In this 'Snips' episode, I dive into one of the biggest debates shaking up the commerce world: is retail media eating trade marketing, or is it the other way around? To unpack this, I analyse commentary from two industry leaders who see the collision from very different vantage points.

James Taylor of Particular Audience makes a strong case that trade dollars are shifting into transparent, measurable retail media channels. Meanwhile, Troy Townsend of Zitcha argues the opposite: trade marketing isn’t being devoured, it’s simply evolving, and in fact, might end up absorbing retail media under its existing merchant structures. I have included links to the full episodes featuring James on the Particular Audience YouTube channel, and Troy on The Middlemen podcast under 'Links & Resources' below.

Through their perspectives, I explore what this convergence really means for retailers, brands, and the people managing those ever-blurring budgets. Whatever team you're currently on, I believe this interplay reveals how the smartest players are building unified systems that bridge the two worlds.

This episode is sponsored by Connected Commerce at Acosta Group

Timeline

[00:00] – Setting the stage: the tug-of-war between trade and retail media.

[01:00] – James Taylor explains how supplier dollars are migrating into retail media, backed by Forrester data.

[02:30] – Why transparency, attribution, and incrementality are pulling budgets away from traditional trade deals.

[04:02] – Transition to Troy Townsend’s take: trade marketing isn’t dying, it’s modernizing.

[05:15] – The 'shelf wobbler' story: why unifying physical and digital inventory matters more than ever.

[07:45] – The internal friction between merchandising and retail media teams, and why organizational design is key.

[08:30] – Troy’s prediction: long-term, merchant teams will own retail media.

[09:00] – My closing thoughts: convergence, not competition, is where the future lies.

Links & Resources

• Watch the full James Taylor presentation on the Particular Audience YouTube channel, How to Launch a Retail Media Network - Masterclass
• Listen to full Troy Townsend episode on The Middlemen podcast, Trade is Eating Retail Media - Troy Townsend, CEO of Zitcha
• Follow James Taylor, CEO of Particular Audience on LinkedIn
• Follow Troy Townsend, CEO of Zitcha on LinkedIn
• Read my article Why 'Omnichannel' Misses the Point
• Subscribe to Retail Media Breakfast Club's daily newsletter
• Follow Kiri on LinkedIn