Intermediaries like Instacart and DoorDash have a unique place in retail media. With consumers buying goods from major retailers through their platforms, intermediaries have engaged audiences and valuable first-party data. Here are three recent intermediary moves that caught our eye, and what they mean about broader retail media trends.
1. Instacart introduces new ad format
Instacart’s new ad units “spark out-of-aisle inspiration,” per the company, by featuring:
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Recipes, which allow brands to feature products alongside complementary items, such as a sponsored recipe for chicken pot pie featuring a pastry dough brand
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Occasions, which allow brands to curate collections for events like birthday parties or barbecues
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Bundles, which compile similar items, like laundry detergent and dryer sheets
Why marketers care: Instacart’s moves show how retail media advertising is getting more creative. Brands need to be thoughtful about how they advertise on retail media networks and give consumers a reason to click, rather than hoping generic sponsored search results will work.
2. DoorDash partners with Symbiosis for off-site ads
The partnership allows brands to leverage DoorDash’s first-party data on third-party sites, giving advertisers a broader reach.
Why marketers care: In 2025, one in five retail media dollars spent (20.1%) in the US will go to off-site advertising, per our forecast.
3. Gopuff brings retail media operations in-house
Gopuff was working with Publicis Groupe’s CitrusAd, but now will run its retail media network through its own custom tools. The move allows for audience targeting based on campaign objectives and bid automation, as well as a simplified interface for advertisers.
Why marketers care: In-house retail media operations have a lot of advantages over working with third parties, but they also require ad buyers and operations professionals to learn a new system, which could make serving ads with Gopuff more complex for brands advertising across multiple retail media networks.
This was originally featured in the Retail Media Weekly newsletter. For more marketing insights, statistics, and trends, subscribe here.
