• by Laurie Sullivan , Staff Writer, Yesterday

Albertsons Companies -- the parent company of Safeway, Vons, and other retail brands as well as Albertsons Media Collective (AMC), the company’s retail media business -- became the first retailer to deploy Google Cloud’s Conversational Commerce agent, an artificial intelligence (AI) shopping assistant for retail.

The announcement, made Wednesday, described the AI-powered solution based on Vertex AI as being an advanced product discovery experience because it is designed to replicate the personalized shopping experience consumers find in physical stores.

Albertsons Cos. is leveraging this solution in an Ask AI tool that is accessible via the search bar in the apps of all its stores.

With Gemini, AI personalizes the search experience from intent to purchase. It understands intent and descriptions like "sweet" vs. "salty" and can recommend relevant products through natural conversations.

Earlier this month, its retail media business, Albertsons Media Collective, launched a program to support advertisers by matching offsite investments with its owned enterprise media channels. 

For the first time and for a limited time, advertisers can leverage matched audience targeting and benefit from what the company called the halo effect of omnichannel media without incurring additional costs. There is also an opportunity to expand this in the future.

These curated packages enable partners to reach shoppers more effectively, particularly during high-traffic times such as Thanksgiving, December holidays, New Year’s, Valentine’s Day and the Super Bowl, Albertsons Media Collective Senior Vice President of Retail Media Brian Monahan told MediaPost.

These channels extend the impact of retail media beyond traditional digital placements.n “Organic Influencers are something our clients have been asking for and lets us bring trusted voices into social environments to inspire purchase decisions,” he said. “Premium in-store and onsite placements allow us to bring digital creative at the crucial moment before purchase.”

Combined, they provide an omnichannel experience that connects the same audiences across digital, social, and physical touchpoints to deliver better outcomes.

Monahan has managed more than $1 billion in retail media investments, launched shopper marketing models, and built performance teams to drive measurable business outcomes.
When asked why there is no additional cost to use this service, Monahan said, “we’re doing what’s best for our shoppers during a busy time of year.”

He said that by “matching advertiser spend with our own enterprise media, we’re essentially putting ‘skin in the game.’ Covering these costs is part of our commitment to shared growth, when advertisers succeed, our customers and our stores succeed too.”

The channels extend the impact of retail media beyond traditional digital placements, Monahan said, adding that organic Influencers are something clients have been asking for. “It brings trusted voices into social environments to inspire purchase decisions,” he said.

Premium In-Store and onsite placements allow Albertsons Media Collective to bring digital creative at the crucial moment before purchase. Combined they provide an omnichannel experience by connecting the same audiences across digital, social, and physical touchpoints to deliver better outcomes.

MediaPost asked what Monahan -- who spent time working at Dentsu, Pinterest, and Walmart.com. -- has brought to Albertsons Media Collective.

“Each role reinforced the idea that retail media is the only medium where the objectives of the buyer and seller are truly aligned,” he said.

At Walmart, he saw how scale and data can transform CPG marketing. At Pinterest, he learned the power of inspiration and discovery in commerce. At Dentsu, he worked with global brands and retailers to understand what drives growth across the ecosystem.

“At Albertsons, I bring all of that together," he said, "with a clear focus on helping brands collectively grow sales, not just media budgets."