Neat Empowers Criteo With Stunning Video Tech After “Love at First Sight” Experience

Simon Anthony Walker, Mar 26, 2024

Neat’s beautifully simple, highly versatile Nordic-designed video devices with Zoom proved an irresistible combo for Criteo. The company uses Neat BoardNeat Bar and Neat Bar Pro to help foster a bold and creative office design and facilitate more natural, efficient and productive online meetings among its 3,500+ hybrid employees.

Criteo is an independent, leading global commerce media company based in France that empowers marketers and media owners to achieve business results. Criteo’s market-leading commerce media platform connects 19,000 marketers and thousands of media owners, offering people richer consumer experiences within the digital advertising ecosystem, from product discovery to purchase.

Pierre-Antoine Vandenberghe, Digital Workplace Services Manager, said it was “Love at first sight—a crush!” when Criteo met Neat in 2022 at Integrated Systems Europe, the world’s biggest AV systems integrations show. In Neat, Criteo found the holy trinity of quality, simplicity, and beautiful Nordic design. Thus, the company began a happy testing period, leading to a rollout of Neat devices for its in-office and remote workforce.

When Criteo met Neat at Integrated Systems Europe, the world’s biggest AV systems integrations show, it was love at first sight—a crush!

Pierre-Antoine Vandenberghe, Digital Workplace Services Manager, Criteo
In Neat, Criteo found the holy trinity of quality, simplicity, and beautiful Nordic design.

Video that “just works”

Before discovering Neat, Criteo’s employees were already accustomed to video conferencing to meet and connect. Their chosen platform was Zoom, which they loved. However, the hardware they used wasn’t delivering an optimal experience. Pierre-Antoine Vandenberghe said, “There were complaints from people who found it too complicated. Even when we tested other options, the feedback was always the same. ‘It’s too complex!'”

Neat, by contrast, sets a new simplicity standard. Criteo’s installation of Neat devices was quick and hassle-free, as was integration with other equipment. Criteo’s IT experts particularly appreciated that Neat devices are relatively cable-free. “More cables equals more risk,” said Pierre-Antoine. “We much prefer to have fewer wires, converters and adaptors. There’s less that can go wrong.” Criteo also liked how our devices connect to meetings with just one click. Joining meetings is fool-proof, so people don’t experience delays when they start.

Finally, Criteo felt supported by the Neat team, with whom the company could discuss its needs extensively and productively. For Criteo, Neat’s devices and our customer support proved to be a highly reliable and effective package.

Neat is the Apple of the meeting room.

Sebastian Gauthier, Senior IT Engineer, Criteo
Criteo could easily deploy Neat devices. The company’s IT experts didn’t have to provide special training for people to use the new tech.

New flexible working model

As is the case at many companies, recent years have given rise to a new, flexible working model at Criteo, prompting office spaces to evolve radically. The way Criteo uses its spaces has, therefore, changed significantly. With video collaboration now at the heart of modern business, dedicated individual desks give way to hotdesks and video-enabled shared spaces, like meeting rooms and communal areas. Some spaces are formal, while others are more colorful and relaxed, perfect for scrums, stand-ups and other more spontaneous meeting styles. In all cases, the emphasis is on encouraging seamless collaboration and video meetings that unify remote and in-office teammates as naturally as possible.

To power this vision, Criteo deployed three of Neat’s pioneering video devices across its offices worldwide: Neat Board, Neat Bar, and Neat Bar Pro. The idea was to create a new global standard—a uniform Zoom experience company-wide—maximizing efficiency and productivity and streamlining the range of hardware that IT has to deal with in their role as tech support.

Some of Criteo’s spaces are formal, while others are more relaxed, perfect for scrums, stand-ups and other more spontaneous meeting styles.

Unlocking the full potential of Zoom

To get the best out of Zoom, Criteo needed hardware that could leverage the platform’s latest features. Neat purpose-designs Zoom and Microsoft Teams solutions, which empowers Neat to deliver regular software updates that unlock the full potential of platforms like Zoom as they change and improve. As a result, Criteo felt confident that its investment in Neat was future-proof and that the cost of ownership represented the best value for money now and in the future.

Criteo also happily discovered that Neat devices could help the company reduce its environmental footprint. All have an acoustic ultrasonic sensor system that automatically wakes up or goes to sleep, depending on whether people are in the room. This provides a great way to conserve precious energy with no extra effort.

“Neat is part of our DNA”

Criteo’s bold and creative office redesign, with Neat front and center, marks an essential step in Criteo’s ongoing journey as a digital media pioneer and ambassador of contemporary work. So, what comes next? Alexandre Villoing, Senior Tribe Leader of End User Services, and his team are testing Neat Frame, exploring different use cases that could further push the inspiring in-office experience they’ve created.

Neat is part of our DNA. We’re so pleased to have taken this journey together and look forward to more good things to come. 

Alexandre Villoing, Senior Tribe Leader of End User Services, Criteo

Discover more about Neat’s pioneering devices or see them in action in our weekly webinar. Better yet, book a demo.