In Brief: Exchange Marketplace News

Microsoft dominates the news as it seeks a buyer for Razorfish. The company is being valued at seven hundred million, and Publicis, who announced a partnership with Microsoft this week to build a TV ad network, is rumoured to be interested. Peter Kafka, writing on AllThingsDigital, explains why Microsoft never really wanted to own a digital agency:

Why has everyone been so convinced that Microsoft would sell something it bought in 2007? Because everyone thought that Microsoft never wanted Razorfish–it wanted the rest of aQuantive’s ad network business. And presumably what it really wanted was Doubleclick’s ad network business, but Google (GOOG) beat it out on that deal. Yahoo (YHOO) had already bought RightMedia and WPP bought 24/7 Real Media. (Boy, a lot of money was spent on ad networks back then! And not coincidentally, a flood of ad network start-ups flooded the market shortly after those transactions went through.)”

There are still places available at AdMonsters Network Ops Forum in London. The event due to take place on July 15 is aimed at those responsible for managing advertising networks at media owners and agencies as well as ad networks themselves. Speakers confirmed for the day include:
– Dirk Fiebig, Head of Ad Ops & Technology from Media Initiative Group
– Joel Cymberg, Publisher and Operations Director from Glam Media
– Sayoko Knight, Head of Revenue Operations form AdGent 007
The speakers will cover areas such as IASH practices, buy-side trading platforms and Ad Network trading standards. FarneyMedia will be attending the “meet- the-press” luncheon from twelve to one thirty on the day of the event, and will be speaking to senior Ad Network Execs to get their perspective on issues affecting the industry.