Ascendant Network Announces Comprehensive Sponsor Lineup for the Inaugural SHOWCASE: World’s First Retail + Commerce Media Upfront

The scaled, multi-retailer event takes place on September 2 in New York City

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Today, Ascendant Network announced a comprehensive lineup of presenting sponsors for SHOWCASE: the world’s first retail + commerce media upfront, taking place on Wednesday, September 2, 2026, at The Times Center in New York City. Bringing together the world’s most powerful buyers and media networks, the inaugural retail media upfront event features a roster of category-leading presenting sponsors spanning across national and regional grocery, discount, drugstore, department store, home improvement, specialty retail, delivery, financial services, payments, and more.

At the request of the media agencies, more than 15 sponsors across a wide range of industries are confirmed, including AD Retail Media USA, Albertsons Media Collective, Chase Media Solutions, Chewy Ads, DG Media Network, DICK’S Media, DoorDash Ads, H-E-B Retail Media, Instacart Ads, Macy’s Media Network, Orange Apron Media, PayPal Ads, RedVest Media, Sallie Mae Backpack Media, and Walgreens Advertising Group.

"Our industry has grown fast, and fragmentation has come with it. Having a single moment where buyers can engage with this many category leaders is exactly the efficiency our partners have been asking for,” said Toby Espinosa, VP of Ads at DoorDash. “SHOWCASE brings the entire retail and commerce media industry together as one unified force, and DoorDash Ads is excited to help shape what the retail media upfront becomes — giving buyers a clearer, faster path to the partnerships that will define their 2027 planning."

SHOWCASE provides brands and agencies with early access to product roadmaps, data capabilities, and campaign efficiency tools from some of the biggest names in the retail and commerce media ecosystems. All major advertising holding companies have also confirmed their participation.

As brands demand greater accountability, transparency, and signal-rich inventory, SHOWCASE provides a premier environment to move beyond basic discovery and foster deeper commercial partnerships. Representing a massive shift toward more effective, data-driven advertising, this one-stop shop for retail and commerce media presentations arrives at a critical time in the annual planning cycle.

"As retail media rapidly evolves into a core component of modern brand marketing, the industry has reached a pivotal tipping point that demands greater efficiency, integration, and transparency," said Susan MacDermid, CEO and Co-Founder of Ascendant Network. “SHOWCASE was designed from the ground up to solve the fragmentation problem in our ecosystem. By bringing together the world's leading retail and commerce media networks alongside decision-makers from top brands and holding company agencies under one roof, we are creating an unprecedented platform for high-impact commercial dialogue and strategic partnerships."

SHOWCASE At-a-glance:

• Date: Wednesday, September 2, 2026
• Location: The Times Center, New York City, NY
• Format: Invite-only, one-day upfront featuring elite presenting sponsors and top-tier agency buyers driving $1T in annual retail sales.
• Media Opportunities: Access to top retail media executives to discuss strategies and opportunities for 2027, upfront-style presentations from industry leaders, and cross-industry collaboration insights.

SHOWCASE is an invite-only event. For more information, 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.

Learn more at https://ascendantnetwork.com/showcase/.