Ascendant Network to Host Inaugural SHOWCASE: The World’s Largest Retail + Commerce Media Upfront

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Ascendant Network, the premier community for progressive marketing and retail executives, today announced SHOWCASE, a groundbreaking upfront-style event designed to redefine the commerce media landscape. Set to take place in New York City on September 2, 2026, SHOWCASE will serve as the definitive marketplace for brands, agencies, and the leaders of the third wave of advertising.

While traditional Upfronts were built for selling TV ads and NewFronts for digital ads, SHOWCASE is built for a commerce-driven media world; a time where intent results in discovery and data results in tangible outcomes.

"Retail media has reached an inflection point—and moments like this signal what comes next,” said Mandy Adams, Sr. Director - Orange Apron Media. “This is about more than showcasing capabilities—it’s about setting a new standard for driving performance and delivering measurable impact. Orange Apron Media is proud to help shape that next chapter."

A Curated Marketplace for Growth

SHOWCASE brings brands and agencies together at the intersection of discovery, consideration, and conversion. It is designed to be the industry’s most efficient, one-stop marketplace for commerce-driven media.

The SHOWCASE 2026 Experience will feature:

• Dynamic Network Previews: A curated lineup of leading retail and commerce media networks showcasing new capabilities, strategic partnerships, and ROI-driving case studies.
• The Transactional Floor: A premier marketplace for agencies to see the holistic view of Retail Media Networks and Commerce Media Networks today.
• Actionable Outcomes: High-level discussions focused on moving beyond clicks to deep-funnel data, omnichannel activation, and closed-loop, full-funnel measurement.
• The Ascendant Community: Connect with an elite group of senior brand decision-makers across CMOs, brand leaders, media buyers, and shopper and trade marketing teams to help drive decisions for the 2027 fiscal year.

"For over a decade, Ascendant Network has been the home for commerce, media, and marketing leaders who are responsible for driving transformation in their organizations," said Susan MacDermid, Founder and CEO at Ascendant Network. "With SHOWCASE, we are taking our community-first model and applying it to the industry’s most critical growth engine. This is where retail and commerce media build brands through relevance, trust, and context, all while delivering the accountability modern marketers demand."

As retail and commerce media ad spend continues to outpace all other advertising channels, SHOWCASE arrives at a pivotal moment when indirect ad sales through agencies and platforms overtake direct sales. By aligning with the early fall planning window, SHOWCASE helps brands and agencies navigate an increasingly complex and fragmented retail and commerce media ecosystem.

Registration for SHOWCASE is by invitation and application only. For more information on speaking opportunities, sponsorships, or to apply for an invitation, please visit https://ascendantnetwork.com/showcase/.

About Ascendant Network

Ascendant Network builds influential communities of marketing, media, retail, and commerce media executives: RMN Americas Ascendant Boot Camp + RMN Europe Ascendant Boot Camp + Digital Ascendant. Its mission is to empower the professional development of the exceptional individual leaders at the forefront of media transformation. Ascendant is launching SHOWCASE on Sept 2nd in NYC, a one-day retail + commerce media upfront reimagined for today’s fragmented ecosystem—bringing together leading retail and commerce media networks, and brands and agencies for high-impact presentations and commercial dialogue.