how Adhese builds on retail media to embrace the future of commerce media
As 2025 comes to an end, retail media looks far more mature than the almost untouched field it was only a few years ago. Retailers have established teams and workflows and have transitioned from experimentation to structured propositions. In conversation with Tim Sturtewagen, Adhese’s co-founder, we reflected on the market’s evolution in 2025 and Adhese’s own development alongside it. Retail media matured, and so did Adhese. The company’s technology is now used in an increasing number of countries, and its reach expanded further this year with new people on the ground in Australia and the Middle East.
Sturtewagen also shared his thoughts on the future. While retail media remains the foundation, growing interest in media opportunities across other sectors signals a broader shift is beginning. As Adhese has evolved into a more mature organisation, the company is well prepared for this next phase in 2026.
retail media entering a more mature phase
Sturtewagen explains that retailers reached important milestones in 2025. Some completed their first full media planning cycles, finally granting them access to larger, more predictable budgets. Others concluded multi-year processes of platform selection, implementation, or internal alignment.
Nevertheless, retailers operate on different timelines. Some will grow further within their current setup. Others recognise that decisions made several years ago no longer align with their ambitions and wish to explore more flexible options. This variation is normal and is shaped by the time it takes for propositions to develop and the length of decision cycles.
growing complexity increases the need for flexibility
As propositions grow in complexity, the need for flexibility increases. Retailers begin working with their own data, connecting multiple internal systems and seeking ways to improve the customer experience. According to Sturtewagen, these developments create new requirements that earlier tools cannot always fulfil.
For this reason, flexibility becomes essential. Retailers at different levels of maturity require systems that can integrate with their existing setups. Sturtewagen highlights that Adhese’s interoperable and open approach enables organisations to adapt their setups, whether they require a simple or a highly customised solution.
a crowded ecosystem moving toward consolidation
By 2025, retailers and other commercial entities were faced with a growing number of tools promising to support or monetise their digital environments. Sectors such as logistics, payments, travel and telecoms have begun exploring how they can activate their digital touchpoints. This has created a crowded landscape.
Sturtewagen expects that 2026 may see consolidation, with larger companies beginning to offer broader services. This shift could influence the long tail of retail, where many smaller and medium-sized businesses have real potential, but often benefit most when their offering is grouped or supported through more coordinated setups.
commerce media as a natural extension, not a repositioning
Sturtewagen describes how different sectors require different media strategies, with commerce media acting as a natural extension rather than a repositioning. Sponsored products, for example, work well in marketplaces where multiple sellers compete for limited visibility. The situation in grocery retail is different, since each brand is sold by a single retailer. In the beauty sector, discovery and inspiration shape the experience. In financial services, decisions rely on information rather than rapid comparison.
These differences demonstrate why media models evolve as more sectors enter the field. This shift marks the beginning of commerce media. While retail media remains the foundation, it naturally broadens into a model where different ecosystems activate their digital environments based on their own customer behaviour. For Adhese, this is a logical extension of its retail media expertise, not a repositioning.
openness and integration enable this broader step
To support these different environments, technology must fit the systems and processes that organisations are already using. Sturtewagen notes that Adhese’s open and interoperable platform enables retailers and other commerce players to connect components, activate data, and develop propositions tailored to their level of maturity.
It is this flexibility that enables Adhese to respond confidently to the growing interest in commerce media in 2026. The foundation built in retail media makes this expansion possible, enabling Adhese to confidently support sector-specific propositions.
Privacy-first and cookieless advertising are central to Adhese’s philosophy, reinforcing the company’s commitment to responsible growth.
looking forward to 2026
As organisations review their tools and refine their propositions, we can expect to see visible movement. Retailers will continue to strengthen their programmes, while other sectors will start to develop approaches tailored to their customers’ journeys. Meanwhile, commerce media will grow in visibility as more businesses explore ways to activate their digital surfaces.
Adhese is entering this new phase with a clear philosophy. Its technology keeps ownership with media owners. Its approach is rooted in transparency. Its architecture is designed to protect privacy. Its open design also ensures that multiple technology partners can connect, collaborate and grow together. These principles will guide Adhese as the retail media landscape continues to evolve.
With a strong foundation in retail media and a readiness to support emerging opportunities across different industries, Adhese is looking towards 2026 with confidence. Whatever the year brings, Adhese is ready for what comes next.
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