UK ecommerce group THG PLC has announced a strategic partnership with global adtech leader The Trade Desk, giving advertisers direct, self-serve access to high-intent beauty retail data for the first time.

Through The Trade Desk’s Kokai media-buying platform, brands and agencies can now activate audience segments derived from THG’s beauty retailers Cult Beauty and LOOKFANTASTIC across the open internet.

The move positions THG Beauty Media more firmly within the fast-growing retail media ecosystem—while giving advertisers access to commerce-backed targeting beyond walled gardens.

Commerce Data Goes Self-Serve

The integration allows media buyers to tap into audience segments built from real-world ecommerce behaviour, spanning categories such as:

• Skincare

• Makeup

• Haircare

• Fragrance

• Nutrition

Segments range from high-value and budget shoppers to intent-driven browsers and lapsed customers. Crucially, advertisers can measure campaign performance against actual sales outcomes, enabling closed-loop attribution and improved return on ad spend (ROAS).

Unlike some retail data partnerships that require clean room integrations, this offering provides event-level data activation directly within Kokai—streamlining execution for agencies and brands.

Full-Funnel Targeting Across the Open Internet

Campaigns activated via The Trade Desk can run across premium open internet inventory, including:

• Connected TV (CTV)

• Digital audio

• Display and video

By applying retail data across brand-building and performance media, marketers can extend ecommerce insights beyond onsite placements and into omnichannel campaigns.

For THG, this expands its retail media proposition beyond owned-and-operated environments—allowing beauty brands to reach audiences wherever they consume content.

Strengthening THG Beauty Media

The partnership is part of THG Beauty Media’s broader push to modernise its retail media infrastructure and grow its marketing services division.

With millions of customers across Cult Beauty and LOOKFANTASTIC, THG combines:

• Large-scale ecommerce transaction data

• In-house creative capabilities

• Closed-loop attribution measurement

LOOKFANTASTIC serves a broad beauty audience with an extensive product range, while Cult Beauty targets trend-driven and premium-focused shoppers with a curated selection of brands. Together, they offer advertisers access to the full spectrum of UK beauty consumers—from casual buyers to category enthusiasts.

Retail Media Expands Beyond Walled Gardens

Retail media networks have become one of the fastest-growing segments in digital advertising, as brands seek first-party data alternatives amid signal loss and tightening privacy regulations.

This partnership signals a broader shift: retail data is increasingly being activated across the open internet rather than confined to retailer-owned media ecosystems.

By combining commerce-backed segments with AI-driven optimisation on The Trade Desk’s platform, advertisers can:

• Reduce media waste

• Improve audience precision

• Optimise toward real sales outcomes

• Align brand and performance objectives

For THG, the move enhances monetisation of its first-party beauty data. For advertisers, it offers scalable access to high-intent audiences without complex integrations.

As retail media evolves from onsite placements to full-funnel omnichannel activation, partnerships like this highlight how ecommerce data is reshaping digital advertising strategy across CTV, audio, and display.

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