The Rise of CRM-Powered Retail Media: Turning Loyalty & CRM Into Revenue

Retail media is evolving fast, and in Latin America, it’s just beginning to show its true potential.

Around the world, we’re seeing retailers become powerful media players. According to eMarketer, global retail media ad spend is expected to hit $140 billion by 2026, accounting for over 20% of worldwide digital ad spend. In markets like the U.S. and Europe, retailers are already monetizing their first-party data to drive measurable returns for brands—often outperforming traditional digital channels.

Now, the same opportunity is emerging in Brazil and LATAM. And the next leap forward will be powered by something many retailers already have: a strong CRM and a loyal shopper base.

🧩 What Is Retail Media?

Retail media is a form of digital advertising where brands promote their products directly within a retailer’s ecosystem, both on-site (e.g., ecommerce websites, apps, in-store displays) and off-site (e.g., social media, programmatic ads), using the retailer’s first-party data to target shoppers and measure sales impact.

It allows retailers to monetize their audiences and touchpoints, and gives brands a powerful way to reach high-intent consumers near the point of purchase.

For example:A beverage brand can run a campaign with a supermarket chain in Brazil, targeting loyalty program members who regularly buy snacks but haven’t purchased that brand’s products in the last 60 days. The campaign reaches them via social media and display ads, and when those customers return to shop, online or in-store, the brand sees exactly how many purchases the campaign generated.

For a comprehensive overview, refer to the IAB Retail Media Buyer's Guide.

CRM Is the Hidden Superpower of Retail Media

Most retailers in LATAM have already invested in loyalty programs and CRM platforms. These tools have built valuable shopper relationships and captured rich first-party data, what people buy, how often, where, and when.

Until recently, this data lived mostly inside dashboards or internal promotions. But with the right activation tools, it can become a powerful new media asset.

Retailers can now use their CRM data to create highly targeted audiences—like lapsed shoppers, loyal buyers, or high-frequency customers, and activate them across digital channels like programmatic display, paid social, CTV, and even retail-owned properties.

This creates a new monetization layer, enabling retailers to launch campaigns with brand partners, backed by closed-loop measurement and real ROI.

It’s Already Working Elsewhere, And LATAM Is Next

Retail media momentum is building globally, and LATAM is no exception. While ecommerce platforms have taken early steps, the real potential lies with physical retailers that already have deep loyalty programs and robust CRM systems—but haven't yet fully activated them as media channels. have pioneered early retail media programs focused on ecommerce real estate. But there’s a much bigger opportunity beyond ecommerce—especially for physical retailers with deep loyalty programs and CRM penetration.

In Brazil, players like Magazine Luiza, Mercado Libre, and GPA have pioneered early retail media programs focused on ecommerce real estate. But there’s a much bigger opportunity beyond ecommerce—especially for physical retailers with deep loyalty programs and CRM penetration.

For Retailers: A New Profit Center, Already in Reach

Margins in retail are notoriously tight. But retail media offers a rare opportunity: incremental revenue with high margins, built on existing assets.

With the right platform, retailers don’t need to build a full-scale media agency. They can:

Monetize their CRM data as a media product

Offer segmentation and activation across digital channels

Generate recurring media revenue from brand partners

Prove impact through sales attribution and customer insights

Even retailers with a smaller ecommerce presence can launch strong media programs by focusing on off-site media and audience targeting, not just on-site banners.

At Coretava, we’ve seen firsthand how retailers with just 20–30% ecommerce penetration can still unlock significant media budgets—if they can activate CRM audiences and deliver reporting that meets brand expectations.

For Brands: Smarter Spend, Better ROAS

Brands are already investing heavily in media—but rising CPMs, CACs, and privacy restrictions are making performance harder to achieve.

Retail media offers a fresh alternative:

• Higher intent audiences (real shoppers at retail)

• Closed-loop attribution (sales, not just clicks)

• More control and transparency

• Context that’s close to the point of purchase

According to McKinsey’s article, "Six secrets of unleashing the power of retail media", high-performing retail media networks can deliver 5x to 10x ROAS for advertisers compared to traditional channels.

Brands investing in retail media also gain diversification—away from over-concentrated platforms like Meta and Google—and closer collaboration with their retail partners.

LATAM: Unique Challenges, Even Bigger Upside

LATAM has its own dynamics. Fragmented demand. A high concentration of ecommerce on a few retail giants. And a wide mix of digital maturity among retailers.

But it also has a huge advantage: strong loyalty adoption, high smartphone penetration, and a retail market that still drives most sales through physical stores. Digital ad spending in Latin America will make up more than half of all ad spending this year, highlighting the region's digital engagement and potential for retail media expansion.

The opportunity is especially exciting for regional chains, grocers, drugstores, and specialty retailers—those with strong shopper relationships, but underutilized digital reach.

This is where CRM-powered, off-site retail media becomes the unlock.

The Path Forward: Tools, Not Just Inventory

To make this work at scale, retailers and brands need more than media placements—they need tools:

Retailers need a way to package and sell their audiences, activate campaigns, and deliver results.

Brands need DSP-like functionality with targeting, budgeting, and analytics they trust.

Both sides need AI to simplify execution, recommend the right segments, and optimize for results.

That’s why we built Coretava—to make this future accessible. Our platform connects CRM data to media activation, empowers retailers to become media businesses, and gives brands the tools they need to run smart, performance-driven campaigns.

Ready to Unlock What’s Next?

Whether you're a brand looking to drive performance closer to the point of sale, a retailer ready to monetize your first-party data, or an agency exploring retail media as a new channel for your clients—we’d love to connect.

👉 Let's talk about how Coretava can help you activate smarter retail media strategies in Brazil and LATAM. Just reach out. We’ll walk you through what’s possible—and how to get started.