Walmart Connect vs Zitcha

Walmart Opens Shopper Audiences to Advertisers on CTV Platform Vibe

Walmart is making over 3,300 first-party shopper audience segments available to advertisers on its self-serve CTV platform, Vibe, starting this week. This move aims to give small and medium-sized businesses access to Walmart's rich shopping data for more targeted CTV advertising. It is the first major product development since Walmart acquired Vibe in June for a reported $1.4 billion. The integration allows advertisers to leverage Walmart's web and in-store purchase data to inform their CTV campaigns, expanding the retail media network's reach beyond its own properties.

• Walmart opens over 3,300 first-party shopper audience segments on Vibe CTV platform.
• The move targets small and medium-sized businesses using Vibe's self-serve platform.
• This is the first major product development since Walmart acquired Vibe in June.

Walmart Connect pitches brands directly with lift studies

Walmart Connect is directly approaching brand clients with on-site brand lift studies ahead of the holiday shopping season, bypassing agencies to prove ad performance and measure incrementality. This move aims to justify ad spend and position Walmart as a full-funnel partner competing with Amazon. Three agency executives confirmed to Digiday that multiple clients were approached, though names were not disclosed. The studies, offered based on advertiser spend, are costly and can take up to nine weeks for reporting, and advertisers lack independent access, leaving retailers to grade their own homework. Walmart's global ad business grew 38% in Q2 2026, and US retail media ad spending is expected to reach $69.33 billion in 2026, increasing scrutiny on ROI. This initiative signals a competitive push in retail media measurement as advertisers finalize Q4 budgets and plan for 2027.

• Walmart Connect directly approaches brand clients with on-site brand lift studies, bypassing agencies.
• Three agency executives confirmed multiple clients were approached, but names were not disclosed.
• Lift studies are offered based on advertiser spend and can take up to nine weeks for reporting.

Walmart outlines plan to dominate TV advertising

Walmart is aggressively expanding its retail media ambitions into TV advertising. The retailer, which acquired Vizio for $2.3 billion two years ago, is now building a streaming ecosystem that includes the recent acquisition of adtech firm Vibe.co for $1.4 billion. Walmart Connect, the retailer's ad business, is pitching itself to non-endemic advertisers, leveraging Vizio's smart TV OS and Vibe.co's performance-focused streaming platform. New partnerships with Skydance and Spotify aim to extend reach, and the Yahoo DSP integration is moving to alpha. Walmart's U.S. ad business grew 38% YoY in Q2, and the company is positioning its first-party commerce data as the key differentiator for TV ad targeting and measurement, even for brands that don't sell at Walmart.

• Walmart acquired Vizio for $2.3 billion two years ago to build a streaming ecosystem.
• In August, Walmart acquired adtech firm Vibe.co for a reported $1.4 billion.
• Walmart Connect is pitching non-endemic advertisers, with new partnerships with Skydance and Spotify.

Retail Media Platform Zitcha Appoints Lisa Avery as Vice President, EMEA

Zitcha has appointed Lisa Avery as Vice President, EMEA, as announced on their newsroom page.