The Challenge
Operating as an established CSS, Redbrain identified an opportunity to complement existing marketing setups by focusing on complex data segments and untapped consumer demand that often sit outside the scope of standard product feeds. For Redbrain, the challenge was to build a business that could thrive within the Shopping ads ecosystem while offering a success-based commercial model—meaning retailers only pay a commission when an actual sale is generated. They needed to prove that a CSS could operate in parallel with a retailer’s in-house efforts—not by replicating established marketing efforts, but by finding incremental audiences through new data engineering that internal teams were not structurally equipped to reach.
The Approach
Redbrain executed a multi-year strategy by pivoting to a tech-first model, developing an automated platform that scales real-time feed enrichment across 6,000+ retailers, representing billions of offers. This technical foundation supported a specialized marketplace strategy, utilizing a multi-seller approach to unlock demand for lower-priced products often overlooked by standard internal retail strategies.
To ensure long-term resilience, Redbrain restructured its workforce. By layering specialized marketplace and PPC expert teams onto a strong engineering foundation, the business built a high-performance culture capable of managing complex, large-scale retail portfolios. Simultaneously, the business launched customer dashboards to share search-term insights and product data, transforming the CSS-retailer relationship into a collaborative, strategic partnership.
The Results
Redbrain’s focus on technical and operational excellence has delivered consistent, sustainable growth: - Revenue rose from £22.9M in 2020 to £67.5M in 2025, a 194% increase over five years. - As a successful CSS partner by volume, Redbrain generated £1.2BN in incremental sales for partners in FY2025. - Specialized marketplace strategies drove Q1 2025 growth, including a 62% sales value increase in the UK and 84% in Germany.
Success in the CSS space requires more than just participation—it requires technical leadership. By engineering tools that reach untapped audiences, we’ve demonstrated that a tech-first CSS can scale internationally while remaining transparent and collaborative. Jared Owen, CEO, Redbrain