Microsoft does seem to be taking an opposite route from that of Facebook when it comes to online advertising, as the former is making its exit from the business, while the latter does seem to want to go all in, so to speak. Why do I say that? Well, word has reached the news vine that Microsoft is selling off its Atlas Advertising Suite to social network Facebook, having announced the deal earlier this afternoon, and the entire deal’s price remain undisclosed, although Advertising Age did have a rough estimate that placed it at $30 million to $50 million, which is relatively pocket change for both companies.
Microsoft has finally cut off all ties with its inflated (relatively speaking) purchase of online advertising company aQuantive who owned Atlas tools back in 2007 for a massive $6.3 billion, which is more than twice what Google forked out for rival agency DoubleClick a few weeks earlier. Google seemed to have managed to come out better from their deal when it came to online display ads, and I guess Microsoft is just glad to have shed this earlier business purchase of theirs. Will Facebook be able to do wonders with their latest purchase?