Retail Media Networks (RMNs) are rapidly transforming the digital advertising landscape, offering retailers and brands new, high-margin revenue streams and unprecedented access to actionable customer insights. While North America has led the initial wave, the momentum in EMEA (Europe, Middle East, and Africa) and APAC (Asia-Pacific) is accelerating. However, these regions present unique regulatory, technological, and consumer behavior challenges that require a nuanced, locally attuned approach.
Publicis Sapient’s RMN solutions are purpose-built to help retailers and brands in EMEA and APAC navigate this complexity, unlock growth, and deliver measurable business impact.
EMEA and APAC are defined by a patchwork of data privacy laws and advertising regulations. In Europe, GDPR and ePrivacy directives set a high bar for data consent and usage, while countries across APAC—from Australia’s Privacy Act to China’s PIPL—impose their own requirements. This regulatory landscape demands RMN solutions that are privacy-first, compliant by design, and adaptable as laws evolve.
Digital maturity varies widely across and within EMEA and APAC. Some markets boast advanced e-commerce ecosystems and robust first-party data, while others are still building foundational digital infrastructure. Publicis Sapient’s platform-agnostic, composable RMN solutions integrate seamlessly with existing systems and scale to meet local needs, whether launching a new network or modernizing a legacy platform.
Consumer expectations in EMEA and APAC are shaped by local culture, commerce habits, and digital adoption. For example, mobile commerce dominates in many APAC markets, while omnichannel experiences are increasingly critical in EMEA. Our RMN solutions leverage real-time data and AI to personalize offers, optimize inventory, and deliver relevant experiences across every touchpoint—online and offline.
Our approach spans the full RMN lifecycle:
Our RMN solutions are built with privacy at the forefront. Leveraging advanced identity resolution—including private clean rooms and deterministic/probabilistic matching—we enable compliant, closed-loop measurement and campaign optimization. This is critical in regions where data sovereignty and consumer trust are paramount.
Through our PS AI Labs and partnerships with leading technology providers, we deploy machine learning models that:
Success in EMEA and APAC depends on local expertise. Publicis Sapient’s teams on the ground collaborate with regional partners, retailers, and advertisers to ensure every RMN implementation reflects local consumer preferences, regulatory requirements, and market dynamics.
Faced with order cancellations and call center volume due to inventory discrepancies, this retailer partnered with Publicis Sapient to enhance real-time inventory visibility and order promising. The result: reduced cancellations, improved customer experience, and a more efficient RMN operation that connects media spend to actual product availability.
To address the need for precise forecasting across diverse product lines, we implemented an AI-driven inventory planning model that factors in local demand signals, product attributes, and macroeconomic indicators. The outcome: a 10%+ uplift in forecasting accuracy across 900 top SKUs in just six weeks, enabling more effective RMN campaign targeting and fulfillment.
For a leading CPG company operating across EMEA and APAC, Publicis Sapient delivered real-time inventory visibility across thousands of fulfillment centers, replacing lagging, batch-based systems. This enabled dynamic, region-specific ad targeting and offer optimization, driving higher conversion and digital revenue.
The opportunity for retailers and brands in EMEA and APAC to capture new revenue, deepen customer relationships, and future-proof their business through RMNs has never been greater. But success requires a partner who understands the region’s complexity and can deliver tailored, compliant, and scalable solutions.
Publicis Sapient stands ready to help you navigate this journey—unlocking growth, ensuring compliance, and delivering the experiences your customers truly value.
Contact us to learn how our regionally tailored RMN solutions can accelerate your business in EMEA and APAC.
Publicis Sapient is the digital business transformation hub of Publicis Groupe, with 20,000 people and over 50 offices worldwide. For more information, visit publicissapient.com.