Strategic Insights for Retail Marketers to Consider in 2025

“Advertisers are increasingly favoring a comprehensive full-funnel strategy that encompasses every stage, collaborating with a select group of DSP partners. The focus is on integrating all customer interactions and personalizing the messages they deliver. All pathways must converge to ensure access to the right data, optimal touchpoints, and a seamless customer journey.”

This insight emerged during a broad discussion on retail advertising and marketing with Sherry Smith, executive managing director for the Americas at Criteo, which kicked off with the potential sale of Chrome by Google.

What would follow if Google divests Chrome? Any mandated sale of Chrome is a distant possibility. Should retailers disregard it for now? “It’s a significant challenge that ought to be considered now,” states Smith. “The industry is evolving at a rapid pace. We have debated the impending end of cookies for years; we must stay alert regarding Google and the ongoing changes.”

Smith also highlighted the rapid expansion of retail media and CTV. She pointed out that consumer shopping paths have become increasingly non-linear. “At Criteo, we’re constantly striving to understand the evolution of this landscape and how to prepare for it. It’s advantageous to be proactive.”

Nonetheless, even if Chrome were to be sold, Google would likely maintain its search and advertising operations. Significant changes in search are already underway, particularly with AI influencing search results. “Retailers must consider how to capture attention and secure necessary conversions,” remarked Smith. “These shifts might create unique opportunities for retailers to nurture a more competitive and open web ecosystem.”

If Chrome were sold, it would probably continue under new ownership. Any challenges encountered would benefit browsers like Firefox, Microsoft Edge, or Safari. But overall, operations would remain consistent. “Regarding the final outcome,” Smith noted, “I can’t predict with certainty. We’re exploring various scenarios for our partners to contemplate.”

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Changes have already occurred in the search and discovery landscape. While the sale of Chrome would indeed influence the market, changes are already being felt from various angles. “Social media has gained prominence in product discovery over recent years,” Smith mentioned. A new frontier is utilizing LLM capabilities to search for products and services directly. Although Google provides AI-driven summaries, consumers can opt to interact directly with ChatGPT.

“Our clients are highly focused on making their website user experiences smoother, easy to navigate, and predictive in search interactions,” said Smith. “The evolution of app development for retailers will be fascinating, particularly in how they continue to provide an omnichannel experience for consumers both online and in-store.”

The growth of retail media. Criteo’s clientele is exploring ways to leverage their data effectively in collaboration with advertisers, Smith reported. “There has indeed been a notable surge in retail media, and our objective is to facilitate connections within this ecosystem. Collaborating with numerous retailers individually can be cumbersome, so we’re enabling capabilities that not only span multiple retailers but also extend globally at scale.”

However, does the term “retail media network” now seem too narrow? It’s not solely retailers that boast extensive first-party datasets that can be utilized to form relevant audience segments—publishers do as well. “We engage with delivery partners outside of traditional retail,” Smith noted. “Uber is a significant client of ours. How are these companies leveraging their valuable data to monetize it and establish a commerce network?”

Speaking of publishers, Smith shared that Criteo collaborates with Hearst as well. “Observing the evolution in this space has been intriguing, and I believe it will soon include more players from beyond just retail.”

CTV’s emergence is imminent. Currently, CTV isn’t within Criteo’s scope, according to Smith. “Yet, it’s definitely part of our future direction.” Can we expect to see more activity from Criteo in the CTV realm in the coming year? “Absolutely, you will see more of Criteo engaged in the upper funnel,” Smith affirmed.