Observed Signal · Jun 25, 2026 · Panel Discussion · Source: Adweek · Impact: 3/5 · Sentiment: Positive
Retail Media Evolution Starts With Smarter Questions
At an ADWEEK House Cannes Lions panel co-hosted with CVS Media Exchange (CMX), industry leaders argued retail media must move beyond raw data volume toward clearer goals and actionable measurement. Parbinder Dhariwal (CVS Media Exchange) said brands are drowning in data and need defined objectives—incrementality, category growth, new‑to‑brand acquisition, and retention—to turn signals into decisions. Cara Pratt (Circana) urged building data strategy into decision-making up front and highlighted cross‑retailer measurement: Circana’s work with CMX showed incremental ROAS that flowed to purchases at retailers outside CVS. Panelists also flagged in‑store, short‑visit shopper moments as an underused retail media opportunity and called for using end‑to‑end transaction data to inform broader marketing strategy beyond single campaigns.
The panel highlights practical measurement and strategy shifts for retail media—clear goals, cross‑retailer measurement, and in‑store opportunities—which are directly relevant to retailers, RMNs, agencies and measurement vendors but do not announce a platform policy change or major product release.
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Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- ADWEEK House Cannes Lions panel was co-hosted with CVS Media Exchange (CMX) and featured industry measurement and retail media leaders.
- Parbinder Dhariwal, VP and general manager of CVS Media Exchange, said brands have too much data and need clearer goals to action it.
- Cara Pratt, president of global retail and media at Circana, said data strategy must be built into decisions from the start and cited Circana’s measurement work with CMX.
- Circana and CMX measurement found a meaningful share of incremental ROAS flowed through purchases at retailers outside CVS, indicating cross‑retailer impact.
- Panelists highlighted physical in‑store moments and end‑to‑end transaction data as underutilized opportunities for retail media to drive real‑time purchase intent.
Connected Companies & Entities
3 Entities mapped“During an ADWEEK House Cannes Lions panel co-hosted with CVS Media Exchange (CMX), industry leaders tackled what separates data access from ...”
“Cara Pratt, president of global retail and media at Circana, reframed the conversation. Pratt pointed to Circana’s measurement work with CMX...”
“CVS sees each health and wellness customer clearly, from purchase patterns to replenishment cycles. 'We’re great at measuring our own house,...”
Ontology Mapping & Concepts
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