your work and at home.”

“Give yourself an hour a day to do whatever you want with no interruptions.”
— Elizabeth Donovan (25:43)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "I'm kind of like a unicorn. Because I've led sales, I've created products, I built technology infrastructures."
  — Elizabeth Donovan (05:29)

• "There are no shortcuts to life... I show my team that work-life balance."
  — Elizabeth Donovan (21:17)

• "As long as they have this spark in their heart and they want to continue to be a good person and drive their future forward, I'll support that."
  — Elizabeth Donovan (23:35)

• "For me, I love to connect with nature and be present and go hiking. That I think is making tremendous impact on my children and those guardrails that I put around our home time together."
  — Elizabeth Donovan (22:10)

Timestamped Highlighted Segments

• Elizabeth’s Early Career & Retail Media Entry: 03:08 – 06:25
• Kinesso’s Approach & Agency Role: 06:25 – 08:04
• Market Trends & Full-Funnel Activation: 08:04 – 11:57
• Measurement & Attribution Advantages: 14:01 – 15:23
• Championing Women, Mentorship & Leadership: 15:23 – 22:57
• Work-Life Balance & Personal Resilience: 24:50 – 26:23
• Kids and Future of the Industry: 22:57 – 24:49

Final Note

Elizabeth Donovan brings insight, drive, and empathy to adtech leadership. Her story is a blueprint for resilience, mentorship, and the pivotal role of first-party data in shaping the future of retail media. She encourages industry professionals not just to keep pace with change, but to lead it—always with an eye toward lifting others up and living authentically.

Listen to Elizabeth’s podcast: Unlocked with Austin and Elizabeth
Elizabeth Donovan on LinkedIn