Walmart Seeks Digital Ad Supremacy with Full-Scale Platform Ambitions

Walmart has ambitious plans for its advertising arm, Walmart Connect, which it outlined at the Goldman Sachs Communacopia + Technology Conference 2026. The company aims to build a full-scale ad platform that can compete with digital giants like Google and Meta across connected TV, social media, and shopping apps.

The current model focuses on sponsorships around shopping moments, but Walmart is shifting towards self-service buying, API access, and a broader ecosystem of service providers. This change has been underway for the past three to four years, according to Ryan Mayward, senior vice president and general manager of Walmart Connect U.S.

The company believes it's one of only two retailers that fully match the traits of major digital ad platforms, alongside Amazon. Both can reach nearly every customer in their home market, invest heavily in customer attention, offer simple ways for advertisers to buy ads, and show clear return on investment.