The move comes in direct response to Google's $3.1 billion acquisition of DoubleClick last month. Atlas is an advertising
management company similar to DoubleClick, meaning it provides management tools and services for agencies and an ad-serving platform for publishers. Avenue A/Razorfish offers a variety of digital
services for marketers, including advertising, Web design and development.
To be sure, online advertising and ad management tools have been profitable business for aQuantive, but what does this acquisition mean for Microsoft? This is certainly not a content acquisition, but more of a technology-based one. Atlas will improve adCenter and bring with it a considerable client list on both sides of the advertising pond, while Avenue A/Razorfish should help improve Microsoft's Web sites and bring its extensive marketing relationships to the table. But these companies don't create or come up with content, which could indicate the demise of MSN and the Web portal strategy. It is clearly a move that brings Microsoft farther into Google territory.