• Advertising Age, Monday, January 19, 2009 11:30 AM

The Department of Justice may have scuppered the Google-Yahoo search deal, but Microsoft still isn't satisfied. The proof: the software giant recently underwrote a new International Advertising Association survey in which 100 members responded to questions about search advertising competition, and whether Google's enormous power scares them.

However, IAA Executive Director Michael Lee noted that while the survey was partially underwritten by Microsoft, which is an IAA corporate member, the questions were created by the organization independent of Microsoft. "It is our study," Lee told Ad Age. "The results ... are what they are, no editing on anyone else's part." He also pointed out the survey was conceived in the summer, before the DOJ investigation halted the Google-Yahoo deal.

In any event, the results show that advertisers are concerned about Google's size and market share: 65% said the online ad market was dominated by Google and that there are "limited choices and price options for online advertisers;" 85% said it's important that a strong competitor emerge to challenge Google's dominance.

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