The Trade Desk & THG link up on beauty retail data

The Trade Desk has partnered with THG to give advertisers direct access to audience segments from online beauty retailers Cult Beauty and LOOKFANTASTIC through The Trade Desk's buying platform.

The deal brings THG Beauty Media data into The Trade Desk for self-serve campaign planning and activation. Media buyers can use these segments across the wider digital advertising market, rather than being limited to THG's own sites.

Retail media has grown as brands look for advertising tied to commerce signals such as browsing and purchasing behaviour. Beauty has been a particularly active category, with frequent product launches and repeat purchasing patterns that lend themselves to targeted campaigns.

Advertisers can choose segments based on shopping behaviour, including higher-spending customers, value-focused shoppers, people browsing with purchase intent, and lapsed buyers. The segments span skincare, make-up, haircare, fragrance and nutrition.

Data Access

Media buyers will be able to use THG's event-level data to build custom segments and measure campaign performance. The set-up also removes the need for a retailer clean room, often used as a controlled environment for data matching and measurement.

The Trade Desk operates a self-serve media buying platform used by advertisers and agencies. Campaigns can run across the open internet, including connected TV and audio, alongside established digital formats.

THG Beauty Media is positioning the deal as an expansion of its retail media offering. The unit has been building services for brands that want to reach shoppers on THG's retail properties and beyond. Cult Beauty and LOOKFANTASTIC sit within THG Beauty, which also includes Dermstore.

Rachel Moss, Retail Media Director at THG, said the company has increased investment in marketing services alongside partner growth.

"We're extremely proud of how our retail media offering is evolving as we enter the next phase of our partnership with The Trade Desk. Over the past year, we've welcomed several new partners and increased our investment in marketing services to strengthen and modernise our proposition. We're excited about what the next 12 months will bring for THG Beauty Media as we continue to expand and innovate," said Rachel Moss, Retail Media Director, THG.

Measurement Focus

Both companies are emphasising measurement against sales outcomes. THG said the data and buying access will allow advertisers to compare media activity with actual sales. This approach is often described as closed-loop attribution in retail media, where brands seek a clearer link between exposure and purchase.

For beauty brands, running campaigns across multiple channels while using retail data is increasingly important. Connected TV and digital audio have become larger parts of media plans, while brands still want performance indicators that resemble the direct measurement available in eCommerce.

Tim Abraham, GM of Data Partnerships at The Trade Desk, said the partnership reflects the growing role of retail data in marketing strategies.

"As retail data continues to play a pivotal role in marketing strategies, our first partnership with UK beauty retail leader THG presents an incredible opportunity for advertisers to help improve the effectiveness of their ad spend," said Tim Abraham, GM of Data Partnerships, The Trade Desk. "This partnership enables advertisers to access event-level data to build custom segments and measure performance without the need for a retailer clean room. This allows brands to leverage our proprietary AI to accurately reach the right customers based on real purchase behaviours and optimise media towards sales - creating a win-win for both marketers and consumers across the open internet."

Beauty Reach

THG said its beauty retail businesses reach millions of customers across the UK and other markets. LOOKFANTASTIC targets a broad audience with a wide product range, while Cult Beauty focuses on a curated assortment aimed at beauty enthusiasts.

THG is a global eCommerce group with two main consumer divisions: THG Beauty and THG Nutrition. Its beauty business includes a mix of third-party brands and owned labels. THG Nutrition is led by Myprotein, which the company describes as the world's largest online sports nutrition brand.

The Trade Desk is headquartered in the US and sells advertising technology to agencies and brands. It offers tools for planning, buying and optimising campaigns across digital channels and formats. The company has been expanding partnerships with data providers and retailers as advertisers look for addressable audiences and more consistent measurement across an increasingly fragmented media landscape.

Advertisers will be able to use THG segments in campaigns run through The Trade Desk across multiple digital channels, including connected TV and audio.