Navigating Consumer Data: A New Era of Audience Targeting Strategies
The Next Era of Data-Driven Advertising
2025 has become a turning point for advertisers navigating rapid shifts in consumer privacy, identity solutions, and data-driven marketing.
With Google finally completing its phase-out of third-party cookies in Chrome this year, the spotlight has shifted to first-party data, clean rooms, and contextual intelligence as the cornerstones of modern targeting.
Platforms such as Pandora, Spotify, and SiriusXM Media have strengthened their audience solutions through privacy-safe identifiers like UID2, while major retailers , including Walmart Connect, Kroger Precision Marketing, and Amazon Ads , continue to lead the first-party data revolution.
According to Insider Intelligence (October 2025), U.S. retail media ad spend is projected to surpass $60.5 billion in 2025, accounting for nearly 27% of all digital ad spend. Meanwhile, digital audio remains one of the fastest-growing channels, expanding 13% year-over-year, fueled by increased adoption of programmatic and AI-driven targeting.
As marketers look to reach consumers across devices and touchpoints, retail media and digital audio are converging , delivering both precision and emotional resonance.
1. Retail Media Networks: Your Direct Line to Consumers
Retail media networks (RMNs) give brands access to highly targeted audiences built on verified, first-party shopper data from retail giants like Walmart, Target, and Kroger. These networks allow advertisers to connect media impressions directly to in-store or online purchases , bridging awareness and sales.
Recent studies by SiriusXM Media and DISQO found that 32% of streaming audio listeners tune in while shopping in-store, and nearly two-thirds say audio ads influence their purchase decisions , outperforming social and display in driving intent.
When retail media insights are paired with audio environments, the result is a powerful full-funnel strategy: awareness through sound, reinforced by data-driven retail signals.
2. Off-Site Media Extends Targeting Impact
Retail media isn’t limited to retailers’ owned platforms anymore. The fastest-growing segment is off-site media, where retail data is activated across the open web , including audio, CTV, and digital out-of-home.
According to Forrester’s 2025 Retail Media Outlook, more than 70% of U.S. retail media buyers plan to increase off-site investments this year. By integrating audience targeting into digital audio ads, brands can engage shoppers during their daily routines , from morning commutes to grocery runs , reinforcing brand recall beyond the point of sale.
From its roots in sponsored search and on-site banners, retail media has evolved into a multi-channel ecosystem that extends influence far beyond the checkout aisle.
3. Digital Audio: Connecting With Consumers Throughout the Day
Unlike display or video, audio advertising doesn’t demand visual attention , making it ideal for multitasking consumers. In 2025, 82% of U.S. adults listen to digital audio weekly, and average daily listening time has surpassed five hours, according to Edison Research’s Infinite Dial 2025.
Audio is now a constant companion , in the car, at the gym, or while cooking dinner , giving brands unmatched access to consumers’ everyday moments.
SiriusXM Media reports that 75% of listeners discover new brands through audio ads, while 60% make in-store purchases after hearing retailer-specific audio campaigns. As brands pursue commerce-driven targeting strategies, digital audio provides both reach and relevance across the funnel.
4. Audio Ads With Visual Enhancements
Today’s digital audio experiences are far more than “sound only.” Platforms like Pandora, Spotify, and SoundCloud now pair immersive audio with complementary visual units , static or video elements displayed during key interaction moments (e.g., app opens, track skips, or pauses).
This hybrid ad experience enables brands to tell richer stories without disrupting listening. By blending contextual targeting with these visual extensions, advertisers can deliver campaigns that capture attention, drive engagement, and maintain brand affinity , all while preserving user experience.
5. Transparent, Measurable Campaigns Through Audio
One of the strongest reasons marketers are investing in audio is transparency. Whether through programmatic pipes or direct IOs, advertisers can track metrics such as impressions, frequency, completion rates, and verified retail conversions.
SiriusXM Media’s partnerships with major retail media networks now enable closed-loop attribution, linking audio exposure to actual in-store or e-commerce sales. This capability positions audio as not just an awareness channel, but a measurable performance driver within omnichannel retail strategies.
6. Retail Media and Audio: A Winning Combination
Would you be more likely to explore a new product after hearing about it on your favorite playlist or podcast? For millions of U.S. shoppers, the answer is yes.
A standout example is Coca-Cola’s collaboration with Dollar General Media Network and Pandora. The integrated campaign combined on-site, off-site, and audio advertising to deliver:
- 19 million impressions
- 98% audio ad completion rate
- $6.57 return on ad spend (ROAS)
By merging the precision of retail media with the intimacy of audio, Coca-Cola achieved deeper engagement and measurable sales impact , illustrating what’s possible when storytelling meets data.
The Takeaway
As we move deeper into 2025, it’s clear that the future of audience targeting is privacy-first, multi-channel, and emotionally intelligent. Retail media provides the data foundation, while digital audio adds the human connection.
For brands and agencies alike, the winning formula lies in harnessing audience targeting strategies that bridge these two worlds , delivering personalized, measurable, and meaningful experiences that resonate wherever consumers listen, shop, and live.
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