Merkle (www.merkle.com), a leading technology-enabled, data-driven performance marketing agency, announced that it has partnered with Baidu, the largest digital platform in China, to become the first U.S.-headquartered Baidu reseller.

As Merkle’s client base became increasingly global, the company has placed emphasis on the expansion of Merkle’s capability in China as well as Europe. Merkle opened its first international office in Shanghai in 2010 and added a second office in Nanjing in 2013. Currently, there are more than 400 employees between both office locations. Through the partnership with Baidu and Merkle’s operations in China, Merkle is able to offer data-driven, technology-enabled performance marketing campaigns that results in improved ROI and sustainable competitive advantage.

“Our partnership with China’s largest digital platform, Baidu, allows Merkle the ability to deliver brands a seamless and flawless execution for their performance marketing campaigns entering in the Chinese market. As part of this partnership, we will be using Kenshoo to manage their China campaigns,” said George Gallate, EVP and CMO for Merkle.

Baidu is the largest digital platform in China and the fourth most trafficked site in the world following Google, Facebook, and YouTube. In addition to a search engine platform, Baidu also has an encyclopedia function, a social network, a mapping and direction service, a Q&A community and extensive online video, music and image collections. Advertisers will have access to the Baidu Union, a network of more than 600,000 sites that allows targeting based on users’ online behavior.

“Given the strength of Merkle’s performance search marketing globally, their impressive roster of world-class brands, and the size of their China-based team, we are excited to have Merkle as our first U.S.-headquartered reseller,” said Lu Yu, General Manager of Baidu KA Channel Business.