April 04, 2008 | Friday

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DoubleClick: Google giveth and Google taketh away

By Richard Gregory - COO in News |Search Engines |Google |Microsoft

Given the dismay I have expressed in the recent past about Google’s acquisition of Performics - a search marketing agency - as part of its purchase of DoubleClick, it is fair to say that I am delighted with how that situation is now being handled! From the official Google blog announcement:

It’s clear to us that we do not want to be in the search engine marketing business. Maintaining objectivity in both search and advertising is paramount to Google’s mission and core to the trust we ask from our users. For this reason, we plan to sell the Performics search marketing business to a third party.

We’re not the only ones who are pleased with this result. Search wonk Danny Sullivan, who had not minced words in his denunciation of Google’s association with Performics, is also thanking the search giant for what he characterises as a relatively swift move to sell. Danny adds the very good point that this now places even more pressure on Microsoft to act similarly with regard to its Avenue A/Razorfish ownership.

Meanwhile, the DoubleClick acquisition is having other effects which are not turning quite everyone into happy bunnies. To be exact, the approximately 300 DoubleClick employees being made redundant by Google are probably not overly chuffed.