AQuantive

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aQuantive, Inc.

Company type	Subsidiary
Industry	Digital marketing
Founded	1997
Defunct	2012
Fate	Acquired by Microsoft
Parent	Microsoft

aQuantive, Inc. was a digital marketing company that was founded in 1997 and headquartered in Seattle, Washington. The company was known for providing a range of digital marketing services and technologies, including advertising, media planning, and web analytics.

History

aQuantive was established in 1997 and quickly grew to become one of the leading digital marketing companies in the United States. The company operated through three primary divisions: Avenue A/Razorfish, Atlas Solutions, and Drive Performance Solutions.

In 2007, aQuantive was acquired by Microsoft for approximately $6 billion, which was one of the largest acquisitions in Microsoft's history at that time. The acquisition was aimed at strengthening Microsoft's position in the digital advertising market and enhancing its capabilities in online advertising and marketing services.

Despite the high expectations, the integration of aQuantive into Microsoft's operations did not yield the anticipated results. In 2012, Microsoft announced a $6.2 billion writedown related to the aQuantive acquisition, effectively acknowledging that the acquisition had not met its strategic goals.

Divisions

aQuantive operated through three main divisions:

• Avenue A/Razorfish: This division focused on providing digital marketing and advertising services, including media planning, creative services, and web development.
• Atlas Solutions: This division specialized in ad serving and campaign management solutions, offering tools for advertisers to manage and optimize their online advertising campaigns.
• Drive Performance Solutions: This division provided performance-based marketing services, focusing on driving measurable results for clients through various digital marketing strategies.

Acquisition by Microsoft

In May 2007, Microsoft announced its intention to acquire aQuantive for approximately $6 billion in an all-cash deal. The acquisition was completed in August 2007, and aQuantive became part of Microsoft's Advertiser and Publisher Solutions (APS) Group. The acquisition was seen as a strategic move by Microsoft to compete with other major players in the digital advertising space, such as Google and Yahoo!.

However, the integration of aQuantive into Microsoft's operations faced several challenges, and the expected synergies did not materialize. In July 2012, Microsoft announced a $6.2 billion writedown related to the aQuantive acquisition, indicating that the acquisition had not achieved its intended objectives.

Legacy

Despite the challenges faced during its integration with Microsoft, aQuantive played a significant role in the evolution of digital marketing and advertising. The company's technologies and services contributed to the development of more sophisticated and effective digital marketing strategies, which continue to influence the industry today.

See also

• Digital marketing
• Online advertising
• Web analytics
• Microsoft
• Google
• Yahoo!