Chango

Pioneer and recognized leader in search retargeting and intent-based programmatic display advertising

Chango was a Toronto-based programmatic advertising company that specialized in search retargeting — a technique that used consumers' recent search queries to serve them relevant display advertisements across the web. Founded in 2008, Chango built a platform that bridged the gap between search intent signals and display advertising, allowing marketers to reach audiences based on what they had actively searched for rather than relying solely on browsing behavior or demographic targeting. This approach gave advertisers a powerful way to engage high-intent consumers at scale. The company grew rapidly by positioning itself at the intersection of search and display advertising, two of the largest channels in digital marketing. Chango's platform ingested billions of search signals and matched them to display inventory across major ad exchanges, enabling precise audience targeting for brand and performance advertisers alike. The company attracted a strong roster of agency and brand clients and became recognized as a leader in the emerging programmatic advertising space. In 2014, Chango was acquired by Rubicon Project, a major programmatic advertising marketplace, for approximately $122 million. The acquisition was intended to bolster Rubicon Project's buyer-side capabilities and data-driven targeting offerings. Following the acquisition, Chango's technology and team were integrated into Rubicon Project, and the Chango brand was eventually sunset. Rubicon Project itself later merged with Telaria in 2020 to form Magnite, one of the largest independent sell-side advertising platforms.