PromoteIQ

Pioneer in retail media networks before acquisition by Microsoft

PromoteIQ was a vendor marketing and retail media platform that powered sponsored product advertising for retailers and brands. The company provided technology that allowed retailers to monetize their digital properties by enabling brands to bid on ad placements within the retailer's own website and mobile applications. This created a marketplace where brands could promote their products directly on retailer platforms, while retailers gained a new revenue stream from advertising. The platform was particularly notable for pioneering what became known as retail media networks, allowing retailers to compete with Amazon's advertising business by offering similar sponsored product capabilities on their own properties. In July 2019, PromoteIQ was acquired by Microsoft for an undisclosed amount and integrated into Microsoft Advertising (formerly Bing Ads). The acquisition was part of Microsoft's strategy to expand its advertising capabilities beyond search into retail media and e-commerce advertising. Following the acquisition, PromoteIQ's technology was absorbed into Microsoft's broader advertising platform to enhance Microsoft's retail media offerings. The PromoteIQ brand and standalone platform were eventually phased out as Microsoft integrated the technology into its unified advertising solutions, particularly focusing on partnerships with major retailers like Walmart and Target through Microsoft's retail media network capabilities.