• Paid Content, Thursday, July 9, 2009 12:01 PM

It's been widely speculated that Publicist is the front runner to buy Razorfish, which Microsoft is looking to unload for a rumored $600 million asking price. Microsoft acquired Razorfish parent aQuantive two years ago for $6 billion, and can now sell the agency without incurring any tax penalties. But Paid Content, after talking with two WPP execs and sources within Razorfish, reports that that holding company is a serious contender.

Whoever picks up Razorfish will be taking on a hobbled agency. Sources who have inside knowledge of Razorfish's financials confirmed to Paid Content that the agency has had double-digit losses in revenue in the past year. The sources also say that though Microsoft has been quiet publicly about a potential deal, employees within Razorfish have begun handicapping the likely candidates. And while Publicist may be leading the race, there's the Google wild card. Publicis has a cozy relationship with Google -- the two even engage in a much ballyhooed employee exchange program -- and Microsoft may want to consider how a sale to Publicis would boost Google. So WPP has that going for it.

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