Podcast Summary: The Agile Brand with Greg Kihlström® — #799: ISM President Dave Simon on Maximizing Retail Media Network Investments

Date: January 16, 2026
Host: Greg Kihlström
Guest: Dave Simon, President, In Store Marketplace (ISM)

Episode Overview

In this installment of The Agile Brand, host Greg Kihlström dives into the fast-evolving world of retail media networks (RMNs) with Dave Simon, President of In Store Marketplace at ISM. The conversation explores the unique challenges and opportunities brands face when leveraging RMNs, examining why traditional digital playbooks fall short, the importance of unifying trade and media strategies, and the role of AI and robust measurement frameworks in maximizing retail media investments. Dave delivers candid, hard-won insights from years in ad tech, helping listeners understand what it really takes to create value with these fast-growing platforms.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Evolution of Retail Media Networks

• Retail media networks are rapidly generating billions, but not all brands are reaping equal rewards.
• Dave shares how his trajectory from early programmatic ad tech to ISM gives him a unique vantage point on RMN disruption (02:15).
• ISM’s Offerings: In Store Marketplace provides retailers a platform to operationalize in-store ad inventory alongside e-commerce, tapping into the “last mile” of the purchase journey (03:41).
• "If you're a grocer, over 90% of your products are sold in store." (04:17, Dave Simon)

2. The Trade Marketing and Retail Media Budget Tension

• Fundamental silos exist between trade marketing and RMN teams, with budgets and strategies often misaligned (05:22).
• Media Mindset: Dave explains this "P&L" separation is a strategic blindspot, much like early digital/programmatic divides. Brands must evolve beyond just plugging new channels into old organizational structures.
• Notable Moment:

  "It's easy for me to sit there and say, 'Oh, just combine your trade and your RMN teams.' Not...a really complicated and risky proposition for most retailers."
  — Dave Simon (05:23)

• Drawing parallels between the slow unification in web/CTV programmatic and what retail media is facing now (06:00–09:00).

3. Toward Unified, Holistic Retail Investment Strategies

• Where should brands start? Dave advocates starting with a “tentpole” moment or major campaign (e.g., Olympics or World Cup), defining clear KPIs synergistic across channels and sharing more information with retail partners (10:16).

• "Brands tend to hold back how much information they share because they worry about losing negotiating leverage... It doesn't work when you're buying 10,000 line items. You have to be able to share information."
  — Dave Simon (10:44)

• Emphasizes mutual transparency in measurement—brands define goals, retailers share data and methodologies for better alignment.

4. Data, AI, and Retail Media Optimization

• Data Hurdles: Brands often lack SKU-level, transaction-specific insights from retailers—making AI-powered optimization difficult (14:13).
• AI Use Cases: Genuine potential lies in predictive AI models that improve inventory turnover and match in-store promotions with actual sales activity (14:50–17:00).

• "I don't know what AI in retail media means. I think it's going to mean a dozen different things."
  — Dave Simon (14:55)

• Illustrative Example: Connecting point-of-sale, SKU data, and loyalty information to AI systems can trigger operational changes—such as automated snow shovel orders in response to weather forecasts, or dynamically promoting slow-moving inventory via in-store ads (16:00–18:00).

• "The AI system that connects point of sale to media execution ... that's where the real lift in sales volume can happen."
  — Dave Simon (18:47)

5. Building a Measurement Framework for True Value

• Fragmented Measurement: Each RMN has its own methodology, making cross-network performance comparisons a challenge (19:20).
• Dave urges brands to define and enforce their own measurement standards, or work with trusted partners, instead of waiting for industry-wide alignment (19:54).

• "Somebody has to take the leap of faith to unmask what's going on...the brand is the one that should say, 'Okay, guys, here's how I'm measuring you.'"
  — Dave Simon (19:54)

• Strategic data and insights can be a competitive weapon—sometimes standardization isn't the goal, especially where proprietary knowledge offers differentiation (21:15).

6. The Path to Maturity for Retail Media Networks

• Maturity isn’t just scale—true sophistication is measured by the retailer’s ability to flex investment up or down and predictably impact sales (22:29).
• Leadership Model: Progress is fastest where a single empowered leader can break down P&L silos and anchor decisions to customer and brand objectives, not legacy org charts (23:26).

• "You want one person whose job it is to look at all the ways that a brand can engage with you. You don't want to be in the middle of P&L fights."
  — Dave Simon (24:20)

• Retail media’s development curve is young—there’s more patience and politics needed as organizations evolve.

7. Future Trends in Retail Media (2026 and Beyond)

• Explosion of In-Store Screens: Significant investments are coming in digital in-store signage, with integration across on-site, off-site, and physical retail locations (25:32).

• "You're going to see a lot more screens in stores...That's a big area of investment for this year."
  — Dave Simon (25:34)

• Growing convergence—blurring lines between trade, media, e-comm, and in-store marketing.

8. Staying Agile: Dave Simon’s Personal Approach

• To remain agile, Dave maintains direct daily contact with both buyers and retail media network partners, as well as his own organization at every level (26:52).

• "Understanding what the market is saying at an intimate level is so, so important in these innovation curves."
  — Dave Simon (27:10)

Memorable Quotes & Highlights

• “ISM is the ad platform for retailers to use to manage their in store ad inventory as part of their overall retail media experience.” (03:41, Dave Simon)
• “What we haven't seen yet is a brand come up with a strategy ... that works the same way as a brand putting money into any of the Google self serve products.” (08:17, Dave Simon)
• “If I'm the CMO ... I'm going to be looking at like, how do I take my Pepsi relationship from $50 million to $150 million? What's it going to take—and anchor on the customer and then sort of work backwards from there.” (24:55, Dave Simon)
• “Retail media has only been around really for like three or four years at the maturity that it's at now ... It's early. And so I think we have to be patient while these very large organizations ... reinvent their retail media business.” (23:26–24:20, Dave Simon)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Dave Simon’s Background & ISM Overview — 01:58–04:51
• Strategic Budget Tension: Trade vs. RMN — 04:51–09:46
• Steps Toward Holistic RMN Investment — 09:46–12:31
• The Role of Data & AI — 14:13–18:52
• Retail Media Measurement Challenges — 18:52–22:08
• Defining RMN Maturity & Leadership — 22:08–25:18
• Trends: In-Store Digital Expansion — 25:18–26:40
• Staying Agile in Retail Media — 26:52–27:24

Conclusion

This episode offers a pragmatic yet optimistic take on the growing pains and promises of retail media networks. Dave Simon underscores the need for brands and retailers to break out of budgeting silos, invest in data sharing and measurement transparency, and leverage AI for real business impact. As in-store digital media expands and organizational models evolve, the most successful players will be those who can unify strategy, execution, and insights—moving quickly, collaborating deeply, and keeping the customer at the center.