5 stats marketers need this week: retail media's rise, AI effectiveness, TikTok Shop, differentiation, and TV's staying power
Here are the numbers worth acting on right now. Use them to tune budgets, sharpen creative, and set priorities for the next sprint.
1) Retail media ad spend set to overtake linear and streaming TV in 2026
Retail media is on track to surpass combined linear and streaming TV spend in 2026. Investment is projected to hit $174.9bn (£133bn) this year (+13.7% YoY) and $196.7bn (£149.5bn) in 2026, passing $200bn (£152bn) by 2027. Growth is slowing from its 2021 peak (38.6%) to 11.6% forecast in 2027, but the base is now huge.
Tech and electronics remain the largest category, forecast at $32.2bn (£24.5bn) in 2026. Retail media will represent about 16% of all ad spend that year, with Amazon still growing ad revenue at 15% YoY.
- Rebalance: test a 5-10% shift from lower-performing digital into retail media networks (RMNs) with clear incrementality goals.
- Measure: pair retail media with MMM or geo experiments; validate ROAS beyond last-click. Enforce SKU-level profitability guardrails.
- Create: build retail-ready assets (ratings, price, offer) and push retailer clean rooms for audience and closed-loop reporting.
Source: WARC Media
2) 98% of mid-market marketers say AI improves effectiveness, but only a third use it widely
Almost all mid-market marketers (companies with 10-499 employees) believe AI lifts effectiveness. Yet only about one in three report widespread use. Top blockers: lack of in-house expertise (39%), integration challenges (35%), and data privacy concerns (33%). Nearly half (47%) say too much time still goes to manual tasks.
- Pick two high-impact use cases this quarter (e.g., audience insights and creative iteration). Prove time saved and lift.
- Reduce risk: set a lightweight AI policy (PII handling, human QA, model choice) and a simple approval flow.
- Skill up the team with focused training and certifications that map to daily work, not theory. Consider AI certification for marketing specialists to speed adoption.
Source: Mailchimp
3) One in four consumers plan to shop on TikTok this Christmas
25% of shoppers plan to buy gifts via TikTok Shop this season. That jumps to 45% among 16-34s. People also expect ads: 18% are looking forward to festive ads on TikTok, while TV still leads with 50%. YouTube interest is up to 25% (five points higher than 2024).
The value message matters. 78% will shop around for the best offers, 32% plan to buy gifts on second-hand marketplaces, and 35% expect to visit charity shops. Also, 58% say Christmas ads create pressure to have a "perfect day," so tone and empathy count.
- Run TikTok Shop pilots with fast-moving SKUs and clear creator collabs. Make checkout frictionless and returns painless.
- Lead with price, bundles, and social proof. Use TV for reach, TikTok for action, and sync offers across both.
- Adjust creative tone: less perfection, more real life. Build goodwill without overpromising.
Source: Kantar
4) Brand differentiation is the top challenge
31% of UK marketers say standing out is their biggest problem. Next up: maintaining trust and engagement (26%), scaling personalisation (24%), budget cuts (22%), slow senior decisions (18%), and proving ROI (11%).
Looking ahead, 41% see better AI integration as the biggest opportunity. 34% are prioritising more consistent, engaging experiences. 30% will streamline workflows, with more teams leaning into experimentation (28%) and real-time data (25%).
- Clarify your point of view and codes: nail 3-5 distinctive assets and defend them across every touchpoint.
- Operationalise personalisation: one data spine, one decisioning layer, and pre-approved content variations.
- Make experimentation a habit: test vs. lookalike brands monthly; report learnings, not just wins.
Source: Optimizely
5) TV is most effective for sustaining purchase intent
A study tracking nearly 20,000 UK adults found TV ads hold purchase intent better over eight weeks: down 14% on average after exposure. Social decayed fastest, with a 26% drop. TV also boosts other channels' impact on purchase intent by an average of 26% when included in the mix.
- Use TV as the memory anchor; schedule smart bursts around key retail windows, then let digital harvest.
- Code your creative (audio, visual, taglines) for easy recall and stronger cross-channel lift.
- Model decay curves by channel to set refresh cadence and avoid over-frequency on social.
Source: Thinkbox
What to move on this week
- Shift a test budget into RMNs with clear incrementality metrics and SKU-level P&L oversight.
- Stand up two AI pilots and a basic governance note; track time saved and conversion lift.
- Spin up a TikTok Shop holiday bundle with creator amplification and a value-first message.
- Lock your brand codes and run a head-to-head distinctiveness test against your closest rival.
- Plan TV bursts to extend consideration, then align paid social and retail media for timely follow-through.
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