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Microsoft Buys Ad Firm for $6 Billion

Posted by Zonk on from the a-bunch-of-people-just-got-really-quite-wealthy dept.

bain writes "The BBC is reporting that Microsoft has agreed to buy the digital marketing firm Aquantive, in what will be its biggest ever acquisition. The software giant spent almost $6 billion acquiring the agency, in its first bid to tackle the online advertising market. 'The deal is expected to be completed in the first half of 2008, subject to regulation. Microsoft said the expensive price tag was worth it to access the complementary technology of Aquantive. The firm will continue to operate from Seattle as part of Microsoft's online operations, and will help the software giant broaden the scope of services its MSN consumer internet unit can offer. Microsoft is the latest technology firm to pounce on the shrinking independent online advertising sector.'"

8 of 167 comments (clear)

  1. Breaking news: by zyl0x · · Score: 5, Funny

    In an attempt to foil Microsoft's plans for internet advertising domination, Google has upped the bidding to eleventy billion dollars, a number which does not even exist. Yet.

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    Blerg.
  2. how innovative by gEvil+(beta) · · Score: 5, Funny

    Ahh, I see they've decided to innovate some more to compete with Google...

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    This guy's the limit!
  3. In Other News . . . by UnknowingFool · · Score: 3, Funny

    As a gesture to welcome the new acquisition, Aquantive received a shipment of new office furniture at their soon to be headquarters in the Microsoft complex. A welcome note from CEO Steve Ballmer was attached to the shipment. Current Aquantive employees were happy about the gesture but questioned why there appeared to be disportionately more chairs than employees. The estimates were a 5 to 1 ratio. In a separate shipment, bolts, bars, and steel plates were also delivered to the offices. An attached, unsigned note read: "You're going to need these for the chairs. Good luck and Godspeed."

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    Well, there's spam egg sausage and spam, that's not got much spam in it.
  4. Re:wRong nAme by owlnation · · Score: 3, Funny

    The capitalization of the company name should be "aQuantive" not "Aquantive."
    And good luck to everyone in MS forced to try and type this in Word with intellisense switched on.
  5. Re:crazy by MMC+Monster · · Score: 3, Funny

    Heck. For $1 you could probably buy a pair of eye balls in certain parts of the world.

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    Help! I'm a slashdot refugee.
  6. Re:And TV? by Tarlus · · Score: 3, Funny

    Just edit your TV's hosts file.

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    /* No Comment */
  7. Re:Colour me confused.. by Rolgar · · Score: 3, Funny

    You're forgetting to use the synergistic multiplier to figure out the value added benefits of having turbo charged the money flux capacitor.

  8. Dot Com Boom 2.0 by rlp · · Score: 3, Funny

    New exit strategy - sell to Google, Microsoft, or Yahoo.

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