EP42 – The Trade Desk Vs HoldCos beef; Airline Media; and how to get hired

Retail Media Therapy – EP42

Hiring Boom, Industry Beef & The Rise of Airline Media

This week, Viv Craske and Colin Lewis unpack three major shifts in retail media:

• A growing power struggle between holding companies and The Trade Desk
• A surge in retail media hiring (and what it takes to stand out)
• Why airlines are becoming retail media giants

Topic 1: The Trade Desk vs Holding Companies

A major industry conflict is brewing:

• Omnicom joins Publicis, WPP, and Dentsu in investigating The Trade Desk
• Official concern: transparency and platform fees
• Unofficial theory: control and margin pressure

Key Insight:

Holding companies may want to:

• Own media buying infrastructure (“the pipes”)
• Monetize their own AI-driven targeting
• Reduce reliance on third-party platforms

Is The Trade Desk still a partner… or now a competitor?

Topic 2: Retail Media Hiring Boom

Retail media is officially mainstream.

What’s happening:

• 26 new roles spotted in one week alone
• Hiring across retailers, agencies, and platforms globally:
• UK: Tesco, Ocado, Deliveroo, WPP
• US: Macy’s, CVS, Dentsu
• Europe: Douglas, ICA
• Even banks launching media networks

Skills You Need to Win:

• Commercial mindset + revenue focus
• Retail and media expertise
• Stakeholder management
• Storytelling & negotiation
• Strategic + analytical thinking
• Adaptability

Colin’s 5 Winning Mindsets:

1. Build expertise across disciplines (especially brand growth)
2. Develop personal agency (be a “doer”)
3. Master modern collaboration
4. Think like a showrunner (vision + detail)
5. Adopt a test & learn mentality

Topic 3: Airline Commerce Media

Airlines are quietly becoming powerful retail media platforms.

Why it matters:

• Airlines historically make ~$5–$7 profit per seat
• Through retailing (upsells, hotels, cars), that can jump to $100+ per customer

The Game Changer: Connectivity (e.g. Starlink)

• Real-time passenger data + loyalty profiles
• Enables personalized, high-value advertising
• Creates a captive, high-intent audience

Opportunity:

• Turn onboard experiences into media channels
• Replace generic ads with personalized content
• Unlock high-margin revenue streams

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Grace & Co | Retail Media Experts

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