Best Kiri Masters Podcasts (2025)

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The Internal Conflicts Retail Media Networks Create Inside Retailers and Brands with Kiri Masters 1:14:35

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4d ago1:14:35

1:14:35

Watson Weekend hosts Rick Watson and Jessica Lesesky cover the latest retail industry news and trends this week. The headline hangover includes Gen Z's influencer-driven purchases, Mastercard's entry into retail media advertising, potential U.S. government influence over TikTok's algorithm, and Stripe's AI-powered commerce platform. Guest Kiri Mast…

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Retail Media's Measurement Problem Isn't Technical — It's Political 11:26

3h ago11:26

11:26

In this episode, I break down some of the key insights from my recent op-ed for WARC on the state of retail media measurement standards. While there’s been progress with guidelines from the IAB and MRC, real adoption is still patchy, and the reasons why might surprise you. I explore why brands and retailers alike are struggling to align on measurem…

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Trade vs. Retail Media: Who's Really Eating Whom? ['Snips' from Particular Audience & The Middlemen] 9:48

1d ago9:48

9:48

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 tr…

1
AI Makes Shopping Easier, But Shoppers Still Check Receipts 10:46

2d ago10:46

10:46

By Kiri Masters

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In what ways are using AI today that you weren't a year ago? [Panel] 8:17

3d ago8:17

8:17

By Kiri Masters

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Best Buy's Ad Platform Play: 'We Got Next' 10:18

7d ago10:18

10:18

In this episode, a reproduction of my September 16 article on The Drum, I break down Best Buy’s bold move into the retail media space with its first advertising showcase 'We Got Next'. This streaming event marked a pivotal step for the electronics retailer, not just in unveiling in-store ad packages and sports partnerships, but in signaling a much …

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AI Shopping Hits 75% Adoption ['Snips' from Retailgentic] 11:54

8d ago11:54

11:54

In this 'Snips' format, I provide commentary to highlights from a recent episode of the Retailgentech podcast, where host Scott Wingo spoke with Melissa Minkow, Global Director of Retail Strategies & Insights at CI&T. Melissa shared snippets of brand new survey data revealing that a whopping 75% of consumers are now using AI tools at some point in …

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The Lazy Girl's Guide to Social Commerce 11:21

9d ago11:21

11:21

Domino’s might have been ahead of its time when it launched 'Anywhere' ordering back in 2015, but today, social commerce is taking convenience to the next level. In this episode, I dive into the world of social commerce, the seamless integration of shopping directly within social platforms like TikTok and Instagram, and why it’s reshaping how brand…

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Why 'Omnichannel' Misses the Point [New Research From The Digital Shelf Institute] 10:42

10d ago10:42

10:42

We’ve all heard the buzzword 'omnichannel' tossed around, but what if it’s the wrong way to think about digital commerce? In this episode, I dive into fresh research from the Digital Shelf Institute and share my take on why focusing on channels misses the bigger picture: the consumer journey. From digitally influenced sales, to the rise of insurgen…

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Influencer Marketing Should Be A Car That Can Be Driven Anywhere with Kristen Wiley 51:26

11d ago51:26

51:26

The Watson Weekend hosts Rick Watson and Jessica Lesesky discuss recent retail headlines, including Amazon's $2.5 billion lawsuit over alleged Prime subscription deception, Walmart's significant referral traffic from ChatGPT, Sephora's new affiliate program aimed at beauty creators, and Meta's talks with Google to enhance ad targeting using AI. The…

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Managing a Multi-Retailer RMN Stack (Part 3 of 3) 10:14

14d ago10:14

10:14

Over the past two weeks, I’ve been sitting down with Cody Tusberg, EVP of Connected Commerce and Retail Media Services at Acosta Group, to dig into some of the biggest challenges and opportunities in retail media. We started by exploring the inner workings of retailer organizations and how brands can navigate those dynamics. Then we talked about da…

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Underrated Advice For Choosing A Retail Media Agency Partner [Panel] 7:16

15d ago7:16

7:16

Choosing the right retail media agency can be a make or break decision, but most brands are asking the wrong questions. In this episode, I called on several seasoned brand leaders who’ve been through the agency selection process to get their insights. We spoke about the often-overlooked factors that truly matter when choosing an agency partner: fin…

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Building Retail Media Federations: Foundations and Barriers (Part 3) 13:00

16d ago13:00

13:00

Retail media federations sound like a no-brainer: retailers pooling their audiences and inventory to attract bigger ad dollars while keeping their unique value intact. But in reality, making federations work requires solving some thorny technical, governance, and cultural challenges. In this episode (part three of my retail media alliances series),…

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Meet The First Retail Media Federations & Consortiums (Part 2) 10:07

17d ago10:07

10:07

Last week’s big announcement from Best Buy caught my attention. Not just because of its splashy branding moves with gaming and sports, but because it hinted at a more collaborative model for retail media. Could this be the beginning of federations and consortiums reshaping the retail media landscape? In this episode, I dive into part two of my seri…

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How a 115-Year-Old Company Uses A Framework That Contains Bridges, Boats, and Moats with David Katz 1:20:10

18d ago1:20:10

1:20:10

The Watson Weekend is sponsored by Rithum because if you’re in commerce, this is the event you can’t miss. Rithum LIVE is happening Sept 25 in New York City and Oct 9 in London—bringing together top brands, retailers, and leaders for a full day on the future of commerce. Learn more at rithum.com/nyc Hosts Rick Watson and Jessica Lesesky begin the s…

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Growth Beyond Amazon: Tapping Into Retail Media's Broader Opportunities (Part 2 of 3) 8:25

21d ago8:25

8:25

Amazon may dominate the retail media landscape, but is your brand missing growth opportunities by focusing too narrowly? In the second installment of this 3-part series, I’m joined once again by Cody Tusberg, EVP of Digital Commerce and Retail Media Services at Acosta Group, to explore what it really takes to win in retail media beyond Amazon. We d…

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ROAS Isn’t Enough — The Buyer’s Checklist for Retail Media 9:54

22d ago9:54

9:54

Too often, retail media performance gets boiled down to a single number: ROAS. But is that really enough to guide smart investment decisions? In this episode, I share another highlight from the Retail Media Tech Jam livestream with Tom Limongello and Scott Messer from The Middlemen podcast. Together, we unpack why relying solely on ROAS can be misl…

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The Retail Media Doom Loop 10:01

23d ago10:01

10:01

Retail media has exploded in recent years, but is it already falling into a dangerous cycle? In this episode, I share highlights from a recent LinkedIn Live I hosted with Tom Limongello and Scott Messer from The Middlemen podcast. We dove into why retailers are so secretive about their tech stacks, what that means for brand-side buyers, and whether…

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AI Agent Shopping & Existential Threats To Retail Media 9:04

24d ago9:04

9:04

Could AI shopping agents fundamentally disrupt retail media as we know it? In this episode, I share highlights from my recent appearance on the Commerce Media Matters podcast with Nick Morgan and Paul Blackburn. We explored how the rise of AI-driven shopping experiences might shift consumer behavior away from retailer websites and apps. And what th…

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The Future is Less If Then And More Prompts, Agents, and MCP - A SVP Looks to the Future 39:34

25d ago39:34

39:34

In this crossover episode, hosts Rick Watson and Jessica Lesesky talk with Shailesh Kumar, SVP of Engineering at Salesforce. He is the Head of Engineering for Salesforce Commerce & Retail Cloud. He previously served as SVP and Head of Engineering at ClickUp and VP of Engineering at MuleSoft, both of which were acquired by Salesforce. The headline h…

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Brands are from Mars, Retailers are from Venus: Getting Inside the Head of Retailers (Part 1 of 3) 9:50

28d ago9:50

9:50

As a brand, working with retailers can often feel like navigating two completely different worlds. Retailers operate as complex ecosystems where merchants, trade marketing, and retail media teams each have their own goals and agendas. In Episode 1 of this three part series, I’m joined by expert Cody Tusberg, EVP of Digital Commerce and Retail Media…

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9 Ways Retailers & Brands Can Make Loyalty Programs Attractive... To AI Agents 7:58

29d ago7:58

7:58

In this episode, I dive into what loyalty really means in an era of agent-driven shopping. Recently, loyalty expert Stephanie Meltzer-Paul challenged my thesis on loyalty as the “last moat” for retailers, and today I’m unpacking her insights into what retailers and brands must do if they want to stay relevant. Spoiler: standing still won’t cut it! …

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Your AI Agent Just Got Hacked 7:40

1M ago7:40

7:40

Today I take you inside a chilling scenario that started with a simple eBay hack and led me to a much bigger question: what happens when AI agents start shopping for us with full autonomy? As commerce shifts into the age of agentic AI, entirely new fraud frontiers are emerging. And the risks are far greater than anything we’ve faced before. In this…

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Sam's Club Races To Win Retail Media Network Share Through Experiences 7:42

1M ago7:42

7:42

In this episode, I take you inside one of the most innovative retail media activations I’ve seen yet: Sam’s Club’s “Race to the Club” and their bold sponsorship at the IndyCar season finale. Instead of focusing solely on digital shelf space like most retail media networks, Sam’s Club is leaning into live experiences—concerts, county fairs, racing e…

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Fearless Communication in Chaos: An Ultra-Runner's Guide to Brand Leadership with Jenn George 1:08:09

1M ago1:08:09

1:08:09

This episode is brought to you by Mirakl. Because “Traditional eCommerce” Is Just Code for “Not Growing.” It’s time to do better than the status quo. Join 450+ retailers who are scaling 6X faster with AI, automation, and a platform built for what’s next. Marketplace, dropship, and retail media at enterprise-grade scale. It's time to accelerate with…

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Tips For Getting The Most Out Of Retail Conferences [Panel Episode] 6:30

1M ago6:30

6:30

Conferences are expensive: flights, hotels, and registration fees all add up fast. But the brands who see real ROI from industry events know that the biggest wins don’t happen in the keynote sessions. In this episode, I’m sharing strategies from four brand leaders who’ve figured out how to turn those hefty investments into long-term partnerships, i…

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Big Agencies & Retail Media: A Slightly Unhinged Relationship 9:38

1M ago9:38

9:38

Retail media may be the hottest topic in advertising right now, but how do big agencies really feel about it? In this episode, I unpack new Infillion research that reveals the complicated love-hate relationship agencies have with retail media. On the surface, agencies are excited about its potential. But dig deeper and you’ll find a story of frustr…

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Loyalty Programs To Give Retailers An Edge In AI Shopping Future? 10:56

1M ago10:56

10:56

The world of shopping is changing fast and loyalty programs are right at the center of it. In this episode, I share expert insights from Stephanie Meltzer-Paul, a veteran loyalty expert and the brains behind the So Many Points newsletter, and dive into how artificial intelligence is reshaping the way brands connect with customers. I also explore ho…

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AI Agents Hate Ads Today — But Will That Last? 10:19

1M ago10:19

10:19

Last week I shared some surprising new research: AI shopping agents are actively penalizing sponsored products, reducing the likelihood of them being selected by 8–14%. That sounds like a big red flag for retail media, right? But in today’s episode, I make the case that this 'ad penalty' is temporary, and far from the end of sponsored products. We …

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The Next Generation of Retail: The Lead's D60 Next List & Influencer Marketing 42:22

1M ago42:22

42:22

This episode is brought to you by Mirakl. Because “Traditional eCommerce” Is Just Code for “Not Growing.” It’s time to do better than the status quo. Join 450+ retailers who are scaling 6X faster with AI, automation, and a platform built for what’s next. Marketplace, dropship, and retail media at enterprise-grade scale. It's time to accelerate with…

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Are retail media specialists involved in product development? [Panel Episode] 7:25

1M ago7:25

7:25

Here’s a question that might sting a little: when your company launches a new product, are you finding out about it at the same time as everyone else? Or maybe you’re just getting a last-minute “Hey, can you build a forecast?” before it hits the market? In this episode, I dive into the role e-commerce and retail media teams should play in shaping p…

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What Is Your AI Agent Buying? [New Columbia & Yale Research] 10:26

1M ago10:26

10:26

Imagine sending three different people to buy you a pair of slippers and each person comes back with wildly different products. Now replace those people with AI agents like Claude, GPT, and Gemini. What slippers would they choose? In this episode, I dive into groundbreaking new research from Columbia and Yale that reveals how AI agents shop when le…

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Why RMNs Keep Their Tech Stacks Secret From The Very Brands They Want To Attract 12:21

1M ago12:21

12:21

In today’s episode, I dive into a surprising paradox in the retail media world. While nearly 9 out of 10 brands say a retailer’s tech stack influences how they allocate ad spend, most retailers are still treating their technology decisions like state secrets. From awkward RFP scenarios to brand-side frustrations, we explore why this secrecy exists …

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Rufus Remembers Me 8:02

2M ago8:02

8:02

I asked Amazon’s Rufus a simple question—and its answer was uncomfortably (and impressively) specific. In this episode, I unpack why that moment matters: Rufus appears to be building persistent memories about who we are as shoppers, shifting from a mere search tool into something that feels like a relationship. I break down how this differs from le…

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Shipping Smackdown: Nate Skiver on the Parcel Industry's Biggest Myth 47:52

2M ago47:52

47:52

This episode is brought to you by Mirakl. Because “Traditional eCommerce” Is Just Code for “Not Growing.” It’s time to do better than the status quo. Join 450+ retailers who are scaling 6X faster with AI, automation, and a platform built for what’s next. Marketplace, dropship, and retail media at enterprise-grade scale. It's time to accelerate with…

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Risky Retail Media Decisions That Paid Off [Panel] 8:03

2M ago8:03

8:03

In retail media, the biggest wins often come from bold, high-stakes decisions. In this episode, I sit down with a panel of industry leaders who share the risks they took that could have gone either way. From betting on unproven product colors, to pulling the plug on ads during peak hours, these stories will inspire you to rethink what it means to t…

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How Alliances Could Solve Retail Media's Fragmentation Problem (Part 1) 8:23

2M ago8:23

8:23

The retail media landscape is booming. But it’s also messy, fragmented, and heavily dominated by just a few players. In this episode, I unpack the challenges that brands face when navigating hundreds of retail media networks and explore whether alliances and federations might hold the key to leveling the playing field. From eerie parallels with the…

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Ads in AI Are Older Than You'd Think 9:04

2M ago9:04

9:04

The world of advertising is changing faster than many expected and AI is leading the charge. In this episode, I dive into the rise of advertising inside large language models (LLMs) and explore whether eMarketer’s $25 billion projection for AI-driven search ads in the next five years is really as far-fetched as some think. From Microsoft’s early ex…

1
Retailer AI Assistants: Are Shoppers Actually Using Them? 9:01

2M ago9:01

9:01

Did you know that while 70% of shoppers have experimented with AI tools to help them shop, fewer than 15% have actually used a retailer’s AI shopping assistant? In this episode, I unpack fresh shopper research from Acosta Group that reveals which retail AI tools are getting traction (and which are still invisible to most consumers). We’ll dive into…

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From Gin Lane to AI: Emmett Shine on the Future of Brands and Creative Obsolescence 1:07:40

2M ago1:07:40

1:07:40

Join us for a captivating episode of The Watson Weekend with guest Emmett Shine, the founder and creative director at Little Plains and co-founder of Pattern Brands. Known for helping launch and grow iconic brands like Harry's, Sweetgreen, and Warby Parker, Emmett sits down with Nick Kaplan to discuss the evolution of commerce, the role of human cr…

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The Coming AI Marketplace Gold Rush 11:26

2M ago11:26

11:26

Remember the Amazon FBA boom? When all you needed was an Alibaba find, a seller account and a dream? Between 2012 and 2020, thousands of entrepreneurs built entire businesses inside Amazon’s walls. And for a while, it was a gold rush. But like all gold rushes, the music eventually stopped. Costs went up, competition flooded in, and only a select fe…

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Criteo’s Frenemies Pile On 9:25

2M ago9:25

9:25

When your own tech partners start publicly celebrating your struggles, you know the game has changed. In this episode, I unpack the fascinating shake-up happening in retail media, sparked by Criteo’s recent challenges — from high-profile client losses to a wave of nimble competitors seizing their moment. What’s even more intriguing? Many of these c…

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A retail media metric that isn't shiny or new but one that you return to again and again 6:23

2M ago6:23

6:23

Let’s be real: retail media is full of shiny, headline-grabbing metrics that come and go with the latest trends. But in today, I’m digging into the metrics that brand leaders swear by day in and day out AKA the workhorses that drive real business decisions. I asked three brand-side leaders to share that one metric they come back to time and again, …

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Agentic Shopping Poses An Existential Threat To Retail Media (Part 2) 9:45

2M ago9:45

9:45

In part two of my conversation with Scott Wingo, we dive deeper into how AI-powered agentic shopping could reshape - and potentially upend - the current retail media landscape. We explore what happens when AI becomes the primary interface for shopping leaving behind the traditional retailer website. Who stands to lose the most? Who has a shot at st…

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Shein's Secret Weapon: The Gen Z Code that Every Brand Wants to Crack 56:45

2M ago56:45

56:45

Welcome to a special episode of The Watson Weekend as Vinny O'Brien and Nick Kaplan sit down with marketplace veteran George Chang, General Manager of Shein's third-party marketplace business. George provides a rare and fascinating look into how Shein has mastered the Gen Z market and built a massive global platform. George shares his insights on: …

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Agentic Shopping Poses An Existential Threat To Retail Media (Part 1) 9:38

2M ago9:38

9:38

When I launched my Amazon agency Bobsled back in 2015, I heard plenty of dismissals: CEOs calling Amazon ads a fad, and prestige brands scoffing at their products sharing carts with toilet paper. Fast forward to today, and I’m seeing another inflection point, one that could rattle the very foundations of the $60 billion retail media ecosystem — age…

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The best conversation you had with your Shopper Marketing team 9:36

2M ago9:36

9:36

Retail media may be the shiny new thing, but the true magic happens when it blends with the wisdom of traditional shopper marketing. In this episode I sat down with four powerhouse brand leaders to uncover the best conversations they've had with their shopper marketing teams and the strategic breakthroughs that followed. We dive into how scenario p…

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Will the retail industry welcome the “commerce media” newcomers? 8:05

2M ago8:05

8:05

Today I’m tackling a big shift that’s got everyone buzzing in the world of retail media. The IAB has just redefined the landscape, moving us from “retail media” to the broader, bolder umbrella of “commerce media.” What does this really mean? Is it just a new name — or are there real implications for brands, budgets, and how we measure success? In t…

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Amazon Q2 Earnings: Best Of The Analyst Recaps 11:02

2M ago11:02

11:02

Amazon just dropped its Q2 2025 earnings—and the numbers sparked plenty of hot takes across the retail world. In this episode I distill the smartest analyst commentary into three can’t‑miss story lines: the unstoppable growth of Amazon Ads, the surprising resilience of its core retail engine, and how the company’s AI push might reshape shopping (fo…

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From Orvis to Dinosaurs: A Conversation with Dave Finnegan on the Future of Brand Building 1:16:42

2M ago1:16:42

1:16:42

This week on The Watson Weekend, we sit down with brand-building veteran Dave "Finn" Finnegan, former CMO of Orvis and Build-A-Bear. Finn shares his unique perspective on marketing, drawing from his experiences in retail and as a budding anthropologist. We dive into the importance of authentic connections, the balance between data and storytelling,…