122. Warehouse Group's Head of Strategy and Media: "The future of retail media is audience-first, not retailer-first."
About this episode
Alex Lawson discusses the evolution of retail media and the importance of an audience-first approach in a distinctive market.
Recorded at NRF APAC in Singapore, Paula Macaggi sits down with Alex Lawson, Head of Strategy & Media at The Warehouse Group, one of the largest retailers in New Zealand, operating more than 160 stores across brands including The Warehouse, Noel Leeming, and Warehouse Stationery. Alex shares how the company built its retail media business from the ground up in a market where stores remain central to shopping behavior, offering a unique perspective on how retail media evolves beyond the supermarket playbook. The conversation explores the realities of launching a retail media network in a smaller, highly distinctive market, balancing in-store and digital experiences, educating internal teams and brand partners, and creating value for both endemic and non-endemic advertisers. Alex also shares lessons learned from building the business, discusses why physical stores remain powerful media channels, and offers his perspective on the future of retail media, first-party data, AI, and agentic commerce. It's a thoughtful look at innovation, experimentation, and what happens when retailers start thinking like media companies.
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