When everyone with a car park has a media network, nobody has one.
McDonald's wants a $1 billion ad business. In August it started piloting ads on the drive-thru order boards of 450 of its company-owned US restaurants.
Simon, America's largest mall operator, launched a media network in late August. Circle K relaunched its own the same month.
Amazon, Walmart and a few others will be fine. My bet for the rest: within 5 years, most will be running on someone else's platform, or gone.
Best Buy has already chosen. From February it will sell ads on its own-brand TVs through Amazon's ad tech, on Amazon's TV software.
Retail media was pitched to boards as a high-margin business of their own. For most, it will be a rake on loan with their logo on it.