aQuantive now a Microsoft subsidiary, part of company's new advertising group

By Lisa Kerner

Charlotte, N.C., Aug. 13 - Microsoft Corp. said with the completed $6 billion acquisition of aQuantive, Inc., it can "provide the advertising industry with a world-class advertising platform across devices and media that will create the best experiences for users, advertisers and publishers," according to a statement released on Monday.

Arrow Acquisition Co., a Microsoft subsidiary, merged with and into aQuantive under the companies' planned merger approved by aQuantive shareholders on Aug. 9. In connection with the closing, aQuantive said it will remove its common stock from listing on the Nasdaq Global Market and has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission to delist and deregister the stock.

Each outstanding aQuantive common share was converted into the right to receive $66.50 in cash. aQuantive is now a wholly owned subsidiary of Microsoft.

Microsoft also announced the creation of its Advertiser and Publisher Solutions Group responsible for building and marketing all ad platforms, including Atlas, DRIVEpm, MSNDR and Microsoft AdCenter to capture a share of the $40 billion online ad market. The group, run by aQuantive chief executive Brian McAndrews, will also work with emerging media types such as in-game and mobile ads, as well as the ad agency arm Avenue A | Razorfish. McAndrews reports to Kevin Johnson, president of Microsoft's Platforms & Services Division.

"The addition of aQuantive's technologies and people to the Microsoft portfolio is a core, strategic investment and step forward in our plans to become one of the top two online advertising platforms in the industry," Johnson said in a news release.

Mike Galgon, an aQuantive co-founder, was named chief advertising strategist and will report to McAndrews.

Besides aQuantive, Microsoft recently acquired other advertising-related companies including Massive Inc. and ScreenTonic.

Digital marketing company aQuantive is the parent company of the interactive ad agency Avenue A | Razorfish. aQuantive will continue to operate from its Seattle headquarters as part of Microsoft's online services business.

Microsoft is a software, services and solutions company located in Redmond, Wash.

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