Zuma

Launched the largest-ever upgrade to The Trade Desk’s flagship platform.

Overview

Zuma was the most significant evolution of the Kokai platform since its launch, making the platform easier to use while advancing its AI, optimization, and measurement capabilities.

The release followed The Trade Desk’s public commitment to upgrade its platform, making Zuma an important proof point in the company’s broader business strategy.

The launch reaffirmed The Trade Desk’s commitment to product excellence and customer responsiveness and modernized its positioning against well entrenched competitors.

Elements

  • Product Strategy

    Connected Zuma to the broader evolution of Kokai, prioritizing innovations that addressed customer feedback while advancing The Trade Desk’s investments in AI, measurement, usability, and performance.

  • Positioning

    Built a market narrative that translated significant platform and infrastructure investment into clear business value for traders, agencies, and advertisers focused on better performance and decision-making.

  • Launch Strategy

    Orchestrated a coordinated global launch across the press release, product content, video, executive communications, product spokespeople, and organic and paid media to create a unified market moment.

  • Market Briefings

    Led embargoed analyst and press briefings ahead of launch, pairing product demonstrations, spokespeople, creative assets, and performance proof points to shape understanding and launch-day coverage.

  • Sales & Client Enablement

    Developed sales enablement to help commercial teams explain Zuma’s strategic value and navigate customer questions. Facilitated onboarding via a refreshed Edge Academy certification with practical training on Zuma’s new capabilities.

  • Social Amplification

    Activated executive, employee, organic, and paid social content to extend the launch beyond earned media and reinforce the product narrative across The Trade Desk’s audiences. Launch-day advocacy included 11+ executive and employee posts.

Approach

I led the product marketing and launch strategy for Zuma, spanning product positioning, sales enablement, executive communications, and customer onboarding.

Key responsibilities included:

  • Product and launch strategy

  • Positioning, messaging, and value proposition

  • Global press and analyst briefing

  • Sales enablement and training

  • Customer onboarding and education

  • Edge Academy training launch

  • Executive and internal communications

  • Organic and paid social strategy

  • Cross-functional leadership across product, sales, PR, training, creative, and regional marketing

The objective was to accelerate Kokai adoption and confidence, strengthen The Trade Desk’s product differentiation, and translate major platform investment into customer performance and business growth.

Impact

LAUNCH REACH

Generated 885K impressions, with launch content producing TTD’s second-best-performing social post and executive and employee advocacy extending the story through 11+ additional voices.

MARKET RESONANCE

Secured 60+ Tier 1 articles globally with 85%+ message pull-through, establishing our narrative across leading industry coverage; TTD shares rose about 5% amid positive reaction.

USAGE & CONSIDERATION

Drove 11% incremental lift in platform usage, while early customer feedback highlighted a faster, more user-friendly experience, strengthening adoption and consideration of the new release.

Coverage

  • "The Trade Desk’s Kokai Refresh Ditches the Programmatic Table: See the Pitch Deck"

    Adweek

  • "The Trade Desk redesign and Zuma: what marketers should know"

    AdAge

  • "Three years after Kokai, The Trade Desk is betting on refinement with Zuma"

    Digiday

  • "The Trade Desk’s Zuma Update Adds A Host Of AI-Powered Easy Buttons To Its Kokai Platform"

    AdExchanger

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The Trade Desk • Koa AI