Criteo Secures Its First MRC Accreditation for Retail Media Measurement

Rhea-AI Summary

Criteo (CRTO) achieves MRC accreditation for display rendered impression and click advertising metrics across various platforms, enhancing transparency and trust for marketers in the retail media space.

Digital Advertising Analyst

The Media Rating Council's (MRC) accreditation of Criteo's impression and click metrics signifies a noteworthy endorsement of the company's data integrity and measurement accuracy in the digital advertising realm. This seal of approval provides advertisers with a higher level of confidence in the reported metrics, which is critical in an industry where ad spend efficiency and return on investment (ROI) are closely scrutinized.

From a technical standpoint, the MRC's guidelines for General Invalid Traffic (GIVT) detection are stringent. They aim to filter out non-human traffic, such as bots or automated scripts, which can inflate advertising metrics and lead to misallocated advertising budgets. Criteo's ability to meet these guidelines suggests robustness in their traffic validation processes, potentially leading to more efficient ad spend for clients.

Given the projected growth of the retail media sector, this accreditation may serve as a competitive differentiator for Criteo, attracting more advertisers to its platforms. As advertisers increasingly demand transparency and reliability, Criteo's MRC accreditation could translate into an increased market share within the booming retail media space.

Market Research Analyst

The endorsement of Criteo's metrics by the MRC can be seen as a reflection of the broader trend towards accountability and measurement standardization in digital advertising. With the retail media market expected to grow significantly, reaching a projected $150 billion in global ad spend by 2026, the demand for verifiable and accurate metrics will likely escalate.

Accreditation may also influence investor sentiment positively, as it suggests that Criteo is well-positioned to capitalize on the expanding market. However, it's important to monitor how this accreditation translates into actual financial performance. Investors should watch for subsequent earnings reports and client acquisition figures to assess the tangible impact of this development on Criteo's business.

Furthermore, this move could prompt other players in the industry to seek similar accreditations, potentially raising the overall standards of measurement in digital advertising. This could have long-term implications for the industry, leading to more rigorous competition based on the quality of data and measurement practices.

Cybersecurity Expert

The focus on GIVT detection and filtering as part of the MRC accreditation process highlights the increasing importance of cybersecurity measures within the digital advertising industry. Ad fraud is a significant concern and Criteo's successful navigation of the MRC's rigorous standards indicates a strong cybersecurity posture regarding ad traffic validation.

Investors and clients alike may view this accreditation as an indicator of Criteo's commitment to protecting their investments and the integrity of their advertising campaigns. As cyber threats continue to evolve, Criteo's ability to maintain and enhance its GIVT detection capabilities will be critical in sustaining the trust that this accreditation embodies.

It's also noteworthy that such cybersecurity measures are not just a defensive strategy but can also be leveraged as a business growth driver. By ensuring high standards of cybersecurity, Criteo may be able to secure a competitive edge in an environment where data breaches and fraud can have significant reputational and financial repercussions.

Now accredited for impression and click metrics across desktop, mobile web, and mobile in-app environments

NEW YORK, March 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Criteo (Nasdaq: CRTO), the commerce media company, today announced it achieved its first-ever accreditation by the Media Rating Council (MRC) for display rendered impression and click advertising metrics across desktop, mobile web, and mobile in-app environments for Onsite Sponsored Products and Onsite Display Ads on its enterprise retail media platforms, Commerce Max and Commerce Yield. As part of this accreditation, Criteo was evaluated against MRC's guidelines for detecting and filtering General Invalid Traffic (GIVT), which provides enhanced assurance that marketers can trust the commerce outcomes driven on the Criteo platform.

"We commend Criteo for earning MRC accreditation, an important milestone that speaks to Criteo's commitment to transparency and industry leadership," said George W. Ivie, Executive Director and CEO of the MRC. "Retailers, brands and agencies can now have the confidence this MRC-accredited measurement solution provides in helping them navigate the booming retail media space."

This recognition by the MRC validates that Criteo's impression and click metrics are valid and reliable – providing advertisers with added transparency. Accreditation by the MRC also included a review of Criteo's GIVT detection for both Onsite Sponsored Products and Onsite Display Ads, which enables advertisers and agencies to flag certain invalid sources.

For years, Criteo has been building a commerce media strategy for advertisers to connect with consumers throughout their shopping journey. Retail Media is one of the fastest-growing sectors in advertising and is expected to represent over $150 billion in global ad spend by 2026, according to GroupM. 

"This accreditation is a significant step forward in the maturation of retail media, and Criteo couldn't be prouder of this accomplishment," said Brian Gleason, Chief Revenue Officer at Criteo. "An industry-grade seal of approval reinforces our ability to deliver the highest quality, most accurate measurement for our clients to advance their retail media strategies."

To earn MRC accreditation, an independent CPA firm engaged by the MRC completed a comprehensive audit of Criteo's systems and processes, which was then reviewed by an audit committee comprised of MRC member representatives, to ensure Criteo's platform meets the MRC rigorous standards. The MRC's recognition is a significant achievement that underscores Criteo's reliable and advanced measurement capabilities.

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About Criteo

Criteo (NASDAQ: CRTO) is the global commerce media company that enables marketers and media owners to drive better commerce outcomes. Its industry leading Commerce Media Platform connects thousands of marketers and media owners to deliver richer consumer experiences from product discovery to purchase. By powering trusted and impactful advertising, Criteo supports an open internet that encourages discovery, innovation, and choice. For more information, please visit www.criteo.com.

Media contacts

Criteo Public Relations
Jessica Meyers, j.meyers@criteo.com 

Criteo Investor Relations
Melanie Dambre, m.dambre@criteo.com

Forward-Looking Statements Disclosure

This press release contains forward-looking statements, including our expectations regarding our market opportunity and future growth prospects and other statements that are not historical facts and involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially. Factors that might cause or contribute to such differences include, but are not limited to: failure related to our technology and our ability to innovate and respond to changes in technology, uncertainty regarding our ability to access a consistent supply of internet display advertising inventory and expand access to such inventory, including without limitation uncertainty regarding the timing and scope of proposed changes to and enhancements of the Chrome browser announced by Google, investments in new business opportunities and the timing of these investments, whether the projected benefits of acquisitions materialize as expected, uncertainty regarding international growth and expansion (including related to changes in a specific country's or region's political or economic conditions), the impact of competition, uncertainty regarding legislative, regulatory or self-regulatory developments regarding data privacy matters and the impact of efforts by other participants in our industry to comply therewith, the impact of consumer resistance to the collection and sharing of data, our ability to access data through third parties, failure to enhance our brand cost-effectively, recent growth rates not being indicative of future growth, our ability to manage growth, potential fluctuations in operating results, our ability to grow our base of clients, and the financial impact of maximizing Contribution ex-TAC, as well as risks related to future opportunities and plans, including the uncertainty of expected future financial performance and results and those risks detailed from time-to-time under the caption "Risk Factors" and elsewhere in the Company's SEC filings and reports, including the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on February 23, 2024, and in subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q as well as future filings and reports by the Company. Importantly, at this time, macro-economic conditions including inflation and rising interest rates in the U.S. have impacted Criteo's business, financial condition, cash flow and results of operations.

Except as required by law, the Company undertakes no duty or obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this release as a result of new information, future events, changes in expectations or otherwise.

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SOURCE Criteo

What accreditation did Criteo achieve?

Criteo achieved its first-ever accreditation by the Media Rating Council (MRC) for display rendered impression and click advertising metrics across desktop, mobile web, and mobile in-app environments.

What platforms were accredited by the MRC for Criteo?

The accreditation covered Onsite Sponsored Products and Onsite Display Ads on Criteo's enterprise retail media platforms, Commerce Max and Commerce Yield.

What does the MRC accreditation validate for Criteo?

The MRC accreditation validates that Criteo's impression and click metrics are valid and reliable, providing added transparency for advertisers.

What is the significance of the MRC accreditation for Criteo?

The accreditation reinforces Criteo's ability to deliver high-quality, accurate measurement for clients in advancing their retail media strategies.

How did Criteo earn the MRC accreditation?

An independent CPA firm engaged by the MRC completed a comprehensive audit of Criteo's systems and processes, ensuring they meet the MRC's rigorous standards.