The $204 billion retail media market is about to get a major jolt from two of its heavyweights. Criteo and Mirakl Ads have announced a global integration designed to crack open one of the most underutilized opportunities in the space: mid-to-long-tail advertisers.
These aren’t the splashy brand giants you see on Times Square billboards. They’re the smaller, often overlooked third-party sellers—vendors who collectively account for a hefty share of ad dollars but have traditionally been tough to reach. According to SmartScout data, these sellers outspend first-party brands on Amazon by a whopping 127%. So why have so many retailers left them on the sidelines?
The problem has been scale and efficiency—or rather, the lack of it. Manually managing ad campaigns for thousands of modest-scale sellers is a logistical nightmare. That’s where the Criteo-Mirakl partnership comes in.
By merging Criteo’s ad-serving tech and retail media supply with Mirakl’s marketplace ecosystem, the new integration offers a streamlined, AI-powered path to ad activation for this elusive segment. Retailers can now offer self-service and automated campaign tools to these mid-to-long-tail players—without overloading internal operations.
In short: More brands. More ads. Less overhead.
A Strategic Shift in Retail Media
The move is part of a broader evolution in retail media, where the focus is shifting from just premium placements for big brands to creating inclusive platforms that unlock long-tail revenue. And it’s not just about revenue. With a more diverse mix of advertisers, retailers can boost product variety and better cater to niche audiences—something increasingly valuable in an age of hyper-personalized commerce.
“Retailers are seeking streamlined solutions to grow demand and connect with diverse brand partners,” said Melanie Zimmermann, General Manager of Global Retail Media at Criteo. “This integration empowers them to monetize their marketplaces more efficiently while enhancing the shopping experience for consumers.”
Mirakl’s VP of Ads, Octavie Gosselin, echoed the sentiment, calling the collaboration “a way to unlock the untapped power of mid-long-tail advertisers through automation and self-service.”
The Bigger Picture
This alliance isn’t just a new feature—it’s a clear signal of where retail media is heading. With retail giants like Amazon already proving the value of third-party seller ecosystems, the rest of the industry is now racing to catch up. By offering plug-and-play solutions for sellers who previously lacked access or tools, Criteo and Mirakl are positioning themselves as leaders in the next wave of retail media growth.
And with a projected $204B in global retail media spend by 2027, this long-tail approach could very well be the key to who gets the biggest slice of that pie.
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