DoubleClick Expands Direct Marketing Business
Online ad solutions group, DoubleClick, has announced the acquisition of Protagona plc, the UK-based campaign management software company.
The deal, which has been expected for some time, will see DoubleClick increase its exposure to the planning side of the industry. Protagona produces Ensemble, software which helps direct marketers to both plan and execute their campaigns.
In the short term, DoubleClick will continue to sell Ensemble as a stand-alone product. However, the group intends to integrate the system into existing DoubleClick software. The ultimate goal is to integrate Protagona’s products into all its ad-serving and measurement products.
DoubleClick hopes to respond to the increasing convergence of online and offline advertising through the creation of an integrated system which will track response rates across a range of platforms. This process has become increasingly important as the recession has placed media planners and buyers under increasing pressure to squeeze all they can from campaigns.
Kevin Ryan, chief executive officer of DoubleClick, commented: “Marketing is becoming more and more complicated and requires further sophistication as consumers increasingly split their time across channels. Acquiring Protagona expands DoubleClick’s offering to a complete suite of tools for direct marketers to plan, manage, execute, measure and analyse marketing programs across multiple channels.”
Online marketing has been in focus after Microsoft announced the new Office 11 suite, due to be released in mid-2003, will include more protections against the growing menace of spam.
Last month DoubleClick secured a global partnership with Carat to become the preferred ad-serving provider for the group’s operations (see Doubleclick Lands Global Partnership With Carat).
Doubleclick: 020 7399 4400 www.doubleclick.com
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