Advertising, Acquisition | featured news

Seattle-based Atlas is a digital media measurement platform; it provides measurement, analytical and management tools for ad campaigns and marketing agencies.

Microsoft Corp admitted its largest acquisition in the Internet sector was effectively worthless and wiped out any profit for the last quarter, as it announced a $6.2 billion charge to write down the value of an online advertising agency it bought five years ago. The announcement came as a surprise, but did not shock investors, who had largely forgotten Microsoft's purchase of aQuantive in 2007, which was initially expected to boost Microsoft's online advertising revenue and rival Google Inc's purchase of DoubleClick.

The surprising endorsement by the Federal Trade Commission of Google’s deal for AdMob follows Apple’s purchase of Quattro Wireless, an AdMob rival.

Surprise. Apple has agreed to purchase mobile advertising startup Quattro Wireless for $275 million, All Things Digital reported Monday. That Quattro would be targeted after Google bought rival mobile ad seller AdMob for $750 million by Google last year is no surprise.

Is Google simply buying its way into the mobile advertising market via its $750 million acquisition of AdMob? That’s what two consumer groups allege in a letter sent to the FTC today, as the organization continues to review the deal.