American Express is joining the party and has launched its own media network, Amex Ads. The company says the network will help brands and advertisers connect with Amex’s 34 million-plus U.S. “consumer card members” — basically, people with Amex credit cards and debit cards, though the company is emphasizing
The network will start with AmexTravel.com and then expand to other Amex-owned properties and platforms, the company says. The goal? To serve ads, of course. But Amex emphasizes that these will be delivered to “high-spending Card Members” through relevant, contextual experiences “in the moments they are likely to engage, shop, and spend.”
Amex Ads was piloted earlier this year with Marriott, Macy’s, and Tumi, all of which reported strong increases in ad ROI, claims Amex.
Why This Matters:
Globally, commerce media spending is booming, with investments expected to hit $166 billion this year, up from roughly $115 billion in 2023. In the U.S., retail and commerce media are projected to exceed $65 billion and account for roughly 18% of total digital ad spending by 2025.
As we’ve mentioned recently, financial institutions continue to jump headfirst into the commerce media trend, leveraging their deep first-party transaction data to fuel new ad businesses. According to the company’s release, Amex Ads is “backed by… extensive first-party data, gleaned from a 360-degree view of online and offline Card Member spend.”
Amex’s entry signals that the era of “every brand is an ad network” has officially reached the financial services sector in full force. With both Mastercard and PayPal making similar moves, the next frontier for retail media might just be the banks.
Posting, because:
Experts React:
Here’s a good quote about the announcement from American Express’ Alexander Drummond, EVP and GM, Membership Portfolio Services, which was featured in the launch release.
“Amex Ads harnesses the power of our direct relationships with Card Members and brands to benefit both. With Amex Ads, brands can reach Card Members with relevant content at exactly the right time, while maintaining the privacy, security and trust our Card Members expect.”
Our Take:
Take that, Mastercard, which launched its own media network, Mastercard Commerce Media, just last week. We joke, we joke.
American Express sits on a treasure trove of spending data and brand affinity that most advertisers would kill for. Launching a media network is simply a way to monetize that advantage. It’s common sense at this point—and it won’t be long before other large financial institutions follow suit. Frankly, it would be malpractice not to.
Weirdly, the stock barely moved from the announcement. It definitely feels like media networks are either misunderstood or underestimated by the market.
