Retail media isn’t just another revenue stream. It’s becoming existential to the future of retail.

In this episode of The Snarketing Podcast, we sit down with Brian Monahan, SVP at Albertsons Media Collective, to unpack the past, present, and future of retail media networks. From helping launch Walmart’s billion-dollar ad business to leading Albertsons into its next phase, Brian shares lessons learned from agencies, big tech, and retail giants.

We cover:

- The birth of retail media at Walmart and why it became a $5B+ business

- How Albertsons builds collective growth for advertisers, merchants, and customers

- Why content and creative—not just data and ROAS—power retail media

- The role of loyalty, shoppable recipes, gamified shopping, and new experiences

- What’s overhyped (programmatic targeting) and what’s underhyped (shopper utility)

- The balance between purpose, community, and profit

Hosted by Matt Wurst and Valerie Vespa, this conversation dives deep into what’s next for retail media and why the grocery store still matters as a pillar of community life.