The Trade Desk opens for business with top China streaming services

In a move it says makes Chinese consumers more accessible for international advertisers, The Trade Desk has announced integrations with the following premium media platforms:

• Baidu Exchange Services
• iQiyi (Baidu’s video streaming service)
• Tencent Social Ads
• Youku (Alibaba’s video streaming service).

These partnerships give global marketers unprecedented access to China's top three streaming-video platforms, the company said. Marketers participating in a beta programme can now use The Trade Desk's platform to reach Chinese consumers with display, mobile, video, and native advertising. The beta is only open to customers outside China, a spokesperson confirmed.

The Trade Desk also has partnerships with China's measurement and data providers, ensuring multinational brands can achieve brand safety, reach, scale and performance objectives, the company said.

"China has 772 million internet-connected consumers and a burgeoning middle class with increasing disposable income," James Patterson, VP of global operations for The Trade Desk, told Campaign Asia-Pacific via email. "The ability to advertise in China opens up a new pool of potential customers."

China’s media buying industry is complex, Patterson added, pointing to The Trade Desk's Chinese LLC, established in 2017, and understanding of legal and regulatory requirements as advantages.

"The Trade Desk is currently in beta with our China programmatic media buying offering," Patterson added. "We are on the ground in China and have integrated with leading Chinese media and technology providers to provide global marketers access to premium content and powerful data along with measurement and brand-safety solutions."

iQiyi's tie-up with The Trade Desk is its first partnership with an international demand-side platform, Andy Sun, general manager of programmatic business, said in a release. “We value The Trade Desk’s independence and objectivity and see this partnership as an important step in providing leading global brands access to millions of engaged consumers in China,” he added.

Benson Ho, chief data strategy officer with Tencent Social Ads, said private-marketplace integration with The Trade Desk gives advertisers access to Tencent's high audience coverage and unique data insights that are crucial for marketers wanting to understand consumers in China throughout their entire journey.

The Trade Desk touted its expertise with mobile and video in noting that China has 753 million mobile internet users who account for more than 97% of internet-connected adults in China, while more than 75% of internet users in China watch digital video. Globally, the company recorded 89% growth in mobile spend and more than 150% growth in mobile video between Q2 2017 to Q2 2018. 

In reporting its third quarter results late last week, The Trade Desk said it made $118.8 million in revenue, which represents 50% growth year-over-year. It also reported a 91% year-over-year increase in earnings per share.