In this episode, the hosts welcome James Avery, CEO of Kevel, to discuss the evolution of native advertising and its pivotal role in the rise of retail media. The conversation traces Kevel’s journey from its origins as Adzerk, an ad serving platform focused on native ads, to its current position powering retail media networks. Avery and the hosts reflect on how native ad serving—originally adopted by platforms like Reddit—laid the groundwork for today’s retail media, where server-to-server ad delivery and API-based innovation are key.

They explore why native ads, despite their promise, didn’t fully take off in traditional publishing, but found new life in retail media, which now dominates online advertising through sponsored listings and recommendations. The discussion highlights the technical and business advantages of server-side ad serving, such as improved user experience, better targeting, and the ability to bypass ad blockers.

Avery explains that retail media’s growth accelerated during the pandemic, as retailers sought to emulate Amazon’s success in monetizing site traffic. The episode also delves into the challenges smaller retailers face in building sophisticated ad systems, the importance of flexible, API-driven platforms, and the evolving landscape of programmatic retail media. The hosts and Avery touch on industry consolidation, the need for strong ad operations teams, and the future of in-store and omnichannel retail media, noting that Europe is ahead in some innovations.

Throughout, there’s a sense of both nostalgia and excitement for how the ad tech industry is coming full circle, with native advertising’s principles now central to the booming retail media sector.

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