Publicis Buys Retail Ad Targeting Platform

Marcoms giant Publicis Groupe has acquired Australia-based self-service retail ad-serving and targeting platform CitrusAd, which provides brands with access to customer intelligence based on first-party data from retailers. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Founded in 2017 by Brad Moran and Nick Paech (pictured) and comprising 130 engineers and retail media experts around the world, CitrusAd enables brands to optimize marketing performance directly within retailer web sites. The firm's platform stores clients' first-party data and point of purchase data, and uses a real-time personalisation engine to produce targeted sponsored product offers, banner advertising and analytics. With more than 50% of its activities in the US, CitrusAd is present across 22 countries and six industries.

The firm will now be merged with Epsilon's CORE ID, to create a global retail media offering based on 'real identity'. Publicis says the combination will enable it to deliver identity resolution, with no dependency on third-party cookies, and measure conversations in real time - in-store and online. This merged business will then act as a standalone CitrusAd unit within Epsilon.

Publicis Groups CEO and Chairman Arthur Sadoun comments: 'We are delighted to welcome Brad, Nick and the CitrusAd team to Publicis. The technology they have developed, coupled with Epsilon's CORE ID will enable CPG brands to grow faster and retailers to generate new sources of revenue to win in a platform world. It will also give to Publicis a strong competitive advantage in a channel that by 2025 should surpass traditional TV spend'.

Web sites: www.publicisgroupe.com and www.citrusad.com .