DoubleClick news stories on Newser

Phony Ad Clicks at Record High

Nick McMaster — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 16:07:01 CST

Fraudulent attempts to deceive web advertisers into paying for phony clicks reached an all-time high in the last quarter of 2008, CNET reports. The rate of phony to genuine clicks climbed to 17.1% in the fourth quarter, increasing 1.1% from the third quarter and 0.5% from the...

Google Trims 300 Jobs at DoubleClick

Jim O'Neill — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 13:25:00 CDT

Some 300 DoubleClick employees, who briefly enjoyed a taste of Google culture after the ad agency was acquired in March, are facing layoffs as the search giant merges the two operations, reports the New York Times . It’s the first major layoff in Google’s history and trims DoubleClick’s US workforce by...

Google Pushes Privacy Reforms

Nick McMaster — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 17:31:23 CDT

Google is working to ease concerns about privacy infringement in online advertising, ComputerWorld reports. The online giant hosted a meeting for the Consumer Privacy Legislative Forum, a group working to get a bill protecting online consumers’ information passed in Congress. Google will also file comments concerning the FTC’s proposed privacy...

Microsoft Likely to Raise Yahoo Bid: Analyst

Nick McMaster — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 14:39:31 CDT

A Citigroup analyst upgraded Yahoo stock to a buy today, predicting that Microsoft will raise its buyout bid from $31 per share to $34, MarketWatch reports. Acquiring Yahoo is the only way for Microsoft to successfully compete with Google for online advertising, said analyst Mark Mahaney, and so “the likelihood...

Google Buys DoubleClick After EU Signs Off

Nick McMaster — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 16:25:04 CDT

Google acquired ad tracker DoubleClick today after EU regulators approved the $3.1 billion deal, the AP reports. Antitrust officials dismissed concerns about competition, saying Microsoft, Yahoo, and AOL also provide “credible” online ad services. The ruling ducked questions of how private data will be handled, an issue that riles...

Even Google Not Immune in Downturn

Sam Gale Rosen — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 18:48:00 CST

After a hitting record high in November, Google shares have fallen 40%, reports the Los Angeles Times. Investors are concerned that a downturn in consumer spending could slow Google's growth—previously thought to be recession-proof. "Now the shine is off Google, whether deservedly or not," one media analyst said of...

FTC Okays Google’s DoubleClick Buy

Jonas Oransky — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 10:11:27 CST

The FTC voted 4-1 to approve Google’s purchase of DoubleClick, despite months of lobbying against the deal on privacy and antitrust grounds. The commissioners concluded that the deal "is unlikely to substantially lessen competition,” PC World reports. The $3.1-billion deal has been fought tooth and nail by Microsoft and...

Microsoft, Viacom Ally to Check Google

Jim O'Neill — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 09:34:08 CST

Microsoft and Viacom joined forces to counter Google's growth in the ad market yesterday, with a 5-year, $500-million partnership. Microsoft gets audio and video content from Viacom, and is a preferred partner in online gaming. Viacom will switch its ad placement from DoubleClick, which Google is about to buy, to...

Tracking Shoppers On & Offline

Peter Fearon — Mon, 10 Dec 2007 04:00:02 CST

A marketing data company is blending information about consumer habits online - and offline - to create more accurate and detailed information for advertisers. AP reports Acxiom Corp is bringing to the Internet the consumer profiles and 'life-stage' categories for which it is already well known among direct-mail companies and...