The ad tech firm and data powerhouse are helping athletic retailers pinpoint high-intent shoppers, boost in-store visits and stretch ad budgets as tariffs and shifting loyalties impact the activewear market
In today’s competitive and often challenging activewear market, every sale counts. Sometimes the fastest way to grow is to win over your competitor’s customers. That’s the play ad tech firm Yieldmo and Experian are running for athletic retailers feeling the squeeze from rising tariffs and shifting shopper loyalties.
By pairing Yieldmo’s AI-powered ad formats with Experian’s deep audience data, the two companies are giving brands a sharper way to find and convert high-intent shoppers. The approach is already paying off: tapping into Experian’s Audience Engine, Yieldmo has built custom apparel and footwear segments from more than 20 premium data providers, activating privacy-safe campaigns that have delivered click-through rates above benchmark and early signs of in-store traffic gains.
The Yieldmo–Experian push comes as athletic retailers brace for potential price hikes tied to new tariffs. Adidas warned last month that duties on imports from Vietnam and Indonesia, its two biggest sourcing countries, could add roughly €200 million ($231 million) in costs in the second half of 2025, a move that CEO Bjorn Gulden cautioned could reduce U.S. consumer demand, Reuters recently reported.
Nike, meanwhile, expects tariff expenses to approach $1 billion as it works to cut its reliance on China. To offset the impact, the activewear giant will roll out what it described as a “surgical” U.S. price increase starting this fall.
Athletech News spoke with Chris Meredith, Experian’s head of sell-side, about how the two companies are teaming up to help brands spot shoppers who are ready to switch, whether they’re browsing athleisure, comparing footwear prices or eyeing seasonal promotions, and reach them with ads that land at just the right moment.
Pinpointing the Right Shoppers
The partnership centers on identifying high-intent shoppers, with Yieldmo and Experian zeroing in on consumers most likely to act, often those already shopping with a rival brand. That could mean someone browsing an athleisure collection online, checking prices on a new pair of sneakers or showing up in a competitor’s store.
“We focused on behaviors that showed strong in-market intent, especially from shoppers browsing or buying from competitor brands,” Meredith told ATN. “That included conquest segments, in-store shoppers and niche lifestyle groups like athleisure fans and competitive footwear buyers. The goal was to reach people who weren’t just interested but ready to act, particularly during key retail moments tied to seasonal promotions.”
It’s an approach that turns competitive pressure into opportunity and a way for athletic retailers to target potential buyers before they commit elsewhere.
The Data Behind the Targeting
The targeting precision is achieved through Experian’s Audience Engine, which combines proprietary and third-party datasets on a single platform.
“What makes this approach work is the flexibility,” Meredith said. “Experian’s Audience Engine gives platforms like Yieldmo access to proprietary and third-party data sets, all in one place. That includes audiences like retail purchase behavior, in-store visitation patterns, lifestyle attributes and intent signals from trusted partners such as Alliant, Circana, Sports Innovation Lab and Webbula.”
Having that layered intelligence, Meredith said, creates a more comprehensive picture of the consumer while remaining fully compliant with privacy regulations. For retailers, the range of data means they can build hyper-specific audiences, from loyal buyers of a certain footwear brand to shoppers who purchased leggings in the past three months.
Once audience segments are defined, Yieldmo can move quickly to activation.
“Audience Engine’s data marketplace gives the ability to quickly search by Partner Audience brand, build smarter conquest segments and activate custom audiences fast,” Meredith said. “Once live, the campaign runs across premium display inventory, reaching the right shoppers at the right time during seasonal sales windows.”
The platform’s speed and scalability allow brands to act in sync with retail calendars, targeting holiday shoppers in November or back-to-school buyers in August. It also helps platforms like Yieldmo meet their audience goals without the usual manual overhead, Meredith said.
Adapting to Tariff Pressures
For many athletic retailers, tariff-related cost increases are forcing a sharper focus on efficiency. Meredith said the shift is clear: volume for volume’s sake is out and precision is in.
“Retailers want to reach the people most likely to convert rather than simply casting a wide net,” he said. “With Experian’s Audience Engine, they can zero in on high-value segments based on actual shopping behavior and brand preferences. Because our identity graphs are rooted in offline data, we help drive greater accuracy and addressability across channels. That kind of precision helps stretch budgets and make each impression count, which is critical when costs are rising elsewhere.”
A More Elastic Consumer
Tariff-related price increases aren’t just hitting retailer margins, they’re reshaping consumer behavior. While the changes aren’t always dramatic, Meredith said the subtle shifts can have an impact on brand loyalty.
“There’s more brand elasticity, meaning once loyal shoppers may now be more open to switching if price or perceived value shifts,” Meredith said. “This makes strategic conquest more effective. When consumers are reassessing their go-to brands, timely and relevant ads can encourage them to explore new options.”
Making Every Impression Work Harder
As costs rise, efficiency in ad spend has become a necessity. That’s where Meredith sees the combination of Experian’s precision data and Yieldmo’s ad formats paying off.
“When every marketing dollar has to work harder, smarter targeting becomes a non-negotiable,” he said. “Experian and Yieldmo help brands reduce waste and increase impact by delivering fewer but more relevant impressions to shoppers who are ready to engage. Once in front of the right consumer, Yieldmo elevates the experience with high-impact creative formats and tailored messaging that make the most of each impression. That combination of precision and creative enhancement helps brands maintain performance even when margins are under pressure from external forces.”
