Retail media network advertising strategies based on benchmarks and trends seen with Walmart, Amazon, and more RMNs.

Political advertising trends shaping campaign strategy Political advertising is entering a high-growth cycle as the 2024 election season ramps up. Political ad spending is expected to surpass $10 billion; with Kamala Harris entering the race, spending priorities have moved, especially in key states like Ohio, where the Senate race alone has already seen $300 million in ad spending. CTV is capturing a growing share of that investment. CTV’s share of political ad spending is projected to increase from 2.7% in 2020 to 12.8% this year. The Harris campaign, leading the charge, allocating $200 million for digital ads, with a significant portion committed to streaming platforms. With more money flowing into more channels, effective audience targeting has become crucial in political marketing. The ability to reach voters based on behavior, geography, and media habits can influence perception, guide engagement, and impact election outcomes. Three political campaign marketing audience categories This article outlines three political audience segments that can help political campaigns and advocacy organizations align messaging with voter priorities, behaviors, and geography.  More than 240 politically relevant Experian Audiences are available across TV, demand-side, and supply-side platforms. These audiences support campaign planning and activation across three core categories: Political affiliations Political personas Relevant ballot initiative audiences Let’s break down each category and which audiences you can use in your political campaign marketing to target voters this upcoming election season. Our political affiliation audiences help your campaigns connect with voters based on likely party alignment or registration status. These audiences are built using voter registration data combined with Experian’s modeling techniques, allowing campaigns to reach voters at scale. These audiences are often used as a foundation, then layered with geography or issue-based attributes to refine reach. Here are four audience segments that you can activate to target voters based on their predicted party affiliation: Democrat Republican Independent/Other Unregistered How to use these audiences A campaign organizer or media strategist can activate Independent/Other to reach persuadable voters who are not strongly tied to a party, particularly in competitive districts. Our political persona audiences' model political affiliation and ideological leaning, helping your campaigns understand where voters are likely to fall across the political spectrum - including committed party members, moderates, and those who lean without formal affiliation. Here are 10 audience segments that you can activate to target voters based on their viewpoints on key political issues: Political Unregistered Liberal Leaning Political Unregistered Conservative Leaning Committed Democrats Moderate Democrats Political Leaning Liberals Liberal Leaning Independents Conservative Leaning Independent Political Leaning Conservatives Moderate Republicans Committed Republicans How to use these audiences A campaign organizer, policy director, or media planner can activate Liberal Leaning Independents to reach voters whose issue positions influence voting behavior more than party labels. Learn more about political personas Issue-based audience layers that complement political personas Political personas identify how voters think. Issue-based audiences help identify what motivates them. Campaigns often layer these audiences with political personas to align issue messaging with voter priorities. Environmental issue alignment using GreenAware audiences To reach voters who believe the environment is a key political issue, you can layer in our GreenAware audiences with our Political Personas audiences: Behavioral Greens Think Greens Potential Greens True Browns Read more about GreenAware audiences Geographic and voting-pattern layers To reach voters based on their regional voting patterns, you can use our new battleground counties and district audiences: Affiliation Switcher Counties   Battleground Counties  House Battleground Districts  Democrat Counties Republican Counties Independent Counties Ballot initiatives often hinge on everyday experiences, family structure, and local priorities. Experian Audiences help your campaigns reflect those realities in your outreach. Local and national ballot initiative support Consumer behaviors are often great predictors of local and national ballot initiatives. These behaviors help campaigns anticipate which issues are most likely to resonate within specific communities and households.  For example:   Military households may engage with veteran-related initiatives Families with children may respond to education funding measures Environmentally engaged voters may support sustainability proposals Experian offers consumer behavior and interest audiences that help campaigns align outreach, message framing, and issue emphasis with the everyday experiences that shape ballot initiative support. Military – Active Presence of Children > Ages: 0-18 How to use these audiences A ballot initiative campaign manager or field organizer can activate audiences such as Military – Active or Presence of Children: Ages: 0–18 to align outreach with voters whose daily experiences connect directly to the ballot initiative. Charitable causes Charitable and advocacy causes often rely on donor participation and sustained financial support. Audience categories supporting charitable cause outreach and fundraising include lifestyle attributes, charitable giving behavior, household composition, and donation patterns. Contributes to Political Charities Discretionary Spend - Donations > $1,000-$1,999 How to use these audiences A fundraising director or advocacy lead can activate Contributes to Political Charities to reach voters with a demonstrated history of political giving. Demographic and financial context Demographic and financial context, such as age, income, education, and household structure, influences how voters interpret ballot language, policy framing, and issue relevance. These factors shape how messages are received across different communities and life stages. Demographic and financial audiences help campaigns apply this context by aligning message tone, framing, and emphasis with voter circumstances. When paired with geo-targeting, these audiences help reduce wasted spend and support delivery of relevant messages within the appropriate geographic boundaries. Financial FLA Friendly > In Market Auto Loan Geo-Indexed > Household Income: $50,000-$74,999 Geo-Indexed > Education: Bachelor Degree Presence of Children > Ages: 10-12 Marital status > Single Ages > 19-24 Moms, Parents, Families > Mothers with infant child(ren) (0-3 yrs old) Financial FLA Friendly1 > Income > $1,000-$24,999 Financial FLA Friendly > In Market New Mortgage How to use these audiences A campaign communications or policy team can activate our demographic and financial audiences such as Geo-Indexed: Household Income: $50,000–$74,999 to adjust tone and framing of ballot language. Media consumption and channel preferences Understanding how voters consume media supports more effective channel planning. Media engagement audiences reflect preferences for streaming TV, email, digital video, and social platforms, helping campaigns match message format to viewing habits. Engagement Channel Preference > Email Engagement Engagement Channel Preference > Streaming TV Social Media > Snapchat Purchase Transactions > Ad Responders > Digital Television (TV) > Ad Avoiders/Ad Acceptors > Ad Acceptors How to use these audiences A media planner or digital strategist can activate Engagement Channel Preference > Streaming TV to match ballot initiative messaging with how voters prefer to consume media. Mosaic® USA Our Mosaic audiences are proprietary persona-based audience solution that combines hundreds of demographic and behavioral data points to classify all U.S. households into groups and types, creating a holistic view of voters and their interests. Mosaic - Singles and Starters > O55 – Family Troopers Mosaic - Cultural Connections > P56 - Mid-scale Medley Mosaic - Singles and Starters > O52 - Urban Ambition How to use these audiences A campaign strategy or insights team can activate Mosaic – Singles and Starters > O55 – Family Troopers to understand voters through a combined demographic and behavioral lens. Read about Mosaic® USA Occupation Occupation provides important context for how voters evaluate ballot measures, policy proposals, and issue messaging. A voter’s work environment, industry, or employment status can influence how measures are perceived, particularly when policies affect jobs, education, agriculture, retirement, or economic conditions. Occupation-based audiences help campaigns align messaging with professional context by tailoring language, examples, and issue framing to industries and work environments that are directly affected by specific measures. Management/Business and Financial Operations Sales Farming/Fish/Forestry At-Home: Retired/Empty Nesters Education How to use these audiences A policy advocate or outreach coordinator can activate Education or Farming/Fish/Forestry to tailor messaging around measures that affect specific industries or work environments. Personal views Understand consumers personal views around family, their social and work life. Psychographic/Attitudes > Work Centered Psychographic/Attitudes > Family Centered Psychographic/Attitudes > Social Isolation How to use these audiences A campaign organizer or messaging strategist can activate Psychographic/Attitudes > Family Centered to reach voters whose personal priorities influence how they interpret ballot measures. What separates Experian's syndicated audiences Our syndicated audiences give you an advantage across channels, offering both scale and accuracy: Experian’s 3,500+ syndicated audiences can be sent to 200+ leading social platforms, such as Meta and Pinterest, TV, and programmatic advertising platforms, and activated directly within Audigent, a part of Experian, with private marketplaces (PMPs)./li> Reach consumers based on who they are, where they live, and their household makeup. Experian ranked #1 in accuracy by Truthset for key demographic attributes. Access to unique audiences through Experian’s Partner Audiences available on Experian’s data marketplace, within Audigent, a part of Experian, for activation in PMPs, and directly on platforms like DirectTV, DV360, Magnite, OpenAP, and The Trade Desk. You can activate our syndicated audiences on-the-shelf of most major platforms. For a full list, download our syndicated audiences guide.  Where can you activate Experian Audiences?  Experian Audiences can be activated on 200+ leading social platforms, such as Meta and Pinterest, TV, and programmatic advertising platforms, and activated directly within Audigent, a part of Experian, with private marketplaces (PMPs), or found directly on over 30 platforms, including: Basis  FreeWheel  Magnite  Nexxen  The Trade Desk  Viant  Microsoft Advertising and more  Need a custom audience? Reach out to our audience team, and we can help you build and activate an Experian audience on the platform of your choice. You can activate political audiences across most major platforms, either directly or through Audigent PMPs, including select partner audiences shown below. For campaigns with specialized needs, our team can also support custom audience development and partner data collaboration. Want to activate an Experian Audience on Meta, Pinterest, Snap, TikTok or on a platform not listed above? Contact us today. Download our syndicated audiences guide Matching political messages with verified voter audiences Political campaigns face pressure to reduce waste and prevent mismatched targeting, as recent election cycles show millions of dollars spent reaching voters who were not eligible or relevant to specific races.  Experian offers more than 240 politically relevant audiences, built on voter registration data and validated modeling, supporting responsible audience selection and geographic alignment. Our audience team reviews and maintains these segments to support relevance, scale, and compliance. You can activate our political audiences on-the-shelf of most major platforms. Can't find the audience you're looking for or need a custom audience? Connect with our audience team for more information. Additionally, work with Experian’s network of data providers to build audiences and send to an Audigent PMP for activation. Connect with our audience team FAQs What are Experian Audiences?  Experian Audiences are pre-built, privacy-compliant consumer segments that help marketers target based on verified demographic, financial, and behavioral data. This includes more than 240 politically relevant audiences designed for flexibility across channels and can be activated on 200+ platforms, including major social, CTV, and programmatic partners.  Experian ranks #1 in demographic accuracy according to Truthset, and marketers can choose from 3,500+ syndicated audiences that capture signals such as income, spending behavior, household structure, financial attitudes, and ability to pay. These same audiences are also available through partnerships on platforms like DirecTV, Dish, Magnite, OpenAP, and The Trade Desk.  For a deeper look at our audience catalog, explore our syndicated audience guide.  What are the three political audience categories?   Three political audience segments that can help political campaigns and advocacy organizations align messaging with voter priorities, behaviors, and geography.   More than 240 politically relevant Experian Audiences are available across TV, demand-side, and supply-side platforms. These audiences support campaign planning and activation across three core categories: - Political affiliations - Political personas - Relevant ballot initiative audiences  Which types of organizations use Experian’s political audiences? Political campaigns, advocacy groups, ballot initiative committees, and public affairs organizations use Experian’s political audiences to align their outreach with voter registration data, modeled attributes, and geographic boundaries.  How are Experian’s political affiliation audiences built?  Experian’s political affiliation audiences use voter registration records combined with Experian modeling to scale reach beyond file-based targeting and support activation across media platforms. In addition, Experian offers political persona audiences, which are built using modeled signals that reflect ideological leaning and issue orientation rather than formal party registration. Political personas help campaigns understand voting mindset and policy priorities across the political spectrum, including voters who lean without formal party affiliation.  Where can Experian Audiences be activated? Experian Audiences can be activated on 200+ leading social platforms, such as Meta and Pinterest, TV, and programmatic advertising platforms, and activated directly within Audigent, a part of Experian, with private marketplaces (PMPs), or found directly on over 30 platforms.  How do Experian’s political personas differ from our party affiliation audiences?  Experian’s political personas focus on issue orientation and voting mindset, while Experian’s party affiliation audiences focus on voter registration status. Political persona audiences support messaging tied to policy topics, economic priorities, and social issues, while party affiliation audiences are commonly used to align outreach with registered party status and base mobilization strategies.  Footnote “Fair Lending Friendly” indicates data fields that Experian has made available without use of certain demographic attributes that may increase the likelihood of discriminatory practices prohibited by the Fair Housing Act (“FHA”) and Equal Credit Opportunity Act (“ECOA”). These excluded attributes include, but may not be limited to, race, color, religion, national origin, sex, marital status, age, disability, handicap, family status, ancestry, sexual orientation, unfavorable military discharge, and gender. Experian’s provision of Fair Lending Friendly indicators does not constitute legal advice or otherwise assures your compliance with the FHA, ECOA, or any other applicable laws. Clients should seek legal advice with respect to your use of data in connection with lending decisions or application and compliance with applicable laws. Latest posts

Dive into the retail media landscape. Explore Amazon's dominance, Walmart's innovations, and the future trends shaping advertising strategies.

Every year, the Experian team attends the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, to immerse ourselves in the world's most significant consumer tech showcase and stay at the forefront of the latest technological advancements and innovations that shape the AdTech industry. This year's event was a vibrant melting pot of innovation and vision, from streamers taking a bigger bite of the advertising pie to the emergence of AI-powered solutions and drone delivery services. Amidst these advancements, the dynamic interplay of technology, media, and advertising raised important questions, especially in the context of evolving regulations and cookie deprecation. During CES, we captured insights from various thought leaders, and in the coming months, we'll be sharing these valuable perspectives with you. Watch the video below for full insights coming from our content studio onsite during the event. Or, keep reading for a recap on four key trends from CES and what they mean for your business in 2024! “My first CES was a major success. You could feel the buzz in the air as new ideas and partnerships were being created within and across industries. The intersection of the different players within retail media, connected TV, retail technology, the demand and supply-side, and agencies all in an ever-changing world of regulation and privacy begs for a solution that can maximize a successful outcome for all.”anne passon, sr director, sales, retail & cpg 1.  Audience targeting: How first- and third-party data work together A central theme at CES was the importance of audience targeting, highlighting the crucial role of first-party data. However, it’s clear that to maximize its potential, this data needs to be augmented with sophisticated identity solutions and enriched with third-party insights, all while navigating the complexities of privacy regulations. This integrated approach is vital to understanding audiences and for creating more effective marketing strategies that comply with privacy regulations. 2. Standardizing metrics in retail media networks The challenges around retail media networks, particularly in terms of standardizing metrics like incremental return on ad spend (iROAS), were a hot topic at CES. This complexity around this topic underscores the need for neutral, expert third parties to help bring clarity and consensus, aiding businesses in navigating this multifaceted domain. 3. The challenge of switching data solutions Discussions covered the broader challenges associated with transitioning to new data solutions. For businesses, this involves a critical assessment of the benefits versus the costs and complexities of adopting new platforms or systems. This decision-making process is increasingly significant as data strategies become integral to marketing success. 4. Identity solutions in a cookieless future With the industry moving toward a cookieless future, the spotlight at CES was on the importance of robust identity solutions. Understanding the functionality and necessity of various universal IDs is essential to minimize data loss and maintain effective targeting. Investing in flexible and adaptable identity solutions like the Experian Graph is essential to maintain effective targeting and audience engagement in this new landscape. Announcements and advertising innovations at CES 2024 CES was a stage for significant announcements and innovative marketing initiatives: Criteo and Albertsons announced their collaboration in retail media. Instacart's partnership with Google for enhanced shopping ads and AI shopping carts. NBCUniversal's advancements in streamlining programmatic advertising. Brands like Netflix, LG, Freewheel, and Amazon Ads also captured attention with their creative marketing strategies, ranging from unique collaborations to themed promotions and captivating events. These insights from CES provide a glimpse into the future of technology, media, and advertising. They highlight the need for adaptability, innovation, and informed decision-making in these dynamic industries, especially in the context of privacy regulations. Stay tuned for our series of posts where we'll dive deeper into these topics, sharing exclusive insights from industry thought leaders.  Follow us on LinkedIn or sign up for our email newsletter for more informative content on the latest industry insights and data-driven marketing. Contact us Latest posts

Short-form video content is becoming more prevalent on video-sharing platforms. Keep up with trends and alter your marketing strategy to stay relevant.

Experian continues to lead in data accuracy according to Truthset's latest analysis.

Programmatic TV can be an inexpensive option if you know where to look. Some platforms can offer a discounted path to prime-time ad spots on major networks.

As we approach 2024, marketers must grasp the evolving landscape of digital activation. Understanding emerging audience trends and activation strategies is key to developing impactful marketing initiatives and positioning your brand for success.   In Experian's 2024 Digital audience trends and predictions report you'll find:   Data-driven insights that will empower you to confidently develop marketing strategies that resonate with your audience and drive meaningful results.   Insights from Experian experts and our industry-leading data. Our outlook for 2024 marketing trends. In this blog post, we'll provide a sneak peek of the 2024 marketing trends you can expect in our full report. Digital activation  Digital activation grew by 63% between 2022 and 2023. We expect digital activation to increase in 2024 but at a slower rate than in 2023 due to economic uncertainty caused by high-interest rates, recent state privacy regulations, and work stoppages in the entertainment and automotive industries.  Top digital audiences  Which digital audiences are advertisers purchasing from Experian?  We are seeing growth in four major data categories: Automotive, Demographics, Lifestyle and Interests, and Retail Shoppers: Purchase Based audiences. Here are a few audiences within these categories that you can activate on-the-shelf of your preferred platform:   Automotive: Autos, Cars, and Trucks > In Market-Make and Models  Demographics: Demographics > Homeowners/Renters > Renter  Lifestyle and Interests: Lifestyle and Interests (Affinity) > Activities and Entertainment > Wine Lovers  Retail Shoppers: Purchase Based: Retail Shoppers: Purchase Based > Food and Drink > Restaurants: Fast Food/QSR Chicken Frequent Spenders  Top digital audiences by industry  What are the top digital audiences being activated by industry? Download our 2024 Digital audience trends and predictions report to discover the top digital audiences in the following industries:  Automotive  Health  Financial Services  Retail & CPG Download our new 2026 Digital trends and predictions report Marketing in 2026 will be defined by connection: between activation and measurement, data and AI, platforms and outcomes. These connections are what turn innovation into impact, and they’re where Experian helps marketers lead with confidence. What you'll learn AI is only as good as its data : Find out why the marketers who shape how AI works, with high-integrity, human-centered data, will be the ones who lead.   Activation and measurement are coming together: Explore how marketers are shifting from reporting after the fact to guiding performance in the moment. First-party data activation is becoming a foundational capability: See how it's now possible to onboard and activate privacy-compliant audiences across channels, all from a single system. Commerce media is no longer just a retail play: Understand why auto, CPG, financial services, and travel brands are now adopting retail-style models to connect data, media, and sales outcomes.    Curation is the new programmatic standard: Learn how curation brings identity, quality, and control together, allowing marketers to target confidently across connected TV (CTV), audio, and the open web. Download now Contact us Latest posts

2023 has been an unprecedented year for AdTech. With new challenges arising every day — from ongoing signal loss to changing consumer privacy regulations– staying on top of trends is more important than ever before.   To help you stay informed on successful tactics from across our ecosystem we’ve compiled a list of our top five 2023 AdTech blog posts. Keep reading to learn about the top themes from CES and Cannes this year, why contextual targeting is so popular, and more - so you can remain competitive in today's rapidly changing environment.  #5 CES 2023: Clean rooms, activation, and more  Experian attended CES in January to kick off the AdTech year, connecting with partners, clients, and industry leaders to understand their challenges and goals. Discussions were focused on clean rooms and digital activation to address data deprecation and consumer privacy.   Clean rooms have the potential to standardize data and address interoperability issues.  Digital activation was predicted to increase significantly in 2023, with more focus on demand-side, video, and supply-side platforms. Did digital activation increase in 2023? Download our 2024 Digital audience trends and predictions report to find out.  Read our full 2023 CES recap here. #4 Experian identity resolution now available in AWS Clean Rooms  Earlier this year, Experian announced that our identity resolution solution is now available in AWS Clean Rooms. Through this new partnership, customers can pair Experian's identity capabilities with AWS Clean Rooms to safely collaborate and access deeper insights without exposing sensitive data.  Check out the full announcement to hear from Kalyani Koppisetti, Principal Partner Solution Architect at AWS, Matt Miller, Business Development Principal at AWS, and Tyler Middleton, Sr. Partner Marketing Manager at Experian.  #3 Four key themes from Cannes Lions 2023  At Cannes Lions 2023, discussions revolved around four main themes:  Signal loss: Experts discussed the importance of adapting paid media strategies to align with consumer behaviors. Collaboration: Discussions highlighted the need for industry players to collaborate and focus on solutions that benefit all stakeholders in the ecosystem. Personalization: This was a key topic and emphasized the growing significance of tailored content, data-driven insights, and first-party data solutions for advertisers adapting to cookie deprecation and the evolving consumer privacy landscape. Balancing AI and creativity: Attendees explored how to balance AI capabilities and nurture creativity while maintaining a human touch. Cannes 2024 will be here before we know it and Experian will be there. To get ready, check out this post by Tyler Middleton, Sr. Partner Marketing Manager, to hear from a first-time Cannes attendee,   #2 Three key insights from our 2023 Holiday spending report  Experian's annual Holiday spending trends and insights report analyzed recent trends, consumer spending habits, and anticipated what was to come in the 2023 holiday shopping season. This blog post covered three key insights from our report:  Consumers are starting their holiday shopping earlier, particularly with online sales.  Online sales have been increasing year-over-year, surpassing in-store sales. Spending during the 2022 holiday season was lower than in previous years but is expected to be on par with what was seen in 2023. For advice from our experts and access to all of our predictions for this year’s holiday shopping season, download our 2023 Holiday spending trends and insights report today.  #1 How contextual ad targeting addresses signal loss  Our most viewed blog post of 2023 was How contextual ad targeting addresses signal loss. Marketers are seeking new solutions due to signal loss caused by the phasing out of third-party cookies. Contextual ad targeting offers a way to combine contextual signals with machine learning for more accurate targeting.  Experian's Jason Andersen and Yieldmo's Alex Johnston discuss the challenges of signal loss, addressability, the importance of good creative, and tips for digital ad success in this blog post. By understanding contextual advertising, marketers can create powerful and effective campaigns to reach target audiences.  Subscribe to our newsletter  Sign up for our email newsletter to receive our latest blog posts, product and partnership announcements, thought leadership, and more straight to your inbox. Subscribe Contact us today Latest posts