The Retail Media market continues to grow rapidly in Brazil, but its understanding is still surrounded by many misconceptions. We recently conducted an internal survey with RelevanC to identify and debunk the main myths surrounding this segment. The responses were revealing: each professional provided valuable insights that help clarify the real potential of this strategy that has already revolutionized retail. Check out the myths we're going to debunk:
It all comes down to ROAS.
“ Thinking that everything boils down to ROAS is a view that limits the potential of campaigns, ignoring shopper understanding and essential metrics such as new shopper acquisition and lifetime value, for example. Retail Media goes beyond quick results, being a powerful strategy for market expansion, loyalty, and long-term growth,” explains Rafael Schettini, Head of Data & AdOps at RelevanC.
This point is essential for anyone who truly wants to utilize Retail Media to its full potential. By reducing metrics and analysis exclusively to the immediate return on advertising spend (ROAS), more strategic data such as new customer acquisition and long-term customer lifetime value are overlooked. When well executed, Retail Media allows for the creation of a solid base of new customers and the promotion of loyalty strategies, contributing significantly to the continuous growth of brands, and not just to immediate results.
Digital is not the only focus.
Retail Media isn't just about digital. "In most brick-and-click retailers, transactions occur in physical stores, and the ability to connect online impressions with on- and offline conversions is what differentiates them in this booming Retail Media market," says Luciane Luza, Senior AdOps Analyst at RelevanC.
This is an important reality in our market: the majority of retail transactions still occur in physical stores. The strategic advantage of Retail Media lies precisely in its ability to unite these two worlds, digital and physical. Brands and retailers need to understand that Retail Media is not limited to digital, but enhances physical operations through the integration of data and behavioral insights obtained from digital platforms, allowing for a deeper and more complete understanding of consumer purchasing behavior.
The investment in Retail Media comes from the Trade Marketing budget.
“In fact, Retail Media goes beyond the traditional scope of Trade. Many activations happen off-site (programmatic media, social media activation, CTV), reaching consumers outside the retail environment. The budgets of the Branding, Performance, Marketing and Media areas also need to be considered, since Retail Media delivers results in both awareness and conversion. More innovative brands are even creating new specific budgets for Retail Media and measuring incrementality and brand lift in this new scope,” explains Amanda Passos, Data Coordinator at RelevanC.
For many years, Retail Media was seen exclusively as an evolution of Trade Marketing. However, this approach is now outdated given the reach and results provided by retail media today.
Retail Media demands a more strategic and integrated vision that goes beyond trade marketing, bringing in funds from Branding, Performance Marketing, Communication, and Media areas. Large advertisers have already realized that a specific budget for Retail Media is a strategic investment in awareness, conversions, and brand strengthening, showing how this discipline is truly multidimensional.
Retail media is simply about traffic and visibility.
“Retail media not only increases visibility but directly influences consumers' purchasing decisions at crucial moments. By strategically placing ads on retail platforms, brands can impact consumers when they are most likely to make a purchase, significantly increasing conversion rates. This strategy allows brands to connect with consumers at every stage of the sales funnel, from awareness to the final purchase decision,” Bruna Cioletti, Senior Account Manager at RelevanC.
The truth is that Retail Media is more than just a visibility tool. It's a strategy capable of directly influencing the consumer's decision at the most critical moment: the purchase.
Strategically placing ads to reach consumers in the right context and at the right time has a profound impact on conversions. Furthermore, Retail Media offers comprehensive coverage across the entire sales funnel, from brand awareness to the final purchase decision, making it a powerful tool for ensuring concrete results at every stage of the consumer journey.
Retail media is only useful for immediate sales.
“Although Retail Media’s conversion capacity is one of its greatest assets, restricting this strategy to only short-term sales is a mistake. When well-planned, Retail Media also contributes to brand building, increased recognition, and customer loyalty. It allows brands to maintain a constant presence throughout the customer journey, not just in the final purchase decision stage,” explains Caroline Mayer, VP of RelevanC in Brazil.
This myth is one of the most common – and one of the most limiting – for brands regarding the potential of Retail Media. Indeed, its ability to impact the consumer at the moment of purchase is undeniable. However, this impact extends far beyond immediate sales. By maintaining a continuous and relevant presence in both digital and physical retail environments, brands build lasting relationships and increase brand recall in the consumer's mind.
Effective retail media integrates awareness, consideration, and loyalty campaigns, becoming a strategic asset for accelerating one-off sales and sustaining long-term brand growth. It represents an evolution in campaign logic: from isolated actions to an "always-on" presence, aligned with shopper behavior throughout the entire purchase journey.
The true potential of Retail Media
These myths and their respective debunkings by our experts demonstrate that Retail Media goes far beyond what many still believe. This approach is not just a tool for immediate results, an exclusively digital strategy, or simply another investment line within Trade Marketing. It is, above all, a strategic discipline that unites digital and physical, integrates different areas of marketing, influences purchasing decisions at critical moments, and generates sustainable long-term results.
For brands and retailers wishing to successfully navigate this transforming landscape, it is necessary to overcome these limiting perceptions and embrace the true potential of Retail Media. Only in this way can they guarantee concrete and lasting results, delivering complete and consistent experiences for their clients and consumers.
