Association of National Advertisers (ANA) vs mediasense

ANA: Four Challenges Slowing Retail Media Investment

A new report from the Association of National Advertisers (ANA) finds that inconsistent measurement standards are limiting incremental brand investments in retail media. Retail media in the U.S. is estimated at $70 billion by eMarketer, yet 55% of ANA members cited a lack of measurement standards as the top challenge. Executives from brands including Bayer, Hershey, Kenvue and Mondelez said inconsistent measurement across retail media networks makes it difficult to gauge effectiveness. Retailers are responding by introducing new formats such as streaming and offsite ads and promoting awareness-building capabilities to win additional ad dollars, but measurement gaps remain a barrier to greater brand budget allocation to retail media.

• Retail media is a $70 billion business in the U.S., according to eMarketer.
• A new report from the Association of National Advertisers (ANA) highlights a lack of measurement standards in retail media.
• 55% of ANA members cited a lack of standards as retail media’s No. 1 challenge.

CTV's Real Divide: Quality Control, Not PMP vs Open Market

This analysis argues that the primary divide in Connected TV (CTV) buying is not private marketplace (PMP) versus open market, but the presence or absence of quality controls. Streaming now accounts for 47.5% of US TV viewing and roughly the same share of programmatic ad spend, yet buyers worry about fraud and viewability. The piece cites industry findings — including ANA and DoubleVerify-linked data — showing heavy reliance on PMPs (99.2% of programmatic CTV spend) and marketer concerns (63% struggle to verify real viewers; 57% worry about fraud). The author contends that with safeguards such as pre-bid filtering, app-level verification, and supply-chain validation, open market performance can approach PMP outcomes. The recommended durable solution is a pre-bid supply-intelligence layer that classifies inventory and enforces defaults to let buyers control quality without over-relying on opaque curation or blended PMP packages.

• Streaming accounts for 47.5% of total US television viewing time.
• CTV represents 47.5% of total programmatic ad spend.
• According to the Association of National Advertisers (ANA), 99.2% of programmatic CTV spend transacts through PMPs.

Ad Industry Lacks Strategic Thinkers, Misaligned Incentives Blamed

A report from the WFA and marketing advisory Mediasense reveals that strategic thinking is becoming increasingly crucial as AI automates routine tasks, yet the industry faces a shortage of such talent. The study, based on a survey of marketers, found that strategic thinking topped the list of talent shortages, cited by 72% of respondents. While the quality of marketing talent is generally rated positively, accessing the right skills is difficult. The report emphasizes that developing internal talent is key, but current incentive structures often discourage strategic development, favoring execution and efficiency over impact. Agencies are still evaluated on executional delivery, even as AI commodifies that layer. To close the capability gap, advertisers and agencies must adapt their incentive structures and take a long-term view on talent development.

• WFA and Mediasense published a report on the growing importance of strategic thinking in advertising amid AI adoption.
• 72% of marketers surveyed identified strategic thinking as one of their top three talent shortages.
• 46% of marketers rated the quality of marketing talent as strong or very strong.

ISBA and mediasense report establishes first capability baseline for UK digital retail media networks

New research assesses campaign, reporting and measurement capabilities across five leading UK retail media networks.

Mediasense's Jack Shearring: Governance Beats Gadgets in Marketing

Jack Shearring, vice president of strategy at Mediasense and Drum Awards Festival juror, emphasizes that governance, not technology, is the key to successful marketing transformation. He argues that many organizations have sophisticated tech but unclear data ownership and fragmented agency relationships. For 2026, he would invest in measurement infrastructure over flashy tools, noting that better inputs matter more than better tools in a world of platform automation. He advocates for managing brand and performance as complementary, and for a shift toward probabilistic, modelled, and judgement-driven measurement. Leadership, he says, will favor those who ask good questions and create clarity, not necessarily those with the most knowledge.

• Jack Shearring is vice president of strategy at Mediasense.
• Shearring is a juror at the 2026 Drum Awards Festival.
• He advocates investing in measurement infrastructure for 2026.