In a rapidly shifting digital advertising landscape, U.S. marketers are finding increased returns and greater customer engagement through commerce media, according to new 2025 research insights from interactive content platform Vudoo. The study reveals a significant surge in the adoption of commerce-driven advertising formats, with performance metrics showing marked improvements in conversion rates, return on ad spend (ROAS), and overall media efficiency.
As brands grapple with the realities of a post-cookie environment and rising customer acquisition costs, commerce media—advertising that is seamlessly integrated into shoppable content, retail networks, and transaction-enabled platforms—has emerged as a powerful solution. Vudoo’s data indicates that this format not only delivers measurable impact but also meets consumers at a critical decision-making point, shortening the path from discovery to purchase.
Commerce Media: The New ROI Engine
According to Vudoo’s 2025 insights, over 70% of U.S. marketers who increased their investment in commerce media reported improved campaign ROI compared to traditional display and social ad formats. These marketers cited benefits such as real-time engagement tracking, lower customer acquisition costs, and better alignment with consumer shopping behavior.
Commerce media allows brands to embed calls-to-action directly within digital content—such as videos, stories, and influencer assets—turning passive viewing into active shopping experiences. This approach not only boosts immediacy but also provides more transparent attribution, allowing for deeper campaign optimization.
Key Findings from the 2025 Study
- Higher Engagement Rates: Interactive commerce media formats delivered up to 2.5x higher engagement rates than static ads, especially on mobile-first platforms.
- Faster Purchase Decisions: Consumers exposed to commerce-enabled content were 40% more likely to complete a purchase within 24 hours, indicating accelerated conversion timelines.
- Improved ROAS: Brands using commerce media solutions reported an average return on ad spend increase of 35%, driven by more qualified clicks and contextual product placement.
- Cross-Channel Integration: The study also found that integrating commerce media into omnichannel campaigns—such as combining shoppable video with email or retail media—further amplified results.
A Shift in Consumer Expectations
Vudoo’s findings also highlight a change in consumer expectations. Shoppers increasingly want to engage with content that is both entertaining and transactional. Today’s digital users no longer distinguish between media consumption and shopping—they expect to be able to act immediately when interest is piqued.
This shift aligns with the growing popularity of formats like shoppable video, livestream commerce, and native product placements within creator-driven content. Commerce media serves this appetite by providing seamless pathways from curiosity to conversion.
Implications for Marketers
With traditional digital media becoming less effective due to ad fatigue, privacy regulations, and tracking limitations, commerce media offers a promising alternative. Marketers are now rethinking their content strategies and media spend to prioritize content that converts, rather than simply content that entertains.
The report suggests that to fully capitalize on commerce media, brands need to:
- Prioritize interactivity in their creative formats.
- Work closely with retail partners and media platforms that support transactional functionality.
- Invest in measurement tools that track user interaction and sales attribution in real time.
Vudoo’s technology, which enables interactive video and shoppable experiences, has positioned itself at the forefront of this evolution, empowering brands to transform engagement into tangible business outcomes.
Looking Ahead
As we move deeper into 2025, commerce media is expected to play a central role in the performance marketing mix. U.S. marketers are no longer just experimenting—they are reallocating budgets and restructuring teams to harness the full potential of content that drives commerce.
With its proven ability to deliver both richer storytelling and stronger ROI, commerce media is more than a trend—it’s becoming the foundation for how brands connect with consumers in the digital age.