Google has acquired a mid-sized ad technology start-up by the name of Invite Media, MediaMemo reports,
citing
multiple sources. It suggests that the deal cost Google somewhere in the neighborhood of $70 million.
Invite is a three-year-old "demand-side platform" geared to help media buyers
steer their way through high-volume display-advertising exchanges, including the one Google debuted last year. Headquartered in New York City, Invite builds and operates what it refers to as a
"universal buying platform" for display media, called Bid Manager.
"First there were ad networks, then ad exchanges to make buying across networks more efficient,"
explains Search Engine Land. "And now there are so-called 'demand
side platforms' such as Invite that help marketers and agencies buy across exchanges to target and consolidate audiences."
"People familiar with the transaction say Google's plan is to
leave Invite running as a standalone unit, which will work at arm's length with exchange's like Google's AdX, as well as competitors like OpenX, Yahoo's Right Media and Microsoft's AdECN," writes.
MediaMemo. "That makes sense, because ad buyers who use Invite, like Publicis's Vivaki, expect to be able to buy inventory from multiple exchanges."
At some point, however, Google is
likely to integrate Invite with DoubleClick for Advertisers, its ad-serving technology, say sources.
With the deal, "Google is emerging as a display powerhouse, with DoubleClick and
its related exchange, YouTube and now AdMob in mobile," adds Search Engine Land.
"Google is looking at expanding its advertising business either with new products, as it is the case
with this latest purchase, or by entering new markets like it did with the AdMob acquisition,"
writes Softpedia. "It already had search advertising products for mobiles,
but, with AdMob, Google got into display ads as well as in-app ads."
"By offering a DSP among its various ad services, Google will also be able to strengthen its ties to agencies, which
have increasingly built their own systems to manage the ad net/ad exchange divide," writes paidContent. "Examples include real-time bidding exchanges run by Publicis' VivaKi and Interpublic's
Cadreon."
To date, Invite investors have included Comcast's venture arm and First Round Capital. Last summer, Omniture was reportedly eyeing Invite before it was acquired by Adobe.
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