Last week at the LiveRamp RampUp conference, I moderated a panel with DoorDash Ads’ Peter Giordano and Nestlé’s Nicole Lesinski. The conversation revealed something that a lot of retail media networks have been wondering about: how big CPG brands actually decide where their retail media dollars go.
In this episode, I break down Nicole’s candid explanation of how Nestlé ranks and evaluates retail media networks (using a structured grid that compares retailers not only to each other but also to giants like Google and Meta). I also unpack why measurement and incrementality are still major hurdles internally at even the largest brands, and how new testing approaches are helping teams make the case for more commerce media investment.
This episode is sponsored by Mirakl Ads
Timeline
[00:00] – I recap a panel I moderated at LiveRamp’s RampUp conference with DoorDash Ads and Nestlé’s frozen division.
[01:05] – Nestlé’s “rank and stack” approach: how the company evaluates retail media networks using a capability and scale grid.
[01:32] – Why retail media networks are actually competing with Google and Meta for budget (not just other retailers).
[02:15] – The pressure inside large CPGs to justify every media dollar with clear sales attribution.
[03:09] – DoorDash’s “ghost ads” incrementality testing method and why it matters for internal credibility.
[04:48] – How DoorDash moved from “pennies” in Nestlé’s budget to becoming a leader in their retail media investment.
Links & Resources