ARF CSI: Commerce & Shopper Intelligence (Formerly Shopper)

2026 EVENT CONTENT IS NOW AVAILABLE

Overview

The State of Retail Media Networks & Consumer Behavior

Retail media networks and commerce media are redefining the data and measurement landscape, creating new opportunities — and complexity — for marketers and researchers alike. Powered by first-party data and accelerated by advances in AI, these environments are reshaping how exposure, engagement, and outcomes are defined, measured, and optimized throughout the consumer journey.

At the same time, AI is shaping how consumers discover, evaluate, and purchase — from interactions with digital agents to decision-making in increasingly automated and frictionless retail environments. These shifts raise critical questions about incrementality, attribution models, standardization, and the integration of RMNs into holistic, full-funnel measurement frameworks.

Join us at Commerce & Shopper Intelligence (formerly SHOPPER) on May 12 at the World of Whirlpool in Chicago to examine:

• The evolving role of retail and commerce media networks within the broader media ecosystem
• AI’s implications for shopping behavior, attention, and decision-making
• Measurement challenges, including incrementality, attribution, and cross-platform standardization
• Advancing full-funnel evaluation and improving the accuracy of iROAS assessment

Explore how brands, retailers, and researchers are adapting methodologies and frameworks to better understand increasingly fluid, data-rich shopping journeys.

Retail media networks and commerce media are redefining the data and measurement landscape, creating new opportunities—and complexity—for marketers and researchers alike. At Commerce & Shopper Intelligence 2026, brands, retailers, and researchers revealed how they’re are adapting methodologies and frameworks to better understand increasingly fluid, data-rich shopping journeys.

Speakers

Additional Speakers To Be Announced.

AGENDA

9:00-10:00am	Registration/Breakfast & Networking Penthouse Level – General Session Meeting Room
10:00 – 10:10am	Opening Remarks Scott McDonald, Ph.D. – President & CEO, ARF
10:10 – 10:15am	Welcome Nicole Whitlow – Head of Global Consumer & Market Insights, KitchenAid
	The Shopper Landscape Today
10:15 – 10:35am	Always Shopping: How Constant Commerce Is Reshaping the Consumer Journey & the Future of Retail Media (Presentation) Shopping is no longer a single moment or channel—it’s continuous, ambient, and everywhere. From social feeds and influencer content to AI‑powered discovery and in‑store touchpoints, today’s consumers are always shopping, able to move from inspiration to purchase instantly, often without a traditional “path to purchase.” We will explore how these shifts are redefining the consumer journey—and why retail media, social commerce, and AI are now critical connectors across discovery, decision, and conversion. We’ll also unpack the trends shaping the retail media landscape, highlighting where growth is accelerating, where friction is slowing progress, and what brands and retailers must do to keep pace with an always‑on consumer. Megan Cameron – EVP, Retail Media Solution Lead for New Stream Media, dentsu
10:35 – 10:55am	Arc Shopper Sentiment Study: Decoding the Emotions of Shopping to Win in Retail (Presentation) In today’s retail landscape, understanding the link between emotion and consumer decision-making is more crucial than ever. As retail media and AI-driven efficiency grow, marketers must explore the emotional dimensions that drive brand loyalty. Discover insights from a study conducted with Arc Worldwide, in partnership with Suzy and Northwestern University, that highlight the emotional nuances that can determine a consumer’s final purchase decision. Explore how an emotional strategy can elevate your brand across marketing and retail. Find out how our insights can reshape your approach to omnichannel marketing and enhance your brand’s emotional footprint. Elizabeth Harris – Chief Strategy Officer, Arc Worldwide Larry DeGaris – Executive Director, Medill Spiegel Research Center, Northwestern University
10:55 – 11:15am	Winning the Prompt: Using Social Intelligence to Master AI-Driven Search (Presentation) The consumer journey is evolving faster than ever, and shoppers are increasingly turning to AI engines to streamline their research and narrow their choices. KitchenAid partnered with Ipsos Synthesio to use cutting-edge social intelligence data to model the authentic queries of modern shoppers, test these prompts directly within LLMs to analyze how different AI models prioritize information, and define the actions needed to win in the new era of search. Nicole Whitlow – Head of Global Consumer & Market Insights, KitchenAid Joe Lonek – Senior Director, Ipsos Synthesio
	Commerce Media Strategy & Opportunities
11:15 – 11:25am	Enriching Traveler Journeys Through Meaningful Brand Connection (Presentation) Learn how Kinective Media by United Airlines approaches connecting brands with travelers across key moments in the journey—from planning and anticipation to time in transit, experiences at the destination, and the return home. The session will explore how these touchpoints can offer opportunities to engage audiences at different stages of attention, mindset, and intent, spanning everything from routine trips to more meaningful travel occasions like family reunions or milestone experiences. Aaron Gallagher – Managing Director and Head of Sales, Kinective Media by United Airlines
11:25 – 11:35am	Why Relevancy Is the New Performance Engine (Presentation) Audiences were designed to help marketers scale—but scale alone no longer guarantees results. Hear how Mastercard Commerce Media works with brands to reach consumers 1:1 and how purchase signals are redefining the purchase journey to deliver measurable outcomes in brand-safe channels. Discover how rich insights can lead to more engaged consumers leading to a stronger path to conversion. Jill Moser – SVP, Commerce Media, Mastercard
11:35 – 11:55am	Panel Discussion: Commerce Media Strategies & Opportunities Jill Moser – SVP, Commerce Media, Mastercard Aaron Gallagher – Managing Director and Head of Sales, Kinective Media by United Airlines Moderator: E.J. Schultz – News Editor, Ad Age
12:00 – 1:00pm	ARF CSI Luncheon Penthouse Level – Inside and Outside Terrace
12:00 – 1:00pm	OR WIA@ARFCSI Luncheon 7th floor- Jim Henson Room Courageous Career Moments Overcoming fear. Betting on yourself. Hear from inspiring female leaders as they share defining moments of bravery: how they silenced self-doubt, navigated opposition, and turned fear into triumph. Then join roundtable discussions with the speakers.
1:10 – 1:15pm	Welcome Back Paul Donato – Chief Research Officer, ARF Penthouse Level – General Session Meeting Room
	Measurement and Retail Media Networks
1:15 – 1:40pm	AI Changed the Consumer, Now What? Rethinking the Path to Purchase (Presentation/Panel Discussion) AI is reshaping how people discover and decide what to buy, with more consumers turning to AI tools for recommendations. Discover how consumers are using AI platforms like ChatGPT and AI powered search, from who is using them, to how decisions are being made. Industry leaders will explore how brands can stay relevant amidst the disruption and how high attention environments like CTV move beyond reach and drive impact. Jessica Trainor – Head of Partnerships, Proximic by Comscore Cait Carlson – VP, Retail Strategy, Havas Market Daniel Block – GM, Data Revenue & Partnerships, Fetch
1:40 – 2:10pm	Hosted by the ARF Shopper Insights Council Modern Measurement for a Changing Commerce Funnel (Presentation/Fireside Chat) Brands are navigating a more complex path to purchase shaped by fragmented media, retail convergence, and emerging AI-driven behaviors. This session explores how to integrate MMM, incrementality, and attribution into a cohesive measurement framework. The discussion also highlights practical steps brands can take today to stay competitive as agent-led discovery and purchasing scale. Cara Pratt – President, Global Retail and Media, Circana Moderator: Jay Mattlin – VP, Research / Director, ARF Council Program, ARF
2:10 – 2:25pm	Retail Media, Rewritten: What’s Changing and What Matters Now (Presentation) Retail media has scaled into a core growth engine, and the rules are evolving quickly. This session highlights the latest innovations across leading retail media networks, spanning video and in-store expansion, as well as data and AI. Hear what these shifts mean for marketers and where to focus to stay competitive. Margaret Posh – Principal, Retail, Circana
2:25 – 3:00pm	Panel Discussion: Industry Perspectives and Insights on Retail Media Networks Melissa Myres – Director, Commercial Account Management, 84.51°/Kroger Precision Marketing Todd Hassenfelt – Industry Leader, Colgate-Palmolive, Simple Mills, Glanbia Anna Miller – Head of Ad Measurement & Research, Roku Roland Brenner – Head of Creative GtM (Go to Market), Amazon Ads Jake Kastner – Head of Measurement Strategy, Uber Advertising Moderator: Mike Ellgass – EVP Global Retail Media, Circana
3:00 – 3:20pm	Afternoon Break
3:20 – 4:05pm	Retail Media Networks in Focus: Credibility, Consistency, and Incremental Lift (Presentation and Fireside Chat) This multi-phase research initiative examines retail media networks, focusing on measurement credibility, metric consistency, and incremental lift claims. Through RFIs and in-depth interviews with leading retail media networks, the ARF assesses similarities, differences and shared pain points across RMN measurement practices. The work aligns with broader industry efforts to improve transparency and support emerging measurement standards. Tracy Adams, Ph.D. – Senior Director, Research & Insights, ARF Paul Donato – Chief Research Officer, ARF Rick Bruner – Head of US Partnerships, MASS Analytics
4:05 – 4:25pm	Enabling Unified Retail Media Measurement (Presentation) With the rise of Gen AI and Machine Learning, organizations are being tasked with making decisions faster. However, fragmentation persists not only from in data and measurement but also organizationally. Learn how to align internal objectives across shopper, media, and trade teams to truly enable unified measurement. Jeffrey Aragon Bustos – SVP, Retail Media Analytics, Merkle
4:25 – 4:55pm	The New Frontier: Deconstructing “On Brand” with Jimmy Fallon (Presentation) Partnering with an unproven TV property requires a thoughtful approach to risk and reward. This session explores the strategy for assessing the On Brand opportunity from inception, detailing how we moved beyond initial excitement to build a comprehensive, full-funnel marketing moment that delivered measurable results. Chadwick Ries – Global Head of Brand, Product and Insights, KitchenAid Small Appliances
4:55-5:00pm	Closing Remarks Paul Donato – Chief Research Officer, ARF
5:00-6:00pm	Cocktail Reception Penthouse Level – Inside and Outside Terrace

Who Should Attend?

C-Suite executives, senior and mid-career leaders and young professionals hailing from marketer, media, agency and research companies will benefit from the breadth and depth of content shared. Industries include automotive, beauty, CPG, finance, food and beverage, hospitality, pharma, retail and technology.