Observed Signal · Jul 5, 2018 · Partnership · Source: OnlineMarketing.de · Impact: 2/5 · Sentiment: Positive
Criteo and Otto Group Media Form Strategic Retail Media Partnership
Criteo and Otto Group Media announced a strategic partnership in Retail Media that combines Otto Group’s on-site ad sales capabilities with Criteo’s Sponsored Products technology. The collaboration enables Otto Group merchants to monetize their website traffic more efficiently and increases reach for brands within the Otto network. Criteo Sponsored Products comprises Native Product Ads shown across online shops and apps throughout the purchase process, with brands paying per click while shoppers stay on the retailer’s site to convert. The partnership is slated to deliver new revenue opportunities for Otto Group merchants starting in Q4 2018 and includes the possibility to extend campaigns to external inventory via the joint network. Participants such as BAUR, Torsten Ahlers of Otto Group Media, and Alexander Gösswein of Criteo are cited praising access to partners, managed services, and momentum for Sponsored Products in the market.
Partnership between two named firms in Retail Media with potential to impact monetization and reach across a retailer network.
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Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- Criteo and Otto Group Media announced a strategic partnership in Retail Media.
- The partnership combines Otto Group Media's sales capabilities with Criteo Sponsored Products technology.
- Otto Group merchants can monetize their website traffic with new revenue sources from Q4 2018.
- Criteo Sponsored Products are Native Product Ads shown in online shops and apps, with brands paying per click.
- Criteo Sponsored Products had been available in Germany for about a year prior to the partnership.
Connected Companies & Entities
2 Entities mappedOntology Mapping & Concepts
Related Market Signals & Shifts
Recent verified developments and strategic activity across this market segment.
Otto Advertising Launches In-House Demand-Side Platform
Otto Advertising, the retail-media arm of the Otto Group, has launched its own Demand-Side Platform (DSP). The self-developed platform enables advertisers and media agencies to buy digital inventory across channels and publishers in both self-service and managed-service modes. While primarily targeting brands within the Otto ecosystem, it is also open to non-endemic advertisers. The DSP relies on exclusive first-party data from more than 31 million active Otto Group user accounts to enable data-driven targeting on premium websites and digital-out-of-home screens, with supply to grow. The infrastructure is built in-house, avoiding external tech providers and third-party data to enhance transparency and potential cost efficiency on both buy and sell sides. Mediaplus was the first agency to test the platform during an autumn campaign for a tourism client, reporting precise targeting and strong results. The offering combines self-service and managed-service options, with a roadmap to add conversion-focused self-service features next year.
Criteo SSP Recognized by Frost & Sullivan for Commerce Media Innovation
Criteo's SSP has been recognized by Frost & Sullivan for innovation in commerce media, as announced in a new press release dated October 5, 2026.
Apple iOS 27 Blocks The Trade Desk from Serving Safari Ads
Apple's iOS 27, released mid-September, has blocked major programmatic data firms—including The Trade Desk, LiveRamp, ID5, Permutive, and Audigent—from serving ads or collecting data in Safari via a WebKit blocklist. This dynamic, privately hosted blocklist prevents ad delivery on iPhones, iPads, and macOS, affecting CDPs, DMPs, and DSPs. The Trade Desk's adsrvr.org was removed in iOS 27.2 beta, but Apple plans a broader blocklist covering hundreds of ad tech and martech vendors, disrupting ad serving, attribution, and alternative IDs. Unlike ATT, this fully blocks ad delivery, raising competitive concerns, especially if Google is exempt. Some vendors like LiveIntent and Lotame remain unaffected, but the block reduces publisher demand and shifts market composition. It follows regulatory actions in Europe and a UK class action, with Germany's Bundeskartellamt concluding in mid-2026. IAB Tech Lab's Trusted Server is a proposed solution, but adoption is slow. Impact is currently limited by low iOS 27 adoption but expected to grow.
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