Walmart Expands Retail Media Network with New Ad Tech Partnership
Quick Take:
Walmart has announced a partnership with The Trade Desk to advance its Retail Media Network capabilities, aiming to improve advertising targeting and measurement for its growing base of brand partners.
What Happened:
On June 2024, Walmart revealed a collaboration with The Trade Desk to integrate its retail media network with The Trade Desk’s Demand-Side Platform (DSP). This move enables Walmart’s advertisers to access more precise audience targeting and cross-channel campaign measurement. The partnership aims to combine Walmart’s first-party shopper data with The Trade Desk’s programmatic technology to drive better ad performance both on and off Walmart’s retail properties.
Why It Matters:
This partnership signals a broader industry shift towards integrating retail media with programmatic ad platforms. For brands, Walmart’s expanded capabilities mean greater reach and accuracy in targeting consumers through a trusted retail ecosystem. For Walmart, it strengthens its position among retail media networks by offering improved advertiser value and potentially increasing ad spend on its platform. The deal also highlights growing demand for transparent, data-driven measurement tools within retail media, addressing longstanding challenges around attribution.
The Immediate Outlook:
Retail media professionals should expect Walmart to roll out enhanced ad products leveraging this partnership in the coming months, with early pilots already underway. Advertisers may see more seamless campaign management across Walmart’s properties and external channels, leading to more efficient spending and insights. This development may prompt other major retailers to pursue similar alliances with programmatic platforms to remain competitive as retail media budgets continue to rise.
Overall, Walmart’s collaboration with The Trade Desk marks a significant step in the evolution of retail media, emphasizing data integration and measurement to drive growth for brands and retailers alike.
