OWNED MEDIA

The global owned media opportunity is worth $573 billion

Sonder’s 2026 Global Report, produced with retail media analyst Andrew Lipsman and research partner the CMO Council, sizes the worth of the media that organisations own and control, and finds the vast majority of it is still being left on the table.

KEY FINDINGS

  • The global commercial potential of owned media is $573 billion.
  • Less than 30% of that potential is currently captured. Most owned media is underleveraged.
  • Retail media has four times the commercial potential of commerce media: $450 billion versus $120 billion across sectors such as finance, travel and telecom.
  • Large telcos hold the biggest unrealised media-network opportunity across the US, UK and Australia.
  • Physical stores represent around 20% of the global owned media opportunity, yet drive less than 1% of US retail media revenue, a major monetisation gap.
  • In-store is the biggest owned media opportunity for FMCG-led retailers: 54% of the potential for fuel & convenience, and 38% for grocery & liquor.
WHY IT MATTERS

Most organisations rigorously audit the media they buy, but rarely value the media they own. Owned media, the websites, apps, email, stores, networks and loyalty programs an organisation controls, is the most undervalued asset on the marketing balance sheet. Valuing it properly is the first step to commercialising it, and the data shows how much value is still untapped.

THE AUTHORITY

This is Sonder’s fourth global market report, produced with independent retail media analyst Andrew Lipsman (formerly of EMARKETER) and research partner the CMO Council. It is backed by Sonder’s proprietary rate pool of 2,500+ benchmarked owned media CPMs, and more than $12 billion in owned media value unlocked across 14 sectors and 22 countries.

Download the full 2026 Global Report

The complete report, with the full methodology, sector breakdowns and country data, is available on request.

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Your Questions Answered

How big is the global owned media market?
$573 billion in commercial potential, per Sonder’s 2026 Global Report.

How much of owned media’s value is captured today?
Less than 30%. The majority is under-leveraged.

What is the difference between retail media and commerce media in value terms?
Retail media has roughly four times the commercial potential ($450B vs $120B).

Which sectors have the biggest owned media opportunity?
Large telcos hold the biggest unrealised opportunity; in-store leads for fuel & convenience and grocery.

Who produced the 2026 owned media report?
Sonder, with analyst Andrew Lipsman and the CMO Council.