Commerce media is emerging as the next big frontier in
retail — and it's growing fast. Globally, the space is projected to reach USD$130-billion by 2026, and could top USD$1-trillion by 2030, as giants like Amazon and
Walmart continue to turn retail media into high-performing revenue engines.
But where does South Africa sit in this fast-growing
ecosystem? And how are local brands and retailers positioning themselves for a
share of the pie?
"Commerce media is the broader play on traditional
retail media," says Daniel Levy, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Flow. "It's not just about on-site banners or shelf space
anymore — it's about monetising your audience across every digital touchpoint,
on and off your own platforms."
Insights from the panel include:
1. South Africa's Model Is Different — and That's an Advantage
While South Africa may be behind markets like the US
and the UK in terms of infrastructure and scale, it has something those markets
often lack: strong collaborative relationships between brands and retailers.
This dynamic has created a more agile, flexible environment for commerce media
experimentation. Even without automated tools and structured networks, the
ability to co-create customised campaigns and rapidly iterate on them is a
unique strength of the local market.
Panellist Ashleigh Boggon, Head of Digital Commerce
Africa at Coty Africa, also emphasises the value of an omnichannel approach,
explaining how beauty brands, for example, can meet customers where they’re
already shopping — especially on fast-growing platforms like TikTok, where
local beauty content is thriving.
2. You Don't Need a Full Media Network to Start
One of the most actionable takeaways from the session?
Social media platforms, owned content and even email databases are all
powerful starting points when paired with the right strategic thinking. So
retailers and other commerce-style businesses can start with what they already
have — by activating their own first-party data.
3. It's Not the Size of Your Data that Counts — It's What You Do With It
Tiaan van Zyl, Director of Analytics at TrafficBrand,
points out that businesses often delay launching commerce media strategies
because they're waiting for a "perfect" CRM system or a fully enriched customer
data platform. But in reality, many are already sitting on enough actionable
insight to begin.
Whether through basic performance metrics, anonymised
behaviour data, or segment-level interest profiles, retailers can start with a
minimum viable dataset, run small experiments and refine from there. The key
is to tie data use directly to measurable business goals — and let performance
feedback drive the next step.
4. Strategic Timing Matters — and Some Are Already Ahead
For Zach Nossel, Head of Digital Marketing at
Woolworths, commerce media doesn't just make strategic sense — it was the
natural next step in a longer journey of digital investment.
Woolworths has already laid a strong foundation in
customer data and analytics. What commerce media offered was a chance to unlock
value from that data, particularly in high-growth categories like beauty, where
customer engagement is rising and brands are hungry for new ways to connect
with audiences.
Flow's
partnership with Woolworths enabled external brands to reach high-intent
customers within a premium environment, without compromising Woolworths' brand
integrity. In essence, the company had reached a sweet spot — the right tech,
the right demand and the right data to make commerce media work at scale.
5. Trust, Transparency and Tangible Results
Across the board, one insight stans out: Commerce
media is not just a media play — it's a relationship play. Success relies on
alignment between partners, transparency in performance data and shared
business goals.
Ray Williams, Head of Digital Marketing at eComplete,
highlights how performance visibility and feedback loops are critical for
building long-term trust with brands. Even where media operations are still
developing, offering clarity on what's working — and where optimisations are
needed — strengthens buy-in and accelerates growth.
Retailers that can clearly demonstrate value, show
campaign results and adapt in real time will be the ones that win repeat
investment from brands.
The Final Takeaway?
Commerce media in South Africa isn't just coming — it's already here. The infrastructure might look different from global giants,
but the fundamentals are in place: consumer data, brand appetite and digital
platforms with scalable potential.
Retailers don't need massive media networks or complex
data ecosystems to get started. They need strategic intent, a willingness to
test and learn and partners who can help them unlock the full value of their
audience.
Levy concludes, "We're moving from 'media as spend' to 'media as revenue.' Commerce media is the business model shift that turns
digital attention into growth — for both brands and retailers."
For more information, visit www.flowliving.com. You can also follow Flow on Facebook, LinkedIn, or on Instagram.
*Image courtesy of contributor