Microsoft Advertising Selects Criteo as Preferred Partner for Personalised Retargeting Across Europe

LONDON, March 10, 2011 /PRNewswire/ --

- Criteo to Provide Enhanced Ad Relevance to the Microsoft Media Network

Criteo (http://www.criteo.com/), the global leader in personalised retargeting (http://www.criteo.com/us/retargeting), and Microsoft Advertising today announced their partnership across Europe, to allow Microsoft Advertising to implement Criteo's retargeting solution on its European premium display advertising network Microsoft Media Network (MMN). This deal will add value to each of the over 1000 top retailers implementing Criteo's retargeting solution today, as well as the more than 300 quality partner sites on MMN reaching up to 144 million European users a month[1]. As a result of the successful existing relationship in individual European markets over the last two years, with Criteo being one of Microsoft's most important customers on the Microsoft Media Network, this partnership will now be rolled out across the region. As part of the agreement Microsoft will deepen Criteo's technical integration so as to further increase the volume of business that both companies do together.

Microsoft Advertising selected Criteo following an extensive industry evaluation based on key technology and industry criteria, including: value proposition to advertisers; quality and growth of clientele; creative capabilities; volume of impressions at competitive CPMs; and emphasis on consumer privacy and publisher data protection.

"Criteo looks forward to further strengthening the relationship with Microsoft Advertising as a result of this new partnership. Microsoft Advertising's combination of scale and quality publisher sites across Europe is an ideal partner for our advertisers, and we are excited to do more together" said Jonathan Wolf, Criteo's chief business development officer. "Microsoft has long been an innovator in online advertising, and has been a core partner for Criteo as we have grown over the last few years in Europe. We have always been delighted by the reach and performance of the high quality inventory on their Microsoft Media Network. We see that this partnership strengthens Microsoft's digital advertising solution, and we are delighted to be delivering ever more relevant advertising to their millions of users."

"We are continually dedicated to deepening the value of our premium advertising network, and continue to set industry expectations about digital advertising and advertiser ROI including audience targeting solutions," said Laurent Delaporte, VP of Microsoft Advertising EMEA. "Expanding the presence of Criteo's high quality personalised ads across the Microsoft Media Network adds significant value to advertisers and consumers alike, and catalyses momentum for digital advertising technologies. This is a win-win partnership for all parties involved."

About Criteo

Criteo is the global leader in scalable personalised retargeting (http://www.criteo.com/us/retargeting). Criteo enables the top worldwide e-commerce companies to re-engage with website visitors who have left their site via highly targeted personalised display ads. These relevant ads are dynamically generated in real-time with product recommendations based on the visitor's product-viewing history leveraging Criteo's proprietary performance driven real-time audience buying and automated dynamic creative optimisation technologies. Criteo's clients pay only when prospects click-through and return to their website, creating a low-risk, high return value proposition. Criteo displays billions of uniquely personalised retargeted banners each month and works with more than 1000 of the top worldwide e-commerce companies. For more information, please visit http://www.criteo.com.

About Microsoft Advertising

Microsoft Advertising provides world-class advertising tools and solutions for digital advertisers and publishers to drive brand and consumer engagement. The portfolio includes all of our digital advertising businesses: our global media network that includes MSN, Windows Live, Office Live, XBOX, Live Search, and more, and our global technology platforms and tools that include Atlas, AdECN, adCenter, DRIVEpm and ScreenTonic, which together create engaging digital advertising experiences for their consumers. Microsoft Advertising helps make buying and selling media simple, smart and more cost-effective across media and devices in the Microsoft network of properties and beyond, which spans 42 markets globally and 21 languages. Visit http://advertising.microsoft.com/europe for more information.

About Microsoft

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq "MSFT") is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realise their full potential.

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[1] comScore Q2/10, European monthly average.

    
    For more information, press only:
    Mihiri Bonney, UK Marketing Manager, Criteo
    m.bonney@criteo.com
    +44(0)20-3170-5835

    Paul McCormick (Microsoft Advertising) at 3 Monkeys Communications
    msadvertising@3-monkeys.co.uk
    +44(0)20-7009-3107