Target Roundel Advertisers Favor Sales Over Incrementality

While retailers push for incrementality metrics, most advertisers remain focused on traditional growth and ROAS.

Updated on Oct. 16, 2026 in Advertising

Isometric editorial illustration showing a large rectangular block beside smaller tiered geometric columns, visualizing structural differences in advertising metrics. — Only 8% of Roundel advertisers currently use incrementality as their primary metric, as most prioritize overall sales growth for investment decisions. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

Live Poll

Is now a good time for businesses to shift focus from immediate returns to incremental growth?

Target's advertising division, Roundel, reports that only 8% of its advertisers currently use incrementality as their primary performance metric. Meanwhile, 66% of advertisers identify overall sales growth as the primary driver for their investment decisions.

Why it matters

Incrementality is designed to distinguish campaign-driven revenue from organic sales, yet advertisers continue to prioritize return on ad spend (ROAS) to evaluate efficiency. This disconnect highlights a persistent challenge for retailers aiming to shift measurement standards.

Only 8% of advertisers utilize incrementality as their primary performance metric, while 66% of Roundel clients cite sales growth as the main reason for their investment. Many brands continue to favor ROAS, calculated by dividing ad revenue by ad cost.

The players

Shawn McGahee

He serves as a senior director at Roundel, the advertising division of Target.

Roundel

This is the retail media network division of Target that manages advertising placements for brands.

Albertsons

This is a large American grocery company that recently expanded its own media measurement capabilities.

The details

Incrementality metrics work by comparing test-and-control groups to determine if a customer would have made a purchase without being exposed to an advertisement. Despite this, firms continue to lean on ROAS to ensure media spend remains efficient within fixed budgets.

Albertsons introduced on-site incrementality measurement in April 2026.
Shawn McGahee addressed an advertiser event in New York on October 13, 2026.

Market Landscape

The push toward retail media network incrementality measurement sets a higher bar for proving ad efficacy in a competitive retail landscape. This shift positions companies like Roundel and Albertsons to offer more precise data to brands as they move away from basic ROAS.

Advertisers and brands may see changes in how retail partners report campaign success as these networks refine their tracking tools. This could lead to more accurate data regarding which ads actually drive new purchases, potentially shifting where budgets are allocated.

The takeaway

Advertisers should consider evaluating both ROAS and incrementality to balance immediate budget efficiency with long-term customer acquisition strategy. Understanding the difference between these metrics can help businesses better identify which campaigns are truly driving incremental growth.