In this episode, hosts Tom Limongello and Todd Sawicki sit down with Sean Crawford, North America lead at SMG, to explore the factors that set the UK retail media landscape ahead of the US. Crawford draws on nearly two decades of experience to explain how UK retailers have built integrated media networks that treat every touchpoint—analog and digital alike—as measurable opportunities for brands. The discussion covers the challenges of harmonizing retail operations, the importance of holistic campaign buying, and the role of agencies in unlocking cross-retailer strategies. Crawford also shares SMG’s work with WH Smith in the airport retail space, illustrating how travel venues are creating new opportunities for trial and engagement. Listeners gain actionable perspectives on measurement, attribution, and the future of retail media, with practical takeaways for brands, agencies, and retailers navigating both sides of the Atlantic.

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Connect with Sean Crawford on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/smcrawford1/

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The Lumen + Coop in-store attention study shared by SMG https://lumen-research.com/white-pape...

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‍Chapters

‍00:00 S2 E18 - Sean Crawford - SMG

‍00:35 Introduction to the Middlemen Podcast

‍00:57 Meet Sean Crawford from SMG

‍01:18 Understanding Retail Media in the UK

‍02:44 Differences Between UK and US Retail Media

‍03:47 The Role of Retailers in UK Media

‍05:22 Holistic Buying in Retail Media

‍05:41 Sean Crawford's Background and SMG's Role

‍07:34 Evolution of Retail Media in the UK

‍08:17 In-Store vs Digital Retail Media

‍13:05 Challenges and Governance in Retail Media

‍14:42 The Buy Side of Retail Media

‍20:00 Agency Involvement in Retail Media

‍23:02 Standardization and Measurement in Retail Media

‍23:48 Challenges in Standardizing Retail Media

‍24:25 Comparing UK and US Retail Media Strengths

‍27:20 Entering the US Market with WH Smith

‍27:57 Opportunities in Travel Media

‍35:34 The Role of AI in Retail Media

‍38:06 Measurement and Attribution in Retail Media

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