Observed Signal · Sep 17, 2026 · Industry Event Summary · Source: AdExchanger · Impact: 3/5 · Sentiment: Positive
Retail Media Must Prove Incrementality for Broader Budgets
Retail media is maturing beyond its role as a performance channel for capturing existing demand. At Ascendant Network's inaugural SHOWCASE upfront, the industry discussed the need for retail media to create demand, not just capture it. Key themes included the shift from closed-loop attribution to incrementality measurement, and the need for standardized metrics across commerce media networks to allow advertisers to compare performance. DoorDash Ads highlighted a partnership with Circana showing that 56% of its buyers were net-new customers for a major beverage brand. DoorDash also earned certification from the Alliance for Audited Media for its incrementality measurement, underscoring the push for independent validation and accountability to compete for broader marketing budgets.
Highlights the maturation of retail media with a push for incrementality and standardization, impacting how budgets are allocated across the industry.
Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- Ascendant Network held its inaugural Retail + Commerce Media Upfront called SHOWCASE in September 2026.
- DoorDash collaborated with Circana to measure incremental in-store sales driven by advertising.
- 56% of buyers reached through DoorDash were net-new customers for a major beverage brand.
- DoorDash earned certification from the Alliance for Audited Media for its first-party incrementality measurement.
- Two-thirds of DoorDash users are undecided about what to buy when they open the app.
Connected Companies & Entities
2 Entities mappedDoorDash
Local commerce marketplace with delivery, merchant tools and retail media.
“Two-thirds of DoorDash users are still undecided about what to buy when they open the app....”
Circana
Retail, consumer and media measurement platform for enterprises.
“DoorDash Ads recently worked with Circana to show that advertising for a major beverage company drove incremental in-store sales....”
Ontology Mapping & Concepts
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