REDMOND, Wash. — June 17, 2008 — Microsoft Corp. today announced the acquisition of Navic Networks, a leading provider of television advertising solutions. Navic’s technologies include sophisticated campaign management tools that use relevant data to optimize the delivery and placement of targeted interactive television media and through Admira provide a unified ad network for targeting audiences across television advertising inventory. With the addition of Navic solutions, Microsoft’s comprehensive advertising platform will be able to facilitate enhanced digital advertising across online and offline environments.
“Television media represents the largest percentage of advertisers and agencies’ media budget today,” said Brian McAndrews, senior vice president of the Advertiser and Publisher Solutions Group at Microsoft. “Together, Navic and Microsoft will deliver addressable television advertising solutions to help our partners better manage media spend by increasing advertiser reach and ROI, and maximizing publisher yield on television advertising.”
Together, Microsoft and Navic plan to consult and work with the key constituents in the television advertising industry to better understand how its campaign management and advertising platforms for digital television can help advertisers, content owners and distributors maximize yield and achieve their media objectives.
“Viewers across North America are engaging with relevant advertising and interacting with their TVs in ways never before possible. Joining forces with Microsoft will enable our common vision of addressable television advertising solutions to continue to flourish and better meet the needs of our industry partners,” said Chet Kanojia, CEO of Navic Networks. “While our current business relationships will continue to grow, we look forward to extending our technology into a vast array of new markets and software solutions.”
With this acquisition, Navic Networks becomes a wholly owned subsidiary of Microsoft and will join Microsoft’s Advertiser and Publisher Solutions (APS) Group, the group responsible for Microsoft’s comprehensive advertising platform that spans all digital media including television and video advertising. The APS Group includes Atlas, a pioneer of Video-On-Demand advertising solutions.
About Navic
Navic Networks is the leading addressable advertising and interactive television technology provider to the cable and direct broadcast satellite television industry. Navic provides sophisticated tools that use real-time audience measurement data to optimize the delivery and placement of targeted interactive media. Navic’s patented technology powers addressable advertising and interactive television applications on over 35 million digital set-top boxes in North America. Navic Networks is a privately held corporation headquartered in Waltham, Mass. For more information, visit http://www.navic.tv/.
About Microsoft Advertising
Microsoft Advertising provides world-class advertising tools and solutions for digital advertisers and publishers to drive brand and consumer engagement. The portfolio includes all our digital advertising businesses: our global media network that includes MSN, Windows Live, Microsoft Office Live, Xbox, Microsoft Live Search, Facebook and more, and our global technology platforms and tools that include Atlas, AdECN Inc., Microsoft adCenter, DRIVEpm, Massive Inc. and ScreenTonic, which together create engaging digital advertising experiences for their consumers. Microsoft Advertising helps make buying and selling media simple, smart and more cost-effective across media and devices in the Microsoft network of properties and beyond, which spans 42 markets globally and 21 languages. Visit http://advertising.microsoft.com for more information.
About Microsoft
Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT”) is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.
Note to editors: If you are interested in viewing additional information on Microsoft, please visit the Microsoft Web page at http://www.microsoft.com/presspass on Microsoft’s corporate information pages. Web links, telephone numbers and titles were correct at time of publication, but may since have changed. For additional assistance, journalists and analysts may contact Microsoft’s Rapid Response Team or other appropriate contacts listed at http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/contactpr.mspx.
