CANNES – Retail media continues to evolve at breakneck speed, and according to Epsilon’s Austin Leonard, the future of the space depends on one thing: identity, powered by AI and fueled by creative innovation.
Leonard, senior vice president of retail media at Publicis Groupe’s Epsilon, outlined how advancements in first-party data, AI-driven identity resolution and influencer partnerships are reshaping retail media networks (RMNs) into more sophisticated, closed-loop marketing engines in this interview with Beet.TV contributor David Kaplan at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity.
AI-identity connection
“One of the foundations for any retail or commerce media network is understanding your audience,” Leonard said. “The ability to identify customers more effectively is the key to reaching and activating them — and AI is central to making that happen.”
Epsilon’s identity solution, Leonard said, leverages vast volumes of first-party data from both retailers and Epsilon’s proprietary sources. AI helps transform that data into actionable customer profiles in real time, enabling precise targeting, real-time activation and just as importantly, suppression of ads after a purchase to avoid wasted impressions.
“AI allows us to take all those data signals and use them immediately,” Leonard said. “We can identify more of a retailer’s customer file, reach them when they’re in-market, and stop targeting them once they convert, all because of our complete customer view.”
Epsilon, part of Publicis Groupe, offers data-driven marketing, identity solutions and retail media capabilities to help brands deliver personalized customer experiences across digital and physical environments.
In-store media and measurement
While much of retail media’s growth has focused on digital touchpoints, Leonard pointed to a surge in in-store media solutions, providing retailers with new owned-and-operated inventory. But with those new opportunities come new challenges: chiefly, proving that in-store advertising drives real sales lift.
“In-store media is exciting, but measurement is the key,” he said. “Retailers have to connect the dots across online, off-site and in-store touchpoints, and that’s where AI-driven identity resolution really delivers value.”
Lessons from programmatic’s playbook
Despite its rapid ascent, Leonard argued that retail media remains unevenly developed, with some networks still in their infancy and others maturing into billion-dollar platforms. He sees parallels with the evolution of programmatic advertising over the past decade, especially the need for standardization, trusted identity frameworks, and high-quality inventory.
“Off-site activation is critical for RMNs, but it can only scale effectively with strong identity solutions and standardized processes,” he said.
Influencers and the creative imperative
Looking ahead, Leonard sees influencer marketing as a major disruptive force within retail media. Partnerships with platforms like Influential are already giving retailers new ways to blend authentic content with targeted activation.
“Influencer marketing provides a whole new source of live, relatable content,” he said. “And that’s where creative comes back into focus. Sometimes we forget that the message and product fit still matter.”
Leonard emphasized that as AI and data unlock better personalization, retailers and brands need to ensure their creative assets keep pace, delivering the right message, to the right person, at the right time, across channels.
“Ultimately, identity, AI and creative need to work together,” Leonard said. “That’s how retailers can build smarter, more effective, and more measurable media networks.”
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