Connect with us
Anglostratits

Business

Global retail media ad market nears $200bn but its gold-rush era wanes as search gives way to display

Published

on

WARC

WARC releases The Future of Commerce Media 2025 examining trends, advertising investment and the impact of AI on retail media

4 November 2025 – The global retail media market retains significant momentum, with ad investment projected to surpass $200bn by 2027, per WARC Media. However, underlying this growth is an evolving industry. As brands consolidate their ad spend across fewer retail media networks and sponsored search growth slows, retailers must reinvent themselves as ‘full-funnel’ platforms offering granular display and off-site solutions, whilst preparing for the impacts of agentic commerce and AI.

Alex Brownsell, Head of Content, WARC Media, says: “Retail media has evolved from a US and China-driven trend into a global phenomenon, with European spend now growing at double the rate of the broader digital advertising market. As the sector expands beyond traditional sponsored search into visual display, audio, social, and television partnerships, it has never been more important for advertisers to have clarity on the scale and the suitability of the commerce media opportunity.”

The Future of Commerce Media 2025 examines key trends, ad investment and the impact of AI that will drive the future of retail media

Retail Media ad market nears $200bn

According to the latest WARC Media forecast, worldwide investment with retail media networks (RMNs) is set to reach $174.9bn this year, up 13.7% year-on-year, before rising a further 12.4% in 2026 to reach $196.7bn, representing 16% of all ad spend.

However, topline growth rates are steadily slowing towards single-digit levels – from 38.6% in 2021 to a forecast growth rate of 11.6% in 2027.

James McDonald, Director of Data, Intelligence & Forecasting, WARC, says: “Retail media is rapidly evolving from a lower-funnel, search-dominated channel into a full-funnel proposition. Display advertising currently represents less than 30% of total on-site retail media spend, however, this balance is poised to shift as retail media becomes more integrated with brand digital budgets. Much may depend on the adoption of agentic AI, which threatens the high human traffic volumes that have monetised the retail media networks to date.”

A closer look at the retail media ad spend shows that:

Retail media ad investment is forecast to overtake combined linear and connected TV spend in 2026.
Spending growth from endemic brands (i.e. advertised products which are sold directly by a retailer) is decelerating.
Retail media ad spend for technology and electronics brands, the largest category, is forecast to reach $32.2bn globally in 2026, up 15.4% year-on-year.
Future growth is likely to come from display and off-site. In the first half of 2025, UK advertiser investment with display retail media increased 41.6% year-on-year, compared to a 35.6% rise in search retail media ad spend.
Quick-commerce (q-commerce) is a key area of expansion, especially in Asian markets. Instacart, Uber, Delivery Hero and DoorDash each boast annual ad businesses worth more than $1bn.
Scale will be a major determinant of retail media networks (RMN) viability in a decelerating market, as brands become more discerning about where to place commerce media investments.
Tariff concerns boosted retail media spend in H1 2025, particularly in Europe, as brands pulled budgets forward in fear of disruptions.

Commerce media is emerging as a full-funnel proposition

Commerce media is emerging as a full-funnel solution, with more ad formats and channels to complement granular first-party data. A recent survey by ad-tech company Infillion found that two in five (40%) of agency-side executives who buy retail media see it as a full-funnel solution, and another 7% agreed it is an upper-funnel opportunity.

But new strategies and definitions of success will be needed to help this channel escape from a tight focus on narrow, lower-funnel conversion and from relying on siloed metrics like ROAS.

There are a growing number of retail media channels and ad formats that can support truly full-funnel strategies. CTV, off-site, digital out-of-home, and in-store advertising can enable brands to execute full-funnel strategies that bridge digital and physical shopping experiences.

Best practices from other channels, especially around the need to use more media options and run longer campaigns, also apply to retail media.

Amazon aspires to dominate open web advertising

Amazon, the world’s largest commerce media seller, continues to dominate the commerce media landscape, maintaining 15% year-on-year growth, per WARC Media, through its full-funnel expansion and strategic demand-side-platform (DSP) partnerships.

Inventory partners now include Roku, enabling advertisers to reach an estimated 80m US connected TV households, and big hitters like Disney, Netflix, Spotify and Microsoft. Amazon claims its ad-supported monthly reach in the US has tipped over 300 million, while eight in 10 UK households can be reached with Amazon DSP.

Research by Skai found that more than 20% of all ad investment with Amazon is now allocated to its demand-side-platform (DSP) – double the share recorded two years ago – as advertisers look for greater efficiency.

Agentic AI commerce arrives

Agentic AI commerce – shopping powered by AI agents – is generating significant hype as the future of online shopping. The total addressable market for agentic commerce has an estimated value of $136bn in 2025 and has been forecast to grow to hit a potential $1.7trn by 2030, according to Edgar, Dunn & Company.

Test-and-learn strategies could be useful, but it will be essential to meet real consumer needs, not just develop new tech tools with no strategic purpose. The lessons of adapting to past innovations can be put to good use in thinking about how, when and where to potentially deploy agentic commerce

When using agentic tools, it is important to view results in a holistic way. Narrow metrics are not reliable success indicators. Whilst it could be tempting to over-credit AI tools for sales, many inputs, from brand equity to emotion-led creative and seasonality, also have a role.

The Future of Commerce Media 2025 is based on data and insights from WARC and external research. WARC members can read the full report. A deep-dive podcast into the report will follow.

 

Home  Facebook

Business

Liberia to Preview Next Oil & Gas Licensing Round Strategy at Houston Investor Day

Published

on

The Liberia Petroleum Regulatory Authority will host operators, investors and partners in Houston on August 19 to preview future licensing opportunities and showcase the exploration potential of its offshore basins

HOUSTON, United States of America, August 7, 2026/APO Group/ –The Liberia Petroleum Regulatory Authority (LPRA) will present its strategy for the country’s next offshore licensing round at Liberia Investor Day Houston on August 19, bringing together international exploration companies, investors, service providers and energy leaders to discuss the next phase of Liberia’s upstream development.

Hosted in partnership with Energy Capital & Power, the event will provide a platform for the LPRA, led by Director General Hon. Marilyn T. Logan, to outline Liberia’s regulatory framework, investment priorities and plans to attract new participation across the country’s offshore sector. Discussions will focus on upcoming licensing opportunities, exploration prospects and the subsurface data supporting future investment decisions.

Liberia’s offshore sector is entering a new phase of exploration activity, with renewed international participation and a growing pipeline of opportunities. Following the award and ratification of eight Production Sharing Contracts in 2025, Liberia has re-established itself as a frontier exploration destination, with international operators advancing work programs designed to further evaluate the country’s petroleum potential. TotalEnergies is progressing exploration activities that include offshore geochemical surveys, 3D seismic acquisition and seabed mapping, while Oranto Petroleum has also signed contracts to explore Liberia’s offshore.

At the Liberia Investor Day Houston, the LPRA will provide industry stakeholders with insight into the priorities shaping the next licensing round, including the anticipated process, qualification requirements, available acreage and access to technical data. The engagement will give prospective investors a clearer view of Liberia’s exploration landscape and the opportunities emerging across its offshore basins.

The event will also facilitate direct dialogue between LPRA and the global upstream community, connecting companies with policymakers and industry stakeholders involved in shaping Liberia’s next chapter of petroleum development.

As exploration companies continue to seek new frontier opportunities, Liberia Investor Day Houston will highlight the role of regulatory certainty, data availability and strategic partnerships in unlocking long-term investment across Liberia’s offshore sector.

Registration is now open for attendees. Companies interested in Liberia’s emerging offshore opportunities are invited to join LPRA, investors and upstream leaders in Houston for insights into the country’s licensing strategy and exploration outlook. For more information contact info@energycapitalpower.com.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Energy Capital & Power.

 

Continue Reading

Business

Beyond Stabroek: Guyana’s Offshore Basin Attracts New Wave of Exploration Investment

Published

on

Etu Energias

As ExxonMobil advances appraisal activity in Stabroek and new operators target frontier acreage, Guyana is attracting global capital and building a diversified offshore portfolio designed to sustain long-term growth

GEORGETOWN, Guyana, August 7, 2026/APO Group/ –Guyana’s transformation into one of the world’s fastest-growing oil producers is entering a new phase, with a growing network of IOCs expanding exploration activity across the country’s offshore basin. Beyond the landmark discoveries that first put Guyana on the global energy map, new drilling campaigns and licensing partnerships are creating a broader exploration ecosystem designed to support long-term production growth.

At the center of this momentum is ExxonMobil’s continued exploration and appraisal activity in the prolific Stabroek Block. The company has submitted a proposal for a 35-well exploration and appraisal drilling campaign, expected to run from 2028 through 2033, pending regulatory approval. The program would build on more than 30 commercial discoveries already made in the block, with drilling activity focused on evaluating new prospects and appraising existing discoveries to support future development opportunities.

Exploration activity is also extending into Guyana’s frontier acreage, with ExxonMobil advancing drilling operations at the deepwater Canje Block. The company has deployed the Noble Stena Carron drillship for exploration activity, highlighting continued industry interest in evaluating Guyana’s underexplored offshore potential beyond the established Stabroek Block.

Guyana’s strong exploration outlook comes as the country’s economy continues to benefit from rapid oil sector expansion, with hydrocarbons expected to remain a key driver of exports, government revenues and economic growth. As production scales up, attracting additional investment across exploration, services and infrastructure will be critical to supporting the next phase of development.

That momentum is being reinforced through partnerships established under Guyana’s 2023 offshore licensing round. A consortium comprising TotalEnergies, QatarEnergy and Petronas is advancing exploration activities in Block S4 under a five-year production sharing agreement signed with the government in late 2025. The award represents one of the first major outcomes of the licensing round and demonstrates continued international confidence in Guyana’s offshore resource potential.

Beyond the largest operators, a diverse group of companies is also expanding activity across Guyana’s offshore basin. Eco Atlantic is advancing exploration at the Orinduik Block; CGX Energy and Frontera Energy are progressing work in the Corentyne Block; Occidental is evaluating opportunities in the Roraima Block; while Ratio Guyana and Cataleya Energy hold interests in the Kaieteur Block. Together, these partnerships are broadening Guyana’s exploration landscape, increasing competition for acreage and creating opportunities for future discoveries.

As Guyana transitions from an emerging producer to a global energy hub, the next challenge will be converting exploration success into sustainable investment, local value creation and regional growth. These opportunities will be explored at Caribbean Energy Week 2027, held under the theme “Unlocking the Caribbean Energy Corridor: Oil, Gas, LNG & Investment for a New Global Hub.” Bringing together governments, IOCs, investors and technology providers, the event will examine how Guyana’s expanding partnerships can accelerate offshore development, strengthen regional energy cooperation and attract the capital needed to support the Caribbean’s evolving energy landscape.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Energy Capital & Power.

Continue Reading

Business

Energy Capital & Power Establishes London Entity, Expanding Global Platform for Energy and Mining Events

Published

on

Energy

The move strengthens ECP’s presence in the UK and Europe, and its ability to connect African and South American markets with global investors

LONDON, United Kingdom, August 6, 2026/APO Group/ –International events company Energy Capital & Power (ECP) (www.EnergyCapitalPower.com) has officially established its UK entity in London, marking a milestone in the company’s growth strategy and reinforcing its ability to deliver world-class energy and mining events and campaigns in the UK and Europe.

By establishing a presence in a key hub like London – the pre-eminent energy and mining finance center – ECP actively shapes the global energy conversation. The expansion positions ECP to better serve clients, partners and investors seeking to develop business opportunities between Africa, Europe, the Americas and energy markets worldwide.

Opening our UK company brings ECP closer to key investors in the global energy finance capital

The milestone comes as ECP strengthens its reach through a series of investment platforms that connect global capital to energy and mining projects. These include the Venezuela Energy Week London Showcase on July 30 – with over 300 delegates registered – and the annual Invest in African Energy Forum, held in Paris as the premier event connecting global investors to Africa’s energy transformation.

ECP hosts high level summits and investor conferences in leading energy and minerals producing countries in Africa and South America, including: Venezuela Energy Week; Angola Oil & Gas; MSGBC Oil, Gas & Power; African Mining Week; Libya Energy & Economic Summit; Congo Energy & Investment Forum; South Sudan Oil & Power; and Caribbean Energy Week. The company has hosted investor forums and supported licensing round roadshows in Houston, London and Paris since 2016.

“Opening our UK company brings ECP closer to key investors in the global energy finance capital,” states CEO James Chester. “Having a permanent presence in London further cements our footprint in Europe, enabling us to fulfil our mission to bring minerals and energy investment to diverse global markets.”

With teams located across Africa, Europe and the Americas, ECP has long-facilitated strategic engagement, market intelligence and industry convening, uniting investors with leading energy and mining projects.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Energy Capital & Power.

Continue Reading

Trending