Podean, the largest independent, global marketplace-focused agency, reinforces its leadership with the acquisition of Ad Advance

OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE 

New York, February 18, 2026

Podean, the largest independent global marketplace-focused agency and recipient of Amazon’s coveted “Global Expansion Award”, has acquired Ad Advance, a leading retail media agency specializing in full-funnel strategy and performance across Amazon, Walmart, and emerging commerce channels. This acquisition reinforces Podean’s global leadership, adding substantial retail media and DSP sophistication as well as Ad Advance’s technology suite, Streamline. Through advanced analytics and proprietary technology, Ad Advance helps brands transform data into measurable growth. They are headquartered in Duluth, Minnesota.

The combined business will have 260 staff based across 17 countries on 5 continents.

Together, Podean and Ad Advance work with over 330 brands globally, including household names such as Mattel, e.l.f. Cosmetics, Danone, De’Longhi, SharkNinja, Revolution Beauty, Colgate-Palmolive, Luxottica, Spectrum Brands, Shure, New Balance, OluKai, AB InBev, Skechers, Fruit of the Loom, HexClad Cookware, Intake Breathing, Kate Farms, and Authentic Brands Group brands, including Eddie Bauer, Nautica, Reebok, and Lucky Brand.

The integrated offering, spanning more than 100 marketplaces globally with deep experience on more than 40 Retail Media Networks, including Amazon, Walmart, Costco, Target, Instacart, eBay, Shopee, Noon, Lazada, Tesco, Macy’s, Shein, Temu, and Mercado Libre, will drive accelerated growth and sales and create an unfair advantage for their clients.

Mark Power, who founded Podean in 2019, commented, “The acquisition of Ad Advance accelerates our vision to be the leading independent agency servicing brands on marketplaces around the world and further strengthens our media operations and technology offering.”

Joe Shelerud, co-founder and CEO of Ad Advance, added, “Podean’s global platform, creative expertise, and social commerce capabilities complement Ad Advance’s strengths in retail media and technology. Together, we’re building a more complete global offering that helps brands expand internationally with greater speed and impact.”

Ryan Craver, a Podean co-founder and their Chief Strategy and Analytics Officer, added, “We’re excited to be adding Ad Advance’s Streamline technology to Purvey.AI, our machine‑learning‑driven offering. Combined with our global team, this technology platform will deliver a truly differentiated end-to-end marketplaces offering.”

Matt Wiklund, co-founder and CTO of Ad Advance, said, “We’re thrilled to be joining forces with Podean. Their larger footprint will be a significant addition to our client base. We’re also looking forward to being able to invest further in our joint technology and product offering.”

Travis Johnson, Podean’s CEO, concluded, “This is the next step in our creation of something unique and at scale in the market. Ad Advance is the perfect complement to Podean’s current global offering. We’re excited to join forces and leverage our combined capabilities as one team of marketplace and retail media network experts.”

Ad Advance’s two founders, Matt Wiklund and Joe Shelerud, will join Podean’s leadership team and take on product leadership.

The strategic purchase of Ad Advance by Podean from Permanent Equity was facilitated through Mountaingate Capital, Podean’s private equity partner.

More about Podean

Founded in 2019 by Mark Power and joined soon after by Travis Johnson, Podean was initially a pure-play Amazon agency. Since then, it has evolved into the only truly global, independent marketplaces-focused agency, offering an extensive suite of end-to-end marketplace services spanning global strategy, analytics, media, social commerce, and content solutions, across major platforms including Amazon, Walmart, Target, Instacart, and Mercado Libre.

Podean is also a leader in social commerce through its LiveCraft division, which capitalizes on driving commerce through influencers. Given Podean’s leadership, they were one of TikTok’s earliest accredited agency partners.

In August 2025, in a simultaneous transaction, Mountaingate Capital acquired Podean and Commerce Canal. These businesses are now integrated and Ryan Craver, the founder, joined Travis and Mark as the leaders of Podean.

Podean’s global footprint is extensive, with operations across North America, Latin America, Australia, Asia, UK, Europe, and the Middle East. Its operational model is remote, now comprising more than 260 employees globally, supported by centers of excellence in the Philippines and Brazil that provide 24/7 assistance for design, media, and reporting functions. The firm holds industry-leading Amazon credentials, including Advanced Amazon Partner status globally. Podean was awarded the Global Expansion Partner Award by Amazon in 2023 and has been chosen to present at numerous Amazon events, including Cannes.

More About Ad Advance

Ad Advance is a retail media agency specializing in full-funnel strategy and performance across Amazon, Walmart, and emerging commerce channels. Through advanced analytics and proprietary technology, the agency helps brands transform data into measurable growth. Ad Advance is headquartered in Duluth, Minnesota.

More about Purvey.AI:

Purvey.AI transforms eCommerce businesses into forward-thinking, data-driven powerhouses. Its capabilities empower clients to uncover hidden opportunities, identify and address problems, and outmaneuver competitors. The platform provides key metrics in one convenient interface, offering daily snapshots, real-time notifications, and AI-powered reporting and optimizations. Purvey.AI significantly reduces the time clients spend on data digging, allowing them to allocate more time to strategic planning and execution. Podean’s proprietary measurement and management technology will be integrated with Purvey.AI.

Press Contact

For more information, please contact Travis Johnson, Podean Founder and Chief Executive Officer, travis@podean.com