IAB Releases Commerce Media Guidelines Focused on Performance, Standardization
The Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) has introduced a set of industry recommendations to help commerce media networks (CMNs) scale and compete as the space increasingly shifts toward AI and performance-driven execution.
The “Building a Competitive Commerce Media Ecosystem” guide outlines strategic models, measurement approaches and operating principles designed to support the next phase of commerce media growth.
The guidance comes as the industry transitions from rapid expansion, driven by the rise of retail media networks, to a more mature phase focused on proving business impact and operational efficiency.
“For several years, commerce media has benefited from momentum. But momentum, on its own, is not a strategy,” Collin Colburn, vice president, commerce & retail media, IAB, said in a media release. “The next chapter will be defined by rigor and by how well companies translate proximity-to-transaction into measurable, sustained performance.”
The framework outlines several strategic priorities for commerce media organizations, including:
- Driving new revenue streams.
- Improving bottom-line profitability.
- Enhancing omnichannel customer experiences with more personalized interactions.
- Creating differentiation to attract brand investment and customer loyalty.
A central focus is measurement, particularly the ability to demonstrate incremental impact and connect media exposure to commerce outcomes across both digital and physical channels.
The '6-CMN' Challenge
A key takeaway for marketers is the increasing difficulty of breaking into brand budgets. The guide cites data showing that the average brand currently buys from only six CMNs. This high concentration means networks lacking clear differentiation — specifically in measurement, analytics and merchant alignment — risk being "implicitly sorted" out of the market within the next 24-36 months.
The IAB also emphasizes the need for greater standardization and interoperability, citing inconsistencies in definitions and measurement as ongoing barriers to scale as commerce media expands across in-store, off-site and cross-channel environments.
The guide calls for a more disciplined, performance-centric approach, with an emphasis on long-term competitiveness over short-term monetization.
