WPP Buying 24/7 Real Media for $649m
Thursday, May 17th, 2007;
-- Andy Beal |
It looks like Microsoft has lost out again, in its quest to buy an internet advertising firm. This time, UK advertising company WPP Group has snuck in and picked-up 24/7 Real Media - a company MSFT had reportedly been in talks with - for $649 million or $11.75 a share - 45% premium on TFSM’s share price two months ago.
“The TFSM team has long experience in the industry and has developed one of the most sophisticated and robust Internet technology platforms, that has enabled the business to deliver strong revenue growth, particularly in 2005 and 2006,” WPP said in a statement.
Microsoft is starting to run out of options. While there are plenty of online advertising companies out there, waiting for MSFT to call, its looking like late in the day of an NFL draft - sure, there’s still some talent out there, but the big names are have already been picked.
So, who do you think Microsoft should look at next?
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Category: M&A, Online Advertising
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May 17th, 2007 at 12:07 pm
Hmm…. Avenue A | Razorfish, Ogilvy, VML, Intermark Media, Datran Media, Endai, Leapfrog Interactive…
Ah geez. They should just buy Yahoo already and be done with it.
May 17th, 2007 at 2:10 pm
MSFT IS NOT FINNISHED YET WITH TFSM.
THE ANNOUNCED SALE WILL NOW CAUSE MSFT TO ACT AND OFFER AT LEAST ONE BILLION FOR TFSM.
May 17th, 2007 at 7:27 pm
[...] WPP Buying 24/7 Real Media for $649m | Marketing Pilgrim It looks like Microsoft has lost out again, in its quest to buy an internet advertising firm. This time, UK advertising company WPP Group has snuck in and picked-up 24/7 Real Media - a company MSFT had reportedly been in talks with - for $649 million or $ (tags: wpp 24.7.real.media advertising digital.advertising marketing microsoft advertising.agency accquisitions) [...]
May 18th, 2007 at 12:58 am
It was amazing to me to read that Google has dropped the ball on this again. They need to expand into the online advertising market more rapidly than they are (although buying yahoo would surely help.)
I realize I probably don’t truly know what’s best for Microsoft, especially not to the effect that Bill Gates does, but it makes you wonder what their plan is.
As to the news, $649 million! Makes you want to start an advertising firm doesn’t it. It doesn’t seem too difficult, just look at TLA.
Aloha,
Erik
May 22nd, 2007 at 12:36 pm
I think that there are so many companies out there, perhaps if MS were to buy up a load of little fish, then weld that market share into a large fish, that would be one way around it.
Or use their considerable resources to start from scratch and promote it from every platform they have.
P/S, I am not the CEO of the company, and am not liable if anyone chooses to use my advice…
November 20th, 2007 at 11:07 am
[...] Eles já deram um primeiro grande passo adquirindo a aQuantive este ano, um dos principais players da publicidade online. Por outro lado, o Google adquiriu a DoubleClick não satisfeito apenas com o seu AdWords, o Yahoo! comprou a Right Media e o WPP Group absorveu a 24/7 Real Media. [...]