The coupon deal that revealed retail media's power with David Glaza
August 25, 2026
Retail media has become a powerful tool for brands to connect digital communication with physical purchases. In this episode, David Glaza, founder and CEO of Digits Agency, discusses the rapid rise of retail media networks and how first party data is removing the guesswork from advertising. David shares insights on the challenges of network fragmentation and why the best strategies prioritize relevant customer experiences over simple promotion.
In this episode of The Curiosity Current, Stephanie Vance and Molly Strawn-Carreño sit down with David Glaza to nerd out on the rapid rise of retail media. David is the founder and CEO of Digits Agency and he has been right at the center of this evolution since his days at Target. He shares some great stories from the early days of launching Target Cartwheel, including a time when a digital coupon performed so well it actually scared the merchants. It was an early sign that digital tools could influence the physical purchase journey in just a few hours.
David explains why retailers are basically turning into media businesses by using first party data to close the loop on sales. Marketers are moving away from the black box of traditional advertising because they can finally track a customer from a digital ad all the way to a physical register. The group also talks about the challenges of fragmentation as more regional grocers launch their own networks.
David shares why it is so important for brands to stick to their guns on ad relevance to keep the customer experience high quality. To wrap up, he gives some advice on why brands need to move fast and prioritize putting content out there rather than waiting for everything to be perfect.
What You’ll Learn:
- Why retail media has evolved from traditional in store slotting fees to digital tactics
- How first party data is the key to measuring actual sales outcomes from digital ads
- What the success of Target Cartwheel revealed about consumer willingness to engage with brands
- The impact of first party audiences on tracking omnichannel shopping journeys
- How new channels like in store audio are developing specific attribution models
- The challenges brands face when managing multiple fragmented retail media networks
- Why technology integrations and APIs are necessary for regional grocers to compete
- How to balance promotional needs with a high quality user experience
- Why brands should prioritize consistent content production over perfection
About the Guest:
David Glaza is the founder and CEO of Digits Agency and he has spent years at the center of the evolution of retail media. David previously worked at Target where he was part of the team that launched Target Cartwheel. He has extensive experience in merchandising, media loyalty, ecommerce, and personalization. Today he leads Digits Agency in helping regional grocers and brands build and manage retail media strategies.
David Glaza is the founder and CEO of Digits Agency and he has spent years at the center of the evolution of retail media. David previously worked at Target where he was part of the team that launched Target Cartwheel. He has extensive experience in merchandising, media loyalty, ecommerce, and personalization. Today he leads Digits Agency in helping regional grocers and brands build and manage retail media strategies.
Episode Resources:
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