👋 Bonjour programmatic peeps,
Hope you enjoyed your sad panini on the 08:43 to Euston, because Trainline’s just taken the fast track to becoming a serious media owner—and it's got more ad tech under the hood than your DSP budget can handle.
While some publishers are still faffing about with third-party cookies and dodgy traffic, Trainline’s quietly hooked up with PubMatic to weaponise its commerce media potential across the UK, France, Italy, and Spain.
In other words, your train app is now your media plan’s dark horse.
🚂 From Tickets to Targeting
You used to go to Trainline to book a train. Now? You’re being targeted mid-journey with ads optimised by PubMatic’s Connect platform and powered by that sweet, sweet first-party travel intent data. Think Skyscanner with a PMP.
Trainline’s getting cosy with OpenWrap, too—marking its first-ever foray into header bidding. Yes, that’s right, the place you book your delayed Avanti service is now a competitive auction battleground.
Cue more revenue for Trainline. More precision for advertisers. And another headache for your ad ops team trying to explain why everyone’s clicking travel ads on the Piccadilly Line.
🛠️ The New Ad Stack You Didn’t See Coming
Let’s break it down:
🔧 Feature | 💬 Why You Should Care |
|---|---|
First-Party Data Activation. | GDPR-compliant and based on actual purchase intent—aka not your cousin’s Spotify playlist. |
Onsite & Offsite Inventory. | From app banners to follow-you-around-the-internet retargeting. |
OpenWrap Header Bidding. | Finally, some competition. No more backroom deals in the SSP shadows. |
Closed-Loop Measurement. | Because your CFO will ask what the CPM turned into. |
Privacy Built-In. | Try saying "consent string" five times fast on a French platform. |
💰 Media Owners Are Dead. Long Live Travel Apps?
Let’s be honest. The lines between retail media, commerce media, and "every app wants to be a walled garden" are blurrier than a Snapchat filter on a Friday night.
But Trainline’s move isn’t just clever. It’s textbook vertical integration. A direct consumer relationship. Transactional data. Contextual moments (hello, Paris weekenders). All wrapped in a measurable, brand-safe environment.
For Trainline, it’s a tidy little side hustle that could eventually rival their ticketing business. For brands? It’s a chance to slot ads into the exact moment Karen’s planning her weekend escape from her two-under-two.
And for PubMatic? It’s proof their commerce media push isn’t just buzzword bingo. It’s working.
🎯 The Takeaway (a.k.a What to Tell the Client)
If your brand sells backpacks, suncream, or anything you’d impulse-buy in St Pancras—it’s time to plug into commerce media. Trainline’s inventory is now open season. Just don’t pitch it like it’s “just another travel placement”—this is intent-rich, multi-channel, and measurable.
Bonus points if you drop the word “omnichannel” and pretend not to flinch.
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Until next time, you gorgeous media pro!