Bing Replaces Google on AOL, Microsoft Passes Majority of Ad Sales To AOL

[engine]

Microsoft's ad sales for display, mobile and video ads will become the responsibility of AOL, and at the same time the company gets a 10-year deal with Microsoft for Bing search, and ad delivery.

Clearly, Bing is here to stay, and Microsoft feels that strong partnerships are the way forward.

Microsoft Corp. is stepping back from the advertising business in a big way.

AOL struck a deal with the tech giant to take over responsibility for sales of display, mobile and video ads on Microsoft properties in the U.S. and eight other markets.

All of Microsoft’s roughly 1,200 advertising employees — from engineering to sales — will be getting offer letters to join AOL, according to a person familiar with the matter. Bing Replaces Google on AOL, Microsoft to Passes Ad Sales To AOL [blogs.wsj.com]

“We believe in the advertising model, and we care deeply about those services that are monetized through ads,” said Rik van der Kooi, corporate vice president of Microsoft’s ad business. “But if you look at trends in the industry, it makes complete sense for us to line up with AOL.”

[keyplyr]

Will they be sending out endless free CDs?

[Broadway]

I read various news articles but was unclear if and how this might affect the media.net (yahoo/bing) ad network.

[RedBar]

10 years!

Aside from the nine markets covered by the AOL partnership, AppNexus will become Microsoft’s exclusive programmatic sales partner in 10 other markets, including Austria, Belgium, Denmark, and Portugal.

Do we assume the UK, Germany, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and which other countries?

Aha...just found this:

AOL will sell ads for Microsoft properties in the markets of Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Spain, United Kingdom and the United States.

No Oz and NZ.

[robzilla]

That's too bad, I often use search.aol.com to get unpersonalized and unlocalized Google search results.

Any alternatives?

[bill]

I hope the transition isn't going to mess up my existing campaigns. I'd hate to have to set them all up again.

[Leosghost]

So..what does this do to the MS and Y ad deal..?
From the point of view of both those buying the ads..and also those publishers running the ads..

I predict Marissa leaving Y within a year or two ( at most ) for "personal reasons" / to "spend more time with the family" etc ..
Complete with "golden parachute"..

Google couldn't have wished / planned for a better outcome..

[sem4u]

Well Y have now started testing G SERPs, so will they now start showing G ads, instead of those from MS?