Albertsons Media Collective Extends Retail Media Into AI-Powered Product Discovery
Albertsons Media Collective (AMC) is bringing sponsored product placements into Albertsons Cos.' AI-powered conversational search experience through a new integration with Criteo, marking another step in the evolution of retail media as shopping journeys become increasingly AI-driven.
The new capability allows eligible sponsored products to appear within conversational search product carousels inside Albertsons Cos.' apps. This enables brands to engage shoppers during planning and purchase decisions.
The integration comes as retailers and advertisers seek ways to remain visible in emerging AI shopping environments, where consumers are increasingly beginning their journeys with open-ended questions rather than traditional keyword searches.
According to Albertsons, more than 85% of conversations within its AI-powered search experience begin with exploratory queries. The platform is designed to help shoppers find products, plan meals and build baskets through a conversational interface that leverages customer searches, inputs and preferences.
"This integration is about creating retail media that helps customers along their shopping journey … while giving advertisers a new path to engage closer to the moment of purchase," Jill Pavlovich, SVP of digital customer experience at Albertsons Cos., said in a media release.
The move reflects a broader industry effort to adapt retail media strategies to generative AI and conversational commerce. Rather than interrupting the shopping experience, sponsored products are intended to appear as part of the discovery process, surfacing recommendations that align with shopper intent.
The integration also gives brands greater visibility into how conversational product discovery translates into consideration and sales. McCormick is among the brands participating in the initiative.
"In grocery, so many decisions happen in the context of a weekly shop, from discovering new products to planning meals," Jenny Dickinson, e-commerce customer business manager at McCormick, said in the release. "Being part of an experience like [this] lets us introduce our brands in a way that feels genuinely helpful to shoppers, while giving us a clearer view of how those moments translate into consideration and sales."
The launch expands AMC's existing relationship with Criteo, which includes supporting on-site sponsored advertising offerings, shoppable video and more. Criteo said Albertsons is the first retailer in its network to introduce sponsored products within an AI-powered shopping assistant. The launch highlights how retailer media networks are expanding beyond traditional search and display advertising into conversational commerce.
