Fox Signs With DoubleClick

Speculation over DoubleClick's future did not deter Fox.com, the online arm of Fox Broadcasting Company, from agreeing to join the ad-serving giant's client list yesterday.

DoubleClick's DART for Publishers and DART Motif ad-serving products will allow Fox.com to distribute and monitor ads on its TV show Web sites, including "24," "The OC," "The Simpsons," and "Arrested Development." Fox News is not involved in the management deal.

Leveraging Motif for rich media promotions on its sites, Fox.com can also offer an in-house rich media creation, delivery, and reporting service to its advertisers.

"Our ad-serving technology will handle all of Fox.com's workflow, and Motif is only one component that we provide," explained Doug Knopper, senior vice president of ad management at DoubleClick.

In October, DoubleClick said it hired investment bank Lazard Freres & Company to explore "strategic options." MSN, American Online, and Viacom's MTV Networks all had existing contracts for access to DoubleClick's preferred DART ad-serving products; DoubleClick renewed DART for Publishers ad management contracts with MTV on Dec. 13, for three more years.

Despite uncertainty regarding its future, the company is still better positioned than most, according to JupiterResearch analyst Nate Elliott. "I really don't think the chatter about the future of DoubleClick affects business," reasoned Elliott, who estimates that DoubleClick controls nearly half of all outsourced ad-serving.

DART for Publishers and DART Motif--including floating, expandable banners, and in-page ads--are part of DoubleClick's DART ad management suite, which has become an indispensable component of a modest $140 million rich media industry. The most dominant product on the market, Elliott believes.

DART Motif's client list numbers about 1,000, and includes, CBS, Inc., Cox Interactive Media, and NYTimes.com.

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