Last Friday Google announced that it was acquiring Double-Click, an Internet advertising network. The price? $3.1 billion (remember that YouTube sold for $1,65 billion). Check the description of the company on Forbes:
“Founded way back in the heyday of the first Web boom, DoubleClick is an 11-year-old company whose fortunes have risen and fallen along with the Internet ad market. The company brokers online ad sales for a large network of buyers and sellers, and as the Web has hit its stride as a marketing vehicle, DoubleClick has become increasingly valuable.”
What is the meaning of such acquisition? Could this be an strategical move for the online advertising market? It certainly was noticed by competitors since Microsoft was claiming that authorities should scrutinize the deal to make sure they it would not affect the competitiveness of the segment.