DoorDash brings Symbiosys in-house to expand its retail media reach

DoorDash already built its in-app ad platform internally. Adding Symbiosys’s off-site engine gives its teams tighter integration and faster ways to build and test new ad products. “It’s about efficiency and supercharging what we can deliver,” Giordano said. “Our teams can now work directly across the same data and tech to create a better advertiser experience.”

The Symbiosys team will also keep serving other retailers, including Macy’s, Chewy and Best Buy, which Giordano said creates “even more opportunities for collaboration since some of those brands also sell through DoorDash.”

Reach isn’t just for the biggest advertisers. “The founding mission of DoorDash was and remains to grow and empower local economies,” he said. “Small businesses are the backbone of those economies.” The company now counts more than 100,000 small and midsize restaurants advertising on its platform, and they only pay when an ad results in an actual order. “They never pay for an impression or a click,” Giordano added. “They only pay if that ad works, if it drives an order.”

That approach is backed by machine learning that favors relevance over raw budget. “The highest bidder doesn’t necessarily win the auction,” he explained. “We use intent signals and purchase history to decide which ad makes the most sense for that customer in that moment.”

AI is now driving even more of that decision-making through a new tool called Smart Campaigns. “We know restaurant owners aren’t marketing experts,” Giordano said. “Smart Campaigns takes the guesswork out. It uses our data to decide whether the next dollar should go to ads or promotions, and what type of promotion works best for each customer.” Early results show a 15% lift in sales and a 20% reduction in advertiser costs. “It’s really a win for everyone, better performance, lower spend, and less work for our partners.”

As DoorDash expands its advertising reach, partnerships have become an important part of the strategy. “In the US, we’ve teamed up with Lyft, several credit card companies and other brands to make the experience better across touchpoints,” Giordano said.

DoorDash’s business has also expanded well beyond takeout. “We’ve become much more than a food delivery platform,” he said. “Out of 500,000 merchants on DoorDash, more than 115,000 aren’t restaurants. They’re flower shops, grocery stores, convenience stores and retailers like Kroger, Ace Hardware and Party City.” One in four DoorDash customers now buys from a non-restaurant merchant. “That’s opened new doors for advertisers in categories like home improvement and grocery.”

Looking ahead, Giordano sees two main priorities. “The first is connecting all the dots across the funnel,” he said. “We’re focused on full-funnel measurement and attribution, showing how an ad seen off-app leads to a purchase on DoorDash.” The second, he added, is creativity. “Retail media started as pure performance, but brands want storytelling too. We’re building richer formats like Sponsored Brands, with video and richer media, both in app and off app on platforms like TikTok and YouTube.”

As for the Super Bowl? Giordano laughed. “I can’t say much, but it’s always a big day on DoorDash. Advertisers love to reach fans ordering wings and drinks during the game.”