Commerce media—advertising that directly drives product purchase—has evolved from an experimental channel to a core revenue source for many enterprises. As budgets shift from brand awareness to performance‑oriented spend, advertisers and publishers are demanding clearer definitions, reliable measurement, and repeatable operating models. The IAB, long regarded as a standards body for digital advertising, sees the summit as a venue to align the fragmented ecosystem around a common set of metrics and processes.
“Commerce media has become central to enterprise growth, and expectations have never been higher,” said David Cohen, CEO of IAB. “The industry must align on shared definitions and standards across creative, measurement, and attribution. Incrementality and accountability are the new common denominators, and the Connected Commerce Summit is where that alignment will come into clear view.”
The timing coincides with a broader industry shift. After several years of pilot projects and isolated success stories, brands and retailers are now looking to scale initiatives, integrate in‑store media, and embed AI‑driven optimization into their daily workflows. Without a unified framework, the risk of fragmented data and incomparable results grows, potentially eroding confidence among performance‑focused advertisers.
Core themes on the agenda
- Standardized definitions and terminology – Establishing a shared language for “commerce media,” “shoppable ads,” and related concepts.
- Transparent measurement and attribution – Introducing methodologies that can isolate incremental lift and tie ad spend directly to sales outcomes.
- Cross‑channel orchestration – Connecting online, mobile, and in‑store media to create a seamless consumer journey.
- Operational models for scale – Discussing how retailers and agencies can restructure teams and processes to support large‑volume commerce campaigns.
Each pillar is explored through a mix of keynote presentations, solution showcases, and breakout sessions that feature both established players and emerging innovators.
Who will be speaking
The speaker lineup reads like a roll call of the commerce media elite. Representatives from 7‑Eleven, Ace Hardware, Colgate‑Palmolive, Criteo, DoubleVerify, Gildan, GroceryTV, Instacart, Koddi, Moloco Commerce Media, Mondelēz International, SodaStream, Uber Advertising, and a host of other firms are slated to share case studies and insights. The diversity of participants underscores the summit’s ambition to bridge the gap between brand advertisers, retail media networks, and technology providers.
“Commerce media is entering a new phase where execution matters more than experimentation,” noted Collin Colburn, Vice President, Commerce at IAB. “The winners will be those that prove real business impact through credible measurement, operational discipline, and the ability to connect media investments to commerce outcomes.”
A snapshot of the program
Below is a condensed view of the day‑long schedule. Times are listed in Eastern Standard Time.
8:00 – 9:00 AM Networking Breakfast
9:00 – 9:15 AM Opening remarks: The Year Of Integration: Solving Commerce Media’s Biggest Imperatives
9:15 – 9:45 AM Panel: The New Growth Equation: Where Media, Retail, and Tech Converge
9:45 – 10:15 AM Deep dive: Building the Transparent Commerce Media Tech Stack
10:15 – 10:30 AM Solution showcase – Koddi
10:30 – 11:10 AM Networking break
11:10 – 11:40 AM Case study: From Pilot to Proof: Scaling In‑Store Media for Measurable Growth (GroceryTV)
11:40 – 11:55 AM Solution showcase – Best Buy Ads
12:00 – 12:35 PM Concurrent breakout sessions:
– Commerce Media x Gen Z: How the Next Generation Discovers, Decides, and Buys (GSTV)
– From Browsing to Buying: AI’s Takeover of the Commerce Journey (Mirakl Ads)
– Commerce Media in a Cross‑Channel Era: Driving Performance Across the Funnel (Criteo)
12:35 – 1:35 PM Networking Lunch
1:35 – 2:05 PM Keynote: From Silo to System: Integrating Retail Media into the Retail Engine
2:05 – 2:35 PM Session: Engineering the Next Phase of Shoppable Media
2:35 – 2:50 PM Solutions showcase (multiple vendors)
2:50 – 3:30 PM Networking break
3:30 – 4:05 PM Concurrent breakout sessions:
– Building to Scale: Designing Orgs for Commerce Media Collaboration
– Measurement Deep Dive: What Really Moves the Needle (Instacart)
– The Language of Commerce & Media: Translating KPIs Into Common Ground
4:05 – 4:20 PM Solutions showcase
4:20 – 4:50 PM Debate: Who Holds The Customer in an Autonomous World? (Moloco)
4:50 – 5:00 PM Closing remarks
5:00 PM onward Networking reception
All times are in EST; speakers and timings are subject to change. The most current agenda will be posted on the IAB website.
The guide that will accompany the event
In addition to the live programming, IAB plans to release a new research guide titled “Building a More Competitive Commerce Media Ecosystem.” The document outlines strategic pathways for ad networks seeking to differentiate themselves, mature operationally, and attract performance‑driven advertisers. While the guide itself is not yet public, its inclusion signals that the summit will be more than a networking day—it will provide concrete, research‑backed recommendations that participants can take back to their organizations.
Potential ripple effects
If the summit succeeds in forging consensus around measurement standards, the immediate benefit will be a reduction in “apples‑to‑oranges” comparisons that currently plague performance reporting. Advertisers could then negotiate contracts with clearer ROI expectations, while publishers would gain a framework for pricing shoppable inventory. Moreover, a shared taxonomy would simplify data exchange between retail media platforms and third‑party analytics tools, paving the way for more sophisticated cross‑channel attribution models.
From an industry‑wide perspective, the timing aligns with increasing scrutiny from regulators and privacy advocates. By establishing transparent, auditable measurement practices, the commerce media ecosystem may pre‑empt potential legislative pressure and demonstrate a commitment to responsible data use.
What’s missing and what to watch
While the agenda is comprehensive, the summit does not appear to include dedicated sessions on privacy‑first measurement, a topic that has gained prominence after recent changes to cookie policies and the rise of first‑party data strategies. Observers will be looking for any mention of how the proposed standards will accommodate evolving privacy regulations.
Another area to monitor is the role of AI. The program references AI‑driven commerce and an “AI takeover of the commerce journey,” but the depth of technical discussion remains unclear. As machine‑learning models become central to real‑time bidding and personalization, the industry will need concrete guidance on model validation, bias mitigation, and explainability.
Bottom line
The 2026 IAB Connected Commerce Summit represents a concerted effort by the digital advertising community to bring rigor and scalability to a fast‑growing segment of the market. By gathering a cross‑section of retailers, brands, and technology vendors under one roof, the event promises to surface best practices, introduce a new research guide, and potentially lay the groundwork for industry‑wide standards. For B2B technology providers and marketers focused on performance‑driven advertising, the summit’s outcomes could shape budgeting decisions, technology roadmaps, and partnership strategies for the next several years.
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