Turning AdTech Innovation into Revenue
3 acquisitions: by Amobee, Singtel and T-Mobile
$25M: Series B raised
Every major HoldCo: agreements signed with the big five
The UK is one of the world’s most competitive AdTech markets.
Even companies with proven technology and strong international track records struggle to gain traction.
BACK TO BLACK combines deep industry expertise, established agency relationships and hands-on commercial leadership to help AdTech companies break into the UK market, win agency business and build sustainable revenue.
Our Partners
We Know How Agencies Buy.
Agencies face a fragmented market crowded with AdTech vendors, and AI is only accelerating the noise. Getting noticed is hard. Getting selected is harder.
Having worked alongside the world’s leading agency groups, we know how they evaluate partners: activation speed, scalability, reporting, pricing, compliance and risk.
We prepare you for that scrutiny, putting you in the strongest position to earn a place on their preferred supplier lists.
Our Services
From Market Positioning to Revenue Generation
We work with ambitious AdTech companies looking to establish or accelerate their UK presence. We combine local market expertise, established agency relationships and hands-on commercial support to turn opportunities into revenue. Our approach typically spans 9–12 months and covers three core services:
Positioning
Product Positioning
Refine your proposition, messaging and go-to-market strategy to resonate with UK media agencies and leading advertisers alike.
Connections
Agency Introductions
Leverage our established agency network to connect with key decision-makers, open doors and secure qualified meetings.
Revenue
Revenue Growth
Present your proposition, proactively develop commercial opportunities, negotiate agreements and convert relationships into sustainable revenue.
Our goal is very simple: to help AdTech companies establish a strong foothold in the UK, build lasting agency partnerships and generate sustainable revenue.
Leadership
Ben Tatton-Brown is a senior executive with over 20 years of experience building and scaling AdTech businesses.
He has held leadership positions at several of the industry’s fastest-growing companies, driving commercial growth across search, display, programmatic, video, data, social and retail media.
He has an extensive track record of negotiating commercial agreements with leading brands and media agencies, helping AdTech companies establish market presence, accelerate revenue growth and expand internationally.
Our Clients
We have had the privilege of working with leading AdTech companies and media agencies, from innovative start-ups and fast-growing scale-ups to established publicly listed businesses. We pride ourselves on building lasting relationships based on trust, industry expertise and a shared commitment to delivering measurable business results.
Criteo
Tamoco
S4M
Captify
Adlook
Axiata
Blis
Rezonance
RingRing Media
Amobee
Ogury
WPP
Vectaury
Statiq
Medio
YouAppi
RTB House
Near
Criteo Tamoco S4M Captify Adlook Axiata Blis Rezonance RingRing Media Amobee Ogury WPP Vectaury Statiq Medio YouAppi RTB House Near
Our Work
Adlook
Mission: Establish global agency partnerships to accelerate international growth
Developed and executed a global agency strategy, securing MSAs and trading agreements with major media agency holding companies and leading independent agencies across 16 markets. These agreements provided the commercial foundation for international adoption of Adlook’s AI-powered advertising platform and sustained revenue growth.
RingRing Media
Mission: Establish and commercialise mobile advertising in the UK
Founded as one of the UK’s first specialist mobile advertising agencies, RingRing Media was built from the ground up during the global financial crisis. The business secured investment, developed a compelling commercial proposition and won major accounts through competitive pitches against established agencies to secure major accounts including Nokia, Expedia, Google, Orange and eBay. It achieved profitability within 11 months and was acquired by Amobee within two years.
Amobee
Mission: Build and scale a market-leading EMEA business
Backed by leading venture capital firms Sequoia Capital and Accel Partners, Amobee embarked on an ambitious European expansion following its acquisition of RingRing Media. The strategy focused on building agency partnerships, entering five major markets and scaling its regional team from 20 to 80. UK revenue reached £10M, while EMEA became the company's largest and fastest-growing region, contributing to Amobee’s subsequent $321M acquisition by Singtel.
Blis
Mission: Reposition the business to accelerate growth and attract investment
Blis underwent a strategic transformation from a mobile advertising business into a location-based technology platform, strengthening its market positioning, commercial proposition and agency partnerships. This repositioning helped attract a $25M Series B investment from Unilever Ventures, Endeit Capital and Beringea. Strategic agreements with major agency groups, including Omnicom, further strengthened its commercial position ahead of its acquisition by T-Mobile in 2025.
Ogury
Mission: Establish Ogury as a preferred technology partner to leading UK agencies
Ogury implemented a strategic agency partnership programme designed to secure trading agreements, preferred supplier status and recurring revenue. The strategy secured commercial agreements with Adobe, Annalect, Dentsu, EssenceMediacom, Havas, IPG, Publicis and other leading agencies, establishing Ogury on preferred supplier lists and underpinning millions of pounds in UK revenue.
Criteo
Mission: Develop a new revenue channel through strategic agency partnerships
Criteo transformed its relationship with media agencies, shifting from a perceived competitor to a valued technology partner. The strategy involved repositioning its proposition, packaging its proprietary data and developing agency-focused solutions to unlock an entirely new revenue stream. This secured strategic trading agreements with major media agency holding companies and leading independent agencies across Europe, delivering sustained double-digit year-on-year revenue growth.
Opinions
Breaking Into the UK Market.
1
The Do’s and Don’ts.
Why Agency Relationships Alone Don’t Generate Revenue.
2
It’s Not a Sales Problem.
3
It’s a Conversion Problem.
Let’s talk
Whether you're entering the UK market, building stronger agency relationships or struggling to turn opportunities into revenue, BACK TO BLACK can help.
Every business faces different challenges. Tell us about your ambitions and where you see the biggest opportunities, and we’ll explore how we can accelerate your growth, in confidence and with no obligation.
Get in touch.