Google looks to click with ad companies

By Alex Woodson

Dec 5, 2007
NEW YORK -- Beyond DoubleClick, Google is looking for other advertising technology companies to partner with, a company executive said Tuesday.

Speaking at the UBS Global Media Conference in New York, Tim Armstrong, president of advertising and commerce at Google in North America, said his company remains interested in finding ways to connect online inventory to advertising solutions.

"We're exploring the ability to work in that space," Armstrong said. "There are other opportunities to work with companies in that space."

In April, Google said that it intends to pay $3.1 billion to acquire DoulebClick, a transaction that has come under scrutiny from the European Commission. Armstrong said that proposed purchase, which he expects to close, fits "very squarely" with Google's ad strategy and that it will continue to seek more opportunities.

Beyond these partnerships, Armstrong said Google is having success in moving beyond just online text advertising. He said the company has forged friendships with traditional advertising agencies; networks are excited by the company's efforts to track TV advertising, which for now is confined to EchoStar; and that Google is open to work with most companies in various partnerships.

"There are two or three companies that we're too competitive with to do business," Armstrong said. "But hopefully, over time, there will be none."