# Kantar Data: Retail Media Networks Drive Brand Growth Beyond Conversion Metrics

*Research shows social commerce and retail platforms delivering measurable top-funnel impact, not just point-of-sale lift.*

By **Jenny Huang Goodman MPA MSc MHSA, Principal** — The Stash Edge, Hako Shikin LLC.
Published 2026-09-11.

Canonical: https://www.pops4.com/stash/articles/retail-media-and-social-commerce-kantar-research-2026-09-11t15-7
Subject: Retail media and social commerce (Kantar research)
Tags: retail media, social commerce, amazon advertising, performance marketing, brand lift

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Kantar's latest research reveals retail media networks and social commerce channels are driving brand growth across the funnel, not just conversion. According to Kantar, brands investing in retail platforms are seeing measurable gains in awareness and consideration alongside traditional sales metrics—a shift that reframes how physical product marketers allocate media budgets.

The mechanism: retail media ads run in-context, reaching shoppers already in a buying mindset on platforms like Amazon, Walmart, and Target. Social commerce—shoppable posts on Instagram, TikTok Shop, Pinterest—captures intent earlier, turning discovery into purchase without the platform exit. Kantar's data shows these channels build brand equity while closing sales, a dual function legacy display and search struggle to match at comparable cost.

Why it works comes down to proximity. A shopper browsing air fryers on Amazon who sees a sponsored product for a specific brand is **three clicks from checkout**. That same shopper served a Facebook ad for the same fryer faces friction: tab switch, site load, cart build, credential entry. Retail media collapses the distance. Social commerce does similar work upstream—users scroll, see a product styled in-feed, tap to buy without leaving the app. Kantar's findings suggest this compressed path doesn't just lift conversion; it imprints the brand during a high-intent moment, which drives repeat and referral downstream.

The data also challenges the assumption that retail media is pure performance play. Brands running campaigns on Walmart Connect or Instacart report lift in unaided awareness and purchase intent among exposed users, per Kantar. That's top-funnel work historically reserved for TV or out-of-home, now happening inside the transaction environment. For physical products, this means one budget line can serve brand-building and demand capture—formerly separate line items.

The steal for a small physical-product brand starts with a **$500 test**. Choose one retail media platform where your product is already listed: Amazon Sponsored Products, Walmart Connect, or Target Roundel. Run a **30-day campaign** targeting your core product category with a **$15-$20 daily budget**. Bid on in-market keywords—specific product types, not branded terms. Track not just attributed sales but also detail page views and add-to-cart rate among exposed users. Pull the platform's brand lift survey if available (Amazon Brand Lift Study runs at **$5,000 minimum**, but Walmart and Target offer lighter options). Compare cost-per-acquisition against your Facebook or Google campaigns. Most small brands find retail media CPA runs **20-35% lower** because the audience is already shopping, not scrolling.

For social commerce, start on the platform where your audience already engages. If you're on Instagram, enable Shopping and tag products in **five posts per week**—not lifestyle fluff, but product-in-use shots with clear utility. Pin a shoppable post to your profile grid. On TikTok, use TikTok Shop if eligible (currently open to U.S. sellers with **$100 minimum order value**). Post short-form product demos—**15-30 seconds**—with the product link in-app. Track click-through rate and in-app purchases separately from web conversions. The goal is to identify which platform converts browsers to buyers without forcing a site visit.

Kantar's research doesn't just validate retail media's efficiency; it suggests the channel is becoming a primary brand-building vehicle for product categories where purchase intent is high and consideration windows are short. For a solo founder or small team, that means retail media and social commerce aren't supplemental tactics—they're the lead allocation, with traditional paid social and search filling gaps, not driving strategy.

## The takeaway

Retail media delivers both conversion and brand lift; small brands should test in-platform ads where their products already list.

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## Publisher

**Hako Shikin LLC** — Virginia Beach, Virginia. Founded 1997. ASI 217876 · DUNS 18-204-6339.
Principal and author: **Jenny Huang Goodman MPA MSc MHSA**.

- Author: https://www.huanggoodman.com/about
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