Rokt is revisiting the powerful themes that emerged from MAD//Upnorth 2025. Held at Aviva Studios in Manchester, the event brought fresh energy to the future of ecommerce, marketing, and media.
Rokt was named one of the Tech Trailblazers in this year's Now That’s What I Call Retail Media Report, as emerging tech helping to propel retail media by a panel of expert judges from across the retail media ecosystem. The judges said: "This tech has opened up advertising post-checkout and has made the non-endemic route available for retail media networks. The potential is huge."
In one of the event’s most compelling sessions, Marc Allsop, Rokt’s Group Chief Revenue Officer, joined Alice Anson, Digital Media Director at Nectar360, to explore how brands can transform checkout from a final step into a strategic advantage. The discussion underscored the growing importance of the Transaction Moment™, a high-intent, emotionally resonant stage where relevance, trust, and performance converge
Here are the five key takeaways from the duo for ecommerce businesses looking to drive growth by showing up with precision, not noise, in the moments that matter most:
1. Checkout is an overlooked moment of connection with shoppers
New research from Harris Poll reveals that 64 percent of shoppers feel joy at checkout. This moment of emotional release creates an opportunity for brands to meet customers with value, not interruption.
“You’ve finished that journey, there’s that sigh of relief,” said Anson. “But we found we could make that moment sticky and rewarding.”
Rokt sees checkout as more than transactional. It is a space to reinforce trust, provide tailored offers, and deepen brand connections.
2. Relevance is the filter for loyalty and performance
When an experience feels irrelevant, customers walk away. Sixty percent of consumers have exited checkout due to poorly targeted offers. In contrast, 42 percent say they are more likely to return after receiving something that feels personalised.
“We talk about how to be daring and distinctive, but not at the expense of trust,” said Allsop. “That trust question is critical.”
At Rokt, the goal is to engage only when the context supports it. In some moments, that means holding back entirely. The impact comes from knowing when to act and when to stay silent.
3. Non-endemic advertising can thrive in the right context
For many brands, the idea of placing a non-endemic ad in a retail environment feels risky. But as Anson pointed out, success comes from timing and fit.
“We saw a real opportunity at checkout to provide added value. The journey we’ve had with Rokt has been amazing.”
She recalled a key moment in the partnership: “Someone said, ‘Sometimes we don’t show anything.’ That was revolutionary for us.” This selective approach aligns with Rokt’s belief that real-time relevance means making each engagement intentional, not automatic.
4. First-party data should serve the experience
Data alone does not drive results. It must improve the way brands show up for customers. That means using first-party signals to make experiences more intuitive and less transactional.
“We’ve had first-party data for years,” said Anson. “But what sets us apart is how we use it — to make the journey smoother and more personal.”
Rokt’s technology is designed to adapt in real time, optimising offers that feel native, not disruptive. The result is a better experience for customers and stronger performance for brands.
5. Trust is what unlocks long-term impact
Conversions can happen in a moment, but relationships take consistency. Trust is the foundation that makes both possible.
“We are here to win hearts and minds, but never at the cost of trust,” said Allsop. This mindset shapes how Rokt approaches the Transaction Moment™, where performance is built on customer choice, transparency, and value.
Rokt helps brands show up in the moments that matter, not with more ads, but with smarter ones. We believe the checkout experience is one of the most underused but high-potential stages in the ecommerce journey.
To explore how joy, trust, and relevance are reshaping customer behaviour, read our full Q&A with Libby Rodney, Chief Strategy Officer at Harris Poll.
