The Evolution of Commerce Media: IAB Connected Commerce Summit

The IAB is hosting its third annual Connected Commerce Summit on September 9, 2025, in New York City. The event will bring together brands, agencies, platforms, media buyers, and innovators to discuss the future of retail, media, and technology. Key topics include smarter measurement, AI's impact on commerce media, and commerce meets culture. The summit aims to address operational and long-term challenges while exploring data-driven investment strategies to accelerate innovation in the commerce media ecosystem.

The Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) is set to host its third annual Connected Commerce Summit on September 9, 2025, in New York City. The event, which aims to bring together brands, agencies, platforms, media buyers, and innovators, will delve into the future of retail, media, and technology. Key topics include smarter measurement, AI's impact on commerce media, and how brands are aligning with cultural trends to meet next-generation shopper expectations.

The summit will explore how the convergence of retailers, publishers, marketplaces, and social platforms is transforming the commerce media landscape. According to David Cohen, CEO of IAB, "Commerce media isn't a silo anymore. It's at the center of how brands grow." The event will address operational and long-term challenges, while also exploring data-driven investment strategies to accelerate innovation in the commerce media ecosystem [1].

Collin Colburn, Vice President of Commerce & Retail Media at IAB, notes that commerce media is expanding into marketplaces, shoppable media, in-store activation, and AI-powered personalization. This convergence demands new approaches to strategy and measurement, and the summit will provide a platform for industry leaders to discuss these evolving dynamics [1].

The event will feature a diverse range of speakers, including senior leaders from companies such as Best Buy Ads, Costco Wholesale, DoorDash, Expedia, and TikTok. The agenda includes sessions on smarter measurement, AI's impact on commerce media, and how brands are aligning with cultural trends to meet next-generation shopper expectations [1].

The summit is set to tackle critical issues such as next-gen attribution models, AI agents, shoppable content, and in-store digitization. It will also explore how AI is fueling personalized, predictive, and scalable commerce media experiences. Additionally, the event will address how brands are using AI to streamline claims processing and improve underwriting, as seen in Lemonade Inc.'s Q2 2025 results, which showed a 27% autonomous claim resolution rate and a 12-point improvement in gross loss ratio [2].

The summit will conclude with a networking reception, providing attendees with ample opportunities to connect and collaborate. The event is expected to be a pivotal gathering for industry professionals looking to stay ahead in the rapidly evolving commerce media landscape.

References:
[1] https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/commerce-media-has-entered-a-new-era-and-iabs-connected-commerce-summit-is-where-its-being-defined-302522540.html
[2] https://www.ainvest.com/news/lemonade-q2-2025-ai-driven-insurance-future-disruption-2508/