Gawronski Media, a Madison, Wisconsin-based paid media agency focused exclusively on food, beverage and consumer packaged goods brands, has made Instacart Ads a core part of its strategy for helping emerging brands grow. Founded in 2018 by Kevin Gawronski, the seven-person agency works as an extension of its clients’ teams, building campaigns around measurable business goals.
Gawronski Media began advertising on Instacart in summer 2020, before retail media networks became a more established part of many brands’ marketing strategies. The agency saw potential in Instacart’s reach across grocery retailers and in the opportunity to connect advertising with consumers who were ready to buy.
“Over the next few years, we started integrating Instacart advertising as a mandatory platform for brands needing to move products off the shelves,” said Kevin Gawronski, founder of Gawronski Media.
Today, sponsored product campaigns are a starting point for the agency’s clients. From there, Gawronski Media builds out campaigns based on each brand’s needs, including shoppable display during seasonal moments and co-branded campaigns that bring adjacent-category brands together to reach new audiences. The agency also works with Instacart representatives to explore new campaign types as they become available.
Campaigns built around what each brand needs to grow
Gawronski Media prioritizes overall sales growth, while adapting campaign strategies and key performance indicators to each brand’s goals. The agency considers factors such as purchase cycles, frequency and category growth when refining its approach.
One client, Scott and Jon’s, grew overall sales 99.5% from 2024 to 2025, ranking as the No. 19 fastest-growing brand overall in 2025 and the fastest-growing frozen brand.*
Other emerging brands have also been on a growth trajectory. Di Fara Pizza is projected to increase overall sales 177% year over year by the end of the year on Instacart, while 18 Chestnuts soup is projected to see an 118% increase.* Gawronski Media also works with brands including Simeks, Rootberry, Portland Pet Foods, Oishii, Mount Hagen and Coacqua, which the agency expects to see strong overall growth.
A retail media strategy built for emerging food and beverage brands
For Gawronski Media, Instacart is often the first step for emerging brands entering retail media. The agency allocates more budget to Instacart than to any other platform, with investment shifting according to each brand’s retail priorities.
“Instacart Ads is the core of our strategy for emerging food and beverage brands,” Gawronski said. “When we onboard a brand needing retail media help, the question isn’t whether we will start launching Instacart campaigns, it’s when and how.”
The agency also points to Instacart’s growing ecosystem of retailers and grocery apps as an opportunity to expand sales-driving campaigns. As the platform adds new retail partners, Gawronski Media sees more avenues for its clients to reach consumers across ecommerce.
A collaborative agency partnership
Gawronski describes the agency’s relationship with Instacart as extremely collaborative. Longstanding relationships with representatives give the team a resource for reviewing campaign strategies and interpreting performance metrics. Monthly meetings help Gawronski Media stay informed about platform developments and plan for future opportunities.
For an agency built to support emerging brands, that partnership complements a hands-on approach to media planning and measurement. Gawronski Media’s experience shows how Instacart Ads can serve as a foundation for brands seeking to build retail media programs, reach consumers and support sales growth.
*Prior results do not guarantee future outcomes.
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