{"id":8309,"date":"2025-12-18T11:40:52","date_gmt":"2025-12-18T10:40:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bloghappydemics.wpcomstaging.com\/?p=8309"},"modified":"2026-03-12T17:47:27","modified_gmt":"2026-03-12T16:47:27","slug":"brand-lift-in-retail-media-the-unsung-hero","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bloghappydemics.wpcomstaging.com\/en\/brand-lift-in-retail-media-the-unsung-hero\/","title":{"rendered":"Brand lift in retail media: the unsung hero"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"8309\" class=\"elementor elementor-8309\" data-elementor-post-type=\"post\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-4cd166d elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"4cd166d\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-3a3227b\" data-id=\"3a3227b\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e607118 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"e607118\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>It\u2019s no surprise that retail media is absorbing a larger share of marketing budgets each year, or that analysts project continued double-digit growth across global markets. Worldwide investment with retail media networks (RMNs) is set to reach <a href=\"https:\/\/www.warc.com\/content\/feed\/retail-media-market-nears-200bn-as-search-gives-way-to-display\/en-GB\/11085#:~:text=Spending growth: Retail media investment is forecast,$196.7bn%2C representing 16%25 of all ad spend.)\">$174.9bn this year<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Yet despite this momentum, retail media is still measured predominantly through the same narrow set of performance metrics: ROAS, conversion rate, click-throughs, and product-level sales. These numbers matter. No channel sits closer to the point of purchase, but they only reveal part of the story.<\/p>\n<p>Focusing solely on sales ignores a powerful truth: retail media also shapes how shoppers think, feel, and remember a brand long before they hit \u201cadd to cart.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>That\u2019s where retail media brand lift becomes the unsung hero, a metric that captures the<a href=\"https:\/\/bloghappydemics.wpcomstaging.com\/en\/retail-media-analytics-and-benchmarks-for-2026\/\"> full impact of retail media<\/a> by revealing the brand outcomes it creates behind the scenes.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-de55b35 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"de55b35\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Why Retail Media Needs Brand Lift, Not Just ROAS<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e041f9a elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"e041f9a\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Performance numbers tell you what happened, but brand lift explains why it happened and what could happen next.<\/p><br>\n\n<p style=\"margin-bottom:0\">Retail media\u2019s influence stretches far beyond last-click attribution. Whether shoppers encounter a sponsored product on page one, a promoted banner in a retailer\u2019s app, or a category takeover on an e-commerce homepage, these touchpoints have a significant impact on:<\/p>\n<ul>\n \t<li>Brand awareness<\/li>\n \t<li>Brand recall<\/li>\n \t<li>Message association<\/li>\n \t<li>Consideration and preference<\/li>\n<\/ul><br>\n<p>In other words, retail media does more than drive conversion, it builds mental availability at the exact moment shoppers are making decisions.<\/p>\n\n<p>Ignoring <a href=\"https:\/\/happydemics.com\/en\/advertising-performance\">brand lift<\/a> means undervaluing your investment. A campaign might look \u201clow ROAS\u201d on paper but actually deliver a substantial rise in brand perceptions that fuels future sales, repeat purchases, and loyalty. Without measurement, these effects remain invisible.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-c3d4f16 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"c3d4f16\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">What Is Brand Lift in Retail Media?<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-382f6f8 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"382f6f8\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Brand lift in retail media measures the change in consumer perception after exposure to a retail media campaign. It answers headline questions like:<\/p>\n<ul>\n \t<li>Do shoppers now recognise the brand more easily?<\/li>\n \t<li>Did the ad improve brand preference?<\/li>\n \t<li>Are shoppers more likely to consider the brand on their next visit?<\/li>\n<\/ul><br>\n<p>Unlike ROAS, which captures immediate transactional behaviour, brand lift captures incremental shifts in mindset; the invisible progress that drives long-term market share growth.<\/p>\n\n<p>Retail media is particularly influential here because consumers are usually highly attentive. They\u2019re actively looking for a product and are close to choice-making moments. They\u2019re essentially primed to react to well delivered advertising.<\/p>\n\n<p>Measuring brand lift helps you to understand how your retail media is shaping the shoppers\u2019 behaviours beyond the sale itself.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ecb2e2c elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"ecb2e2c\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Why Brand Lift Is the Unsung Hero of Retail Media<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7b34cba elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"7b34cba\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Retail media sits uniquely at the intersection of branding and performance. Both the power of the brand itself, and the strategic placement of relevant products move the needle for retailers. Here\u2019s why:<!-- notionvc: 0d0ea749-5908-4c28-8273-d9c69841b5ed --><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-cc1e9e1 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"cc1e9e1\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3><span class=\"notion-enable-hover\" data-token-index=\"0\">1. Retail Media Influences the Entire Funnel<\/span><!-- notionvc: c4768f1a-5401-4f70-b500-672e1666f14f --><\/h3>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e6df9d0 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"e6df9d0\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Shoppers exposed to retail media ads often show improvements in awareness, recall and message reinforcement before they ever click or buy. This upper-funnel value is rarely recorded in commerce dashboards.<\/p><br>\n\n<p>Each retail media channel brings its own strengths to brand building. <strong>Online and display<\/strong> formats perform strongly on <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/bloghappydemics.wpcomstaging.com\/en\/what-is-ad-recall-and-why-you-should-be-measuring-it\/\">ad recall<\/a> and attribution<\/strong>, ensuring clear brand visibility. <strong>DOOH<\/strong> drives higher <strong>interest, message clarity, and brand familiarity<\/strong>, while <strong>CTV<\/strong> excels in boosting <strong>ad likeability and brand image<\/strong>. <strong>Social ads<\/strong> effectively increase <strong>preference and consideration<\/strong>, and <strong>display<\/strong> is particularly powerful for triggering <strong>specific intent actions<\/strong> such as testing, buying, or recommending a product. Together, these strengths show why a multi-channel retail media mix is essential for full-funnel impact.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f74ff65 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"f74ff65\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">2. It Strengthens Future Sales Potential<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-05e7185 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"05e7185\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Brand lift signals a campaign\u2019s contribution to long-term growth. Even if short-term sales are modest, strong lift often correlates with category expansion. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wearetenet.com\/blog\/branding-statistics#Chapter1\">50% of consumers<\/a> are more likely to buy from a brand they recognise.<\/p><p><!-- notionvc: 61deab7f-7226-466a-a326-893a6ea36b82 --><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-543ebf8 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"543ebf8\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">3. It Uncovers Hidden Incrementality<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5721356 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"5721356\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Sponsored products, on-site display and off-site extensions all influence perception, sometimes even when consumers don\u2019t click. Brand lift reveals these effects clearly.<!-- notionvc: af76ba46-9cfe-44d4-b82b-0184875157a6 --><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ff1834d elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"ff1834d\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">4. It Helps You Optimise Retail Media Budgets Wisely<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-a51c1be elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"a51c1be\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>With lift data, brands can compare which retailers, formats, placements or audiences generate the most meaningful impact, not just the most efficient clicks.<!-- notionvc: 6b705a2d-8ace-4d67-a4e2-97f91ad752eb --><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e8f2954 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"e8f2954\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">5. It Creates a More Balanced View of Success<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-815ddc7 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"815ddc7\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Retail media isn\u2019t a \u201cperformance-only\u201d channel. Brand lift embeds strategic thinking into a space that has long been dominated by ROAS and CPC.<!-- notionvc: a8f58284-22f6-46ed-a9a9-ab7cb66035ce --><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ce3c57f elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"ce3c57f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">How to Measure Brand Lift in Retail Media<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-0da0b84 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"0da0b84\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Measuring retail media brand lift requires an approach rooted in real consumer feedback, not platform-level assumptions. The gold standard is an exposed vs control <a href=\"https:\/\/bloghappydemics.wpcomstaging.com\/en\/the-complete-guide-to-running-a-brand-lift-study\/\">brand lift study<\/a>, applied specifically to retail environments.<!-- notionvc: 91978abc-f598-46b3-a7fd-39e9163019a9 --><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-002ac3e elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"002ac3e\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">1. Identify the Exposed Group<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6a58dca elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"6a58dca\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>These are shoppers who have seen the retail media campaign, whether through sponsored listings, banners, on-site media, or off-site programmatic extensions.<!-- notionvc: de39df57-ed3f-4629-84f5-3dd1db27e4ac --><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-21b7faa elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"21b7faa\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">2. Build a Matched Control Group<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4cfefdb elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"4cfefdb\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>A similar audience that was not exposed to the campaign. This isolates the incremental impact of the retail media activity itself.<!-- notionvc: f9b5812c-88b3-4b58-987b-c81f638fc8b6 --><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-209f69f elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"209f69f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">3. Ask Both Groups the Same Brand Questions<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-a251d77 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"a251d77\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Typically covering:<\/p>\n<ul>\n \t<li>Brand awareness<\/li>\n \t<li>Brand recall<\/li>\n \t<li>Message association<\/li>\n \t<li>Consideration<\/li>\n \t<li>Preference<\/li>\n<\/ul><br>\n<p>The difference between the two groups reveals the brand lift generated by the campaign.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-82e51c8 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"82e51c8\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">4. Analyse Results by Placement, Audience, and Format<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-489ca25 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"489ca25\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>This helps marketers understand which touchpoints do the most heavy lifting for the brand.<\/p><br>\n\n<p><em>To find out more about <a href=\"https:\/\/bloghappydemics.wpcomstaging.com\/en\/brand-lift-methodologies-the-strengths-of-people-centric-measurement\/\">brand lift methodologies<\/a>, read our article that delves deeper into the different ways you can measure lift.<\/em><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2bbb893 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"2bbb893\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Why Measurement Helps Advertisers Perform<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-83368dc elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"83368dc\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3>\u00a0<\/h3><p>Retail media measurement is notoriously fragmented. Data often sits within retailer walled gardens, performance metrics are not standardised, and off-site campaign impact is difficult to attribute.<\/p><p>Without <a href=\"https:\/\/bloghappydemics.wpcomstaging.com\/en\/how-to-measure-brand-lift-kpis-methodologies-and-best-practices\/\">brand lift measurement<\/a>, advertisers often rely too heavily on ROAS as the single KPI. And with limited visibility into upper-funnel impact across retailers, this can lead to underestimation of campaigns.<\/p><p>Brand lift provides the missing layer that ties these pieces together. It turns retail media into a strategic channel, not just a performance one.<!-- notionvc: 9f9577e3-03d6-4903-952c-0499789a6d50 --><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Retail media has become one of the fastest-growing and most influential channels in modern advertising. As retailers transform their digital ecosystems into powerful media platforms, brands now have the ability to reach shoppers right at the moment of intent.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":226279768,"featured_media":8316,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"<p>Retail media has become one of the fastest-growing and most influential channels in modern advertising. As retailers transform their digital ecosystems into powerful media platforms, brands now have the ability to reach shoppers right at the moment of intent.<\/p><br>\n<p>And it\u2019s no surprise that retail media is absorbing a larger share of marketing budgets each year, or that analysts project continued double-digit growth across global markets. Worldwide investment with retail media networks (RMNs) is set to reach <a href=\"https:\/\/www.warc.com\/content\/feed\/retail-media-market-nears-200bn-as-search-gives-way-to-display\/en-GB\/11085#:~:text=Spending growth: Retail media investment is forecast,$196.7bn%2C representing 16%25 of all ad spend.)\">$174.9bn this year<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Yet despite this momentum, retail media is still measured predominantly through the same narrow set of performance metrics: ROAS, conversion rate, click-throughs, and product-level sales. These numbers matter. No channel sits closer to the point of purchase, but they only reveal part of the story.<\/p>\n<p>Focusing solely on sales ignores a powerful truth: retail media also shapes how shoppers think, feel, and remember a brand long before they hit \u201cadd to cart.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>That\u2019s where retail media brand lift becomes the unsung hero, a metric that captures the<a href=\"https:\/\/bloghappydemics.wpcomstaging.com\/en\/retail-media-analytics-and-benchmarks-for-2026\/\"> full impact of retail media<\/a> by revealing the brand outcomes it creates behind the scenes.<\/p>\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2>Why Retail Media Needs Brand Lift, Not Just ROAS<\/h2>\t\t\t\t\n\t\t<p>Performance numbers tell you what happened, but brand lift explains why it happened and what could happen next.<\/p><br>\n<p style=\"margin-bottom:0\">Retail media\u2019s influence stretches far beyond last-click attribution. Whether shoppers encounter a sponsored product on page one, a promoted banner in a retailer\u2019s app, or a category takeover on an e-commerce homepage, these touchpoints have a significant impact on:<\/p>\n<ul>\n \t<li>Brand awareness<\/li>\n \t<li>Brand recall<\/li>\n \t<li>Message association<\/li>\n \t<li>Consideration and preference<\/li>\n<\/ul><br>\n<p>In other words, retail media does more than drive conversion, it builds mental availability at the exact moment shoppers are making decisions.<\/p>\n<p>Ignoring <a href=\"https:\/\/happydemics.com\/en\/advertising-performance\">brand lift<\/a> means undervaluing your investment. A campaign might look \u201clow ROAS\u201d on paper but actually deliver a substantial rise in brand perceptions that fuels future sales, repeat purchases, and loyalty. Without measurement, these effects remain invisible.<\/p>\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2>What Is Brand Lift in Retail Media?<\/h2>\t\t\t\t\n\t\t<p>Brand lift in retail media measures the change in consumer perception after exposure to a retail media campaign. It answers headline questions like:<\/p>\n<ul>\n \t<li>Do shoppers now recognise the brand more easily?<\/li>\n \t<li>Did the ad improve brand preference?<\/li>\n \t<li>Are shoppers more likely to consider the brand on their next visit?<\/li>\n<\/ul><br>\n<p>Unlike ROAS, which captures immediate transactional behaviour, brand lift captures incremental shifts in mindset; the invisible progress that drives long-term market share growth.<\/p>\n<p>Retail media is particularly influential here because consumers are usually highly attentive. They\u2019re actively looking for a product and are close to choice-making moments. They\u2019re essentially primed to react to well delivered advertising.<\/p>\n<p>Measuring brand lift helps you to understand how your retail media is shaping the shoppers\u2019 behaviours beyond the sale itself.<\/p>\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2>Why Brand Lift Is the Unsung Hero of Retail Media<\/h2>\t\t\t\t\n\t\t<p>Retail media sits uniquely at the intersection of branding and performance. Both the power of the brand itself, and the strategic placement of relevant products move the needle for retailers. Here\u2019s why:<!-- notionvc: 0d0ea749-5908-4c28-8273-d9c69841b5ed --><\/p><h3>1. Retail Media Influences the Entire Funnel<!-- notionvc: c4768f1a-5401-4f70-b500-672e1666f14f --><\/h3><p>Shoppers exposed to retail media ads often show improvements in awareness, recall and message reinforcement before they ever click or buy. This upper-funnel value is rarely recorded in commerce dashboards.<\/p><br>\n<p>Each retail media channel brings its own strengths to brand building. <strong>Online and display<\/strong> formats perform strongly on <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/bloghappydemics.wpcomstaging.com\/en\/what-is-ad-recall-and-why-you-should-be-measuring-it\/\">ad recall<\/a> and attribution<\/strong>, ensuring clear brand visibility. <strong>DOOH<\/strong> drives higher <strong>interest, message clarity, and brand familiarity<\/strong>, while <strong>CTV<\/strong> excels in boosting <strong>ad likeability and brand image<\/strong>. <strong>Social ads<\/strong> effectively increase <strong>preference and consideration<\/strong>, and <strong>display<\/strong> is particularly powerful for triggering <strong>specific intent actions<\/strong> such as testing, buying, or recommending a product. Together, these strengths show why a multi-channel retail media mix is essential for full-funnel impact.<\/p>\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<h3>2. It Strengthens Future Sales Potential<\/h3>\t\t\t\t\n\t\t<p>Brand lift signals a campaign\u2019s contribution to long-term growth. Even if short-term sales are modest, strong lift often correlates with category expansion. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wearetenet.com\/blog\/branding-statistics#Chapter1\">50% of consumers<\/a> are more likely to buy from a brand they recognise.<\/p><p><!-- notionvc: 61deab7f-7226-466a-a326-893a6ea36b82 --><\/p>\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<h3>3. It Uncovers Hidden Incrementality<\/h3>\t\t\t\t\n\t\t<p>Sponsored products, on-site display and off-site extensions all influence perception, sometimes even when consumers don\u2019t click. Brand lift reveals these effects clearly.<!-- notionvc: af76ba46-9cfe-44d4-b82b-0184875157a6 --><\/p>\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<h3>4. It Helps You Optimise Retail Media Budgets Wisely<\/h3>\t\t\t\t\n\t\t<p>With lift data, brands can compare which retailers, formats, placements or audiences generate the most meaningful impact, not just the most efficient clicks.<!-- notionvc: 6b705a2d-8ace-4d67-a4e2-97f91ad752eb --><\/p>\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<h3>5. It Creates a More Balanced View of Success<\/h3>\t\t\t\t\n\t\t<p>Retail media isn\u2019t a \u201cperformance-only\u201d channel. Brand lift embeds strategic thinking into a space that has long been dominated by ROAS and CPC.<!-- notionvc: a8f58284-22f6-46ed-a9a9-ab7cb66035ce --><\/p>\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2>How to Measure Brand Lift in Retail Media<\/h2>\t\t\t\t\n\t\t<p>Measuring retail media brand lift requires an approach rooted in real consumer feedback, not platform-level assumptions. The gold standard is an exposed vs control <a href=\"https:\/\/bloghappydemics.wpcomstaging.com\/en\/the-complete-guide-to-running-a-brand-lift-study\/\">brand lift study<\/a>, applied specifically to retail environments.<!-- notionvc: 91978abc-f598-46b3-a7fd-39e9163019a9 --><\/p>\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<h3>1. Identify the Exposed Group<\/h3>\t\t\t\t\n\t\t<p>These are shoppers who have seen the retail media campaign, whether through sponsored listings, banners, on-site media, or off-site programmatic extensions.<!-- notionvc: de39df57-ed3f-4629-84f5-3dd1db27e4ac --><\/p>\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<h3>2. Build a Matched Control Group<\/h3>\t\t\t\t\n\t\t<p>A similar audience that was not exposed to the campaign. This isolates the incremental impact of the retail media activity itself.<!-- notionvc: f9b5812c-88b3-4b58-987b-c81f638fc8b6 --><\/p>\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<h3>3. Ask Both Groups the Same Brand Questions<\/h3>\t\t\t\t\n\t\t<p>Typically covering:<\/p>\n<ul>\n \t<li>Brand awareness<\/li>\n \t<li>Brand recall<\/li>\n \t<li>Message association<\/li>\n \t<li>Consideration<\/li>\n \t<li>Preference<\/li>\n<\/ul><br>\n<p>The difference between the two groups reveals the brand lift generated by the campaign.<\/p>\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<h3>4. Analyse Results by Placement, Audience, and Format<\/h3>\t\t\t\t\n\t\t<p>This helps marketers understand which touchpoints do the most heavy lifting for the brand.<\/p><br>\n<p><em>To find out more about <a href=\"https:\/\/bloghappydemics.wpcomstaging.com\/en\/brand-lift-methodologies-the-strengths-of-people-centric-measurement\/\">brand lift methodologies<\/a>, read our article that delves deeper into the different ways you can measure lift.<\/em><\/p>\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2>Why Measurement Helps Advertisers Perform<\/h2>\t\t\t\t\n\t\t<h3>\u00a0<\/h3><p>Retail media measurement is notoriously fragmented. Data often sits within retailer walled gardens, performance metrics are not standardised, and off-site campaign impact is difficult to attribute.<\/p><p>Without <a href=\"https:\/\/bloghappydemics.wpcomstaging.com\/en\/how-to-measure-brand-lift-kpis-methodologies-and-best-practices\/\">brand lift measurement<\/a>, advertisers often rely too heavily on ROAS as the single KPI. And with limited visibility into upper-funnel impact across retailers, this can lead to underestimation of campaigns.<\/p><p>Brand lift provides the missing layer that ties these pieces together. It turns retail media into a strategic channel, not just a performance one.<!-- notionvc: 9f9577e3-03d6-4903-952c-0499789a6d50 --><\/p>","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[6449,6516],"tags":[6529],"class_list":["post-8309","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-data-measurement-en","category-retail-media-en","tag-featured-en"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/bloghappydemics.wpcomstaging.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Blog.png","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bloghappydemics.wpcomstaging.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8309","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/bloghappydemics.wpcomstaging.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/bloghappydemics.wpcomstaging.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bloghappydemics.wpcomstaging.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/226279768"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bloghappydemics.wpcomstaging.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8309"}],"version-history":[{"count":12,"href":"https:\/\/bloghappydemics.wpcomstaging.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8309\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9094,"href":"https:\/\/bloghappydemics.wpcomstaging.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8309\/revisions\/9094"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bloghappydemics.wpcomstaging.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/8316"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bloghappydemics.wpcomstaging.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8309"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bloghappydemics.wpcomstaging.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8309"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bloghappydemics.wpcomstaging.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8309"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}