Thunder
Thunder operates the Thunder Experience Cloud, an integrated ad-tech platform combining Creative Management, Dynamic Creative Optimization, Ad Serving, and Experience Measurement for global brands, agencies, and publishers. Its proprietary cross-device identity graph and people-based targeting differentiate it from cookie-based ad-tech competitors.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2007
- HeadquartersSan Francisco, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What Thunder does
Thunder is a San Francisco-based programmatic creative and ad-serving company operating the Thunder Experience Cloud, an integrated platform combining four products: a Creative Management Platform (CMP) for production and workflow automation of ad creatives, a Dynamic Creative Optimization (DCO) solution for data-driven creative personalization, an Ad Serving product for people-based ad delivery, and an Experience Measurement product for cross-device tracking of reach, frequency, and conversion. The company serves three primary customer segments — global brands and advertisers, advertising agencies, and digital publishers — with a horizontally segmented go-to-market approach. Its underlying technology is anchored by a proprietary cross-device identity graph that supports people-based targeting and measurement distinct from cookie-based approaches, plus a WYSIWYG creative editor with bulk creation, auto-generate, and cloning features that compress production timelines.
Thunder monetizes through a SaaS subscription model for the Thunder Experience Cloud platform combined with professional services for enterprise customers requiring white-glove support and managed campaign setup. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed. Distribution is primarily via direct enterprise field sales targeting large global brands and agencies, with inside sales for mid-market and a self-serve option for smaller buyers. The platform integrates with DoubleClick Campaign Manager, Facebook Ads Manager/Power Editor, major DSPs, and DMPs to embed within incumbent ad-tech workflows. Named enterprise customers include Anheuser-Busch InBev, InterContinental Hotels Group, McCormick, Kimberly-Clark, HomeAway, and agency Anagram; the company reports 25 billion+ impressions served across the platform and 335% customer ROI per a Forrester Total Economic Impact study. Thunder was previously known as PaperG before its April 2016 rebrand, has raised approximately $19M in disclosed funding across rounds from 2010 through 2018, and operates with 51–100 employees.
Thunder firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Thunder
- Legal name
- Thunder
- Website
- http://www.makethunder.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2007
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Thunder operates the Thunder Experience Cloud, an integrated ad-tech platform combining Creative Management, Dynamic Creative Optimization, Ad Serving, and Experience Measurement for global brands, agencies, and publishers. Its proprietary cross-device identity graph and people-based targeting differentiate it from cookie-based ad-tech competitors.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Thunder industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Ad Tech / Programmatic Creative Platform
- NAICS
- Software Publishers (5132)
- SIC
- Services-Advertising (7310), Services-Prepackaged Software (7372)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Web Content Management (WCM) & Experience Platforms (Content Services) (HDAEAGAK)
Keywords
Where Thunder is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- San Francisco
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Thunder business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- SaaS Platform Subscription: Cloud-based Creative Management Platform delivered as subscription service. Customers pay for access to the Thunder Experience Cloud platform including CMP, DCO, Ad Serving, and Experience Measurement capabilities.
- Professional Services: White-glove support and managed services offered for enterprise customers requiring assistance with campaign setup and optimization.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels8 records
Thunder product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Thunder provides the Thunder Experience Cloud, a programmatic creative and ad serving platform that combines a Creative Management Platform (CMP), Dynamic Creative Optimization (DCO), Ad Serving, and Experience Measurement. The platform enables brands, agencies, and publishers to produce, personalize, deliver, and measure ad creative across screens and devices using a unified people-based identity layer.
Product overview
Thunder Experience Cloud is an integrated advertising technology platform combining four core products: Creative Management Platform (CMP) for ad production and versioning, Dynamic Creative Optimization (DCO) for personalized creative delivery, Ad Serving for people-based ad delivery, and Experience Measurement for cross-device tracking. The platform supports display, video, social, and native advertising channels, enabling brands to achieve consistent, relevant, and frequent ad experiences through people-based targeting.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Creative Management Platform (CMP): Industry's original creative management platform with animation, video, and retina-display features, WYSIWYG editor for producing professional ads at scale
- Dynamic Creative Optimization (DCO)
- Ad Serving
- Experience Measurement
- PowerPlus
- Flyerboard
Products and services
- Thunder Experience Cloud
- Creative Management Platform (CMP)
- Dynamic Creative Optimization (DCO)
- Ad Serving
- Experience Measurement
- PowerPlus for Facebook
Quantifiable outcome
- 335% ROI improvement for customers (Forrester TEI study)
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Thunder
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Thunder technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration3 records
AI capability2 records
Feature7 records
Thunder partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- FacebookcoreThunder partnered with Facebook to unveil PowerPlus for Facebook, the first-ever solution enabling brands to simultaneously build, edit and preview creatives across display and social in one interface.
- DoubleClick Campaign Manager (Google)coreDirect integration with DoubleClick Campaign Manager (DCM) enabling seamless campaign trafficking and management.
- Demand Side Platforms (DSPs)coreThunder's creative outputs integrate with major DSPs for optimized media buying and creative-media optimization.
- Data Management Platforms (DMPs)coreThunder's DCO and CMP integrate with DMPs for audience segmentation and data-driven creative optimization.
- NeustarminorThunder collaborated with Neustar on a webinar discussing the upcoming Doubleclick ID loss in 2019 and how to prepare.
- AdweekminorThunder engaged with Adweek in a webinar on Doubleclick ID loss topic.
- CMO ClubcoreThunder partnered with CMO Club to conduct research on solving bad ad experiences. CMO Club Guide to Solving Bad Ad Experiences produced from this collaboration.
- DigidaycoreThunder teamed up with Digiday Content Studio to research creative needs of brands, agencies and publishers. Published 'Creative at Lightning Speed' research report.
- AdobeminorThunder leverages Adobe data and insights in educational content. Referenced in Adobe's digital trends report.
- Flyerboard (PlaceLocal)minorFlyerboard is a related product/company. Thunder website notes it as a separate product. Login redirect to placelocal.com.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Thunder competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Celtra: Celtra is a direct competitor offering a creative management platform for ad production, dynamic creative optimization, and cross-channel creative workflows serving brands, agencies, and publishers — closely aligned with Thunder's CMP/DCO core.
- Innovid: Innovid provides independent ad serving, dynamic creative optimization, and creative personalization across CTV, display, video, and social — directly overlapping with Thunder's Ad Serving and DCO capabilities for major advertisers.
- Flashtalking (by Mediaocean): Flashtalking is a leading independent ad server and DCO provider, now part of Mediaocean, offering creative personalization and people-based ad serving directly comparable to Thunder Experience Cloud.
- Jivox: Jivox delivers a dynamic creative optimization and personalization platform with people-based targeting for brands and agencies, competing head-to-head with Thunder's DCO offering in the enterprise mid-market.
- Sizmek (by Amazon): Sizmek provides an ad server, dynamic creative optimization, and multi-channel creative management solution serving agencies and brands, overlapping with Thunder's core ad serving and DCO product areas.
- AdRoll: AdRoll offers dynamic creative, retargeting, and cross-channel ad serving for mid-market and enterprise brands, competing with Thunder in the DCO and programmatic creative personalization category.
Broad incumbents
- Adobe (Adobe Advertising Cloud / Adobe Experience Cloud): Adobe bundles ad serving, dynamic creative, and content management within its broader Experience Cloud and Creative Cloud suites, presenting overlapping capabilities and significant bundling pressure on Thunder.
- Google Campaign Manager 360 (Google Marketing Platform): Google's ad serving and creative trafficking platform competes with Thunder's ad serving and is also a key integration partner, representing both a market alternative and a distribution dependency.
Emerging players
- Adacado: Adacado is a creative management and dynamic ad production platform that automates creative versioning and personalization for retailers and brands, addressing overlapping needs with Thunder's CMP.
- Bannerflow: Bannerflow offers a creative management platform for display, social, and video ad production with workflow and personalization features, addressing similar pain points to Thunder's CMP for brands and agencies.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Thunder social profiles
Digital presenceThunder financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Thunder leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
Thunder funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds6 records
Investors8 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Thunder M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A1 record
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Thunder
What does Thunder do?
Thunder provides the Thunder Experience Cloud, a programmatic creative and ad serving platform that combines a Creative Management Platform (CMP), Dynamic Creative Optimization (DCO), Ad Serving, and Experience Measurement. The platform enables brands, agencies, and publishers to produce, personalize, deliver, and measure ad creative across screens and devices using a unified people-based identity layer.
Is Thunder a public or private company?
Thunder is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Thunder founded?
Thunder was founded in 2007. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Thunder based?
Thunder is headquartered in San Francisco, United States, in the North America region.
How does Thunder make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. SaaS Platform Subscription is the primary driver. The others are professional Services.
Who are Thunder's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Celtra, Innovid, Flashtalking (by Mediaocean), Jivox, Sizmek (by Amazon) and AdRoll. Broad incumbents are Adobe (Adobe Advertising Cloud / Adobe Experience Cloud) and Google Campaign Manager 360 (Google Marketing Platform). Emerging players are Adacado and Bannerflow.
Does Thunder have an API?
No public API is recorded for Thunder.
What industry is Thunder in?
Thunder's product category is Ad Tech / Programmatic Creative Platform. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HDAEAGAK, Web Content Management (WCM) & Experience Platforms (Content Services). Its NAICS code is 5132 and its SIC code is 7310.