The shift from shopper marketing to retail media to commerce media reflects a much bigger change in the advertising ecosystem — one where first-party data, consumer signals, inventory, measurement and technology are becoming increasingly interconnected.
Helen Johnson has watched that evolution from the brand side and now from the agency side. And one of her biggest messages is simple:
“Stop treating it like a channel.”
Because the real opportunity isn't adding another channel to the plan. It's changing how brands think about the choices available to them.
Helen brings a fascinating perspective, having worked both inside a major FMCG business and now on the agency side. She talks about how dramatically the landscape has changed: from a handful of media touchpoints and broad demographic targeting to a world of first-party data, social, gaming, influencers, in-store screens, personalisation and real-time measurement.
And with all that complexity comes a bigger question:
How do brands actually make sense of it all?
How do you know which signals matter?
Where should commerce media fit?
How do you balance short-term performance with long-term brand building?
And how do you avoid simply adding more technology to an already fragmented ecosystem?
Helen also looks ahead to what's coming next — from AI-assisted commerce and LLM-driven product discovery to the eventual rise of agentic commerce — while making an important point: the technology may arrive before consumers are ready for it.
It's a conversation about where commerce media is heading, but also about something more fundamental: how brands can navigate an increasingly complex ecosystem without losing sight of the consumer, the business objective or the role of creativity.
In this episode, we discuss:
Why commerce media has evolved from a channel into a broader strategic growth opportunity.
How first-party data and commerce signals can drive everything from targeting to brand building.
Why brands need to balance short-term performance with long-term brand growth.
How AI-assisted and agentic commerce could reshape consumer discovery and purchase.
Why the role of agencies is increasingly about cutting through complexity and finding the right solution.
What you'll learn from this episode:
Why commerce media shouldn't be treated as a channel: Helen argues that the brands getting the most from commerce media are bringing it into strategy and planning from the start — rather than treating it as a bolt-on or separate pot of budget.
How commerce signals can go beyond the bottom of the funnel: First-party data isn't only about driving an immediate sale. It can help brands reduce wastage, sharpen targeting and even inform stronger brand-building activity.
Why brand building still matters: In an increasingly fragmented world, building long-term brand equity is harder — but no less important. As Helen puts it, “the short funds the long, but the long maximizes the short.”
What AI-assisted commerce actually means: From understanding how consumers use LLMs for product discovery to tracking brand visibility within those environments, AI-assisted commerce is already creating new challenges for brands. Agentic commerce may be next — but consumer adoption will determine how quickly it arrives.
Why the best strategy starts with the objective, not the technology: With new AI and commerce technology appearing constantly, Helen explains how brands and agencies can avoid chasing every new solution and instead start with the problem they actually need to solve.
Big ideas from this episode:
From channels to strategic choices
Commerce media shouldn't be treated as another channel or a bolt-on. As Helen puts it, “Stop treating it like a channel” – instead, it needs to be brought into the upfront strategy alongside every other choice a brand can make.
The short funds the long. The long maximizes the short.
Short-term performance and long-term brand building aren't competing priorities. Helen sums up the relationship simply: “The short funds the long, but the long maximizes the short.” The challenge is finding the right balance in an increasingly fragmented consumer journey.
The tech will come before the consumer
AI-assisted and agentic commerce are developing quickly, but consumer adoption won't necessarily move at the same pace. Helen's warning is worth paying attention to: “The tech will come before the consumer adoption.” For brands, the opportunity isn't to jump on everything immediately — it's to understand what's coming, test what matters and be ready when consumer behaviour catches up.
Creativity still needs a human edge.
Data can sharpen targeting and inform decisions, but great creative isn't always found in another dataset. Helen's advice is to “find an insight that makes the hairs on your arm stand up.” That's where the creative opportunity starts — with a genuinely human understanding of the consumer.
About the guest
Helen Johnson brings experience across brand building, media and commerce, having built iconic brands at P&G before moving into media innovation at SMG. Her experience across shoppers, retailers and media gives her a unique perspective on how commerce media is evolving and the opportunities it creates for brands.
As Managing Director of Capture, SMG’s brand-side commerce media agency, Helen helps brands navigate an increasingly complex media landscape — connecting data, technology, consumer behaviour and media to drive measurable impact and sustainable growth.
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