How AI is ending the era of fragmented shopper marketing

For years, shopper marketing has operated as a collection of disconnected systems. Retail media, promotions, loyalty programs, digital shelf strategies, and analytics lived in separate platforms managed by separate teams. As a result, brands and retailers have often struggled to connect marketing activity to actual sales outcomes.
As consumer expectations rise and marketing budgets face increased scrutiny, retailers and brands are under increasing pressure to prove return on investment. According to recent findings by Gartner, by 2027, over 40 percent of chief marketing officers who push for larger brand budgets will lose influence with the C-suite if they’re unable to demonstrate sufficient returns.