• by Ross Fadner , December 16, 2003

Atlas DMT, a unit of Seattle-based aQuantive, Monday announced its acquisition of search management and optimization services provider GO TOAST. Denver-based GO TOAST will retain its brand identity and will operate as a part of Atlas DMT. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

The acquisition of GO TOAST will enable Atlas DMT clients to monitor the progress of each of their digital marketing campaigns - including search - through one analytics filter.

GO TOAST's management services for advertisers enable them to simultaneously manage thousands of keywords and search engine marketing campaigns across all major paid search engines including Google AdWords, Yahoo!'s Overture, FindWhat.com, and Espotting, among others. These optimization tools are to be integrated into the Atlas DMT Marketing Suite, thereby creating a singular analytics platform and central reporting system for all digital marketing services.

GO TOAST's tools optimize the bids and paid search positions for their client base of advertisers, offering conversion tracking tools, Web analytics, and completely automated paid search management.

Riding on the search engine marketing tidal wave that has crashed over the Internet advertising industry in the past few years, GO TOAST has prospered admirably. The two-year-old company is already profitable; revenues are estimated between $3 and $4 million for 2003.

Ona Karasa, chief operating officer of Atlas DMT, cites multi-channel integration as the number one request of Atlas clients worldwide: "Demand for one solution that integrates all digital marketing data, including that generated by search marketing activities, has been number one on our client's wish lists," Karasa said, adding, "This combination is a home run for marketers, as all of their digital marketing campaigns, including search, will be able to run more efficiently through one central reporting and analytics system."

Both parties believe the acquisition will reap profitable dividends. Dave Carlson, chief executive officer of GO TOAST, has stated that "the addition of GO TOAST's paid search engine management and optimization tools further positions the Atlas Suite as the most compelling solution in the marketplace."

Integration of the Atlas Suite with GO TOAST's services is already underway. More than a half dozen advertisers are currently testing the combined technologies in a trial run. aQuantive will provide an update of the respective companies' integration progress along with financial information about the transaction during a fourth-quarter conference call scheduled for late January 2004.