The Retail Council of Canada (RCC) and the Interactive Advertising Bureau of Canada (IAB) have joined in a strategic collaboration with the goal to grow the digital retail advertising landscape in Canada. This collaboration aims to provide the retail industry with expertise in policies, standards development and best practices for digital advertising.

As retailers increasingly seek to expand their presence in the media space, specifically through digital retail networks, RCC and IAB will leverage this strategic alliance to offer comprehensive and up-to-date information and guidance.

“Gaining access to IAB’s global thought leadership and the technical standard-setting community will help steer the Canadian market towards solid footing on the global stage of retail marketing,” says Sonia Carreno, president Interactive Advertising Bureau of Canada.

“Interoperability will ensure scale across borders. When global brands seek to invest in the Canadian media landscape, they will have ease of entry and limited time, and resources spent adapting to a fragmented infrastructure. This is good for Canadian retailers looking to monetize their valuable data and for media investors looking to serve the Canadian market.”

One of the first joint initiatives will be a survey on the State of Retail Media in Canada. The results will be shared in Q3 at IAB’s Report on Data event. After the initial assessment of the market, Carreno says the partners will begin the process of developing resources and learning opportunities for retailers to build their offerings and for advertisers to explore what is available.

RCC represents more than 54,000 storefronts across various retail formats, including department stores, grocery stores, specialty and discount retailers, independent merchants, online sellers, and quick-service restaurants across Canada. In addition to its digital leadership, IAB Canada is part of a global presence with over 4,000 members spanning 47 countries.