Retail media frenzy muddies negotiations with brands, who agency execs say must spend or ‘suffer the consequences’

By Kimeko McCoy for DIGIDAY

Ivy Liu

Digiday’s report on the growing retail media frenzy prominently features Boris Litvinov, president of Left Off Madison, as an important voice for brands navigating increasingly complicated retailer negotiations.

The article examines how retailers are pressuring advertisers to make larger retail media commitments—sometimes creating an implied connection between advertising spend and benefits such as premium shelf placement or favorable distribution. Litvinov captures the central concern succinctly, describing the practice as feeling like “double dipping.” His perspective highlights the difficult position brands face when retailers earn revenue from product sales while also requiring them to fund the retailers’ expanding advertising businesses.

Litvinov’s inclusion positions Left Off Madison at the heart of an urgent industry conversation about fairness, transparency and accountability in retail media. His commentary is particularly relevant for smaller brands with finite marketing budgets, which may feel compelled to divert funds from other effective channels simply to protect their retail relationships.

By featuring Litvinov, Digiday reinforces Left Off Madison’s role as an advocate for disciplined, client-focused media investment. The agency’s perspective underscores the need for retail media networks to prove their value through measurable performance—not through pressure, implied consequences or the strength of their retail leverage alone.

Read the full article on DIGIDAY HERE (full article behind a subscription-based pay wall)