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Today, 24/7 Media, WPP’s marketing technology company, and Microsoft Advertising announced an extensive partnership to support their customers in the rapidly changing digital advertising marketplace. As a result of this agreement, that brings together two of the largest players in the advertising industry, clients of both companies will benefit from markedly enhanced scale, optimization and automation. The global online ad market is estimated to exceed $98 billion in 2012.*

“This is an exciting day for 24/7 Media, WPP and our clients globally,” said David J. Moore, Chairman and CEO of 24/7 Media. “In partnering with Microsoft, one of our largest and most strategic clients, we are creating a very powerful suite of capabilities that rivals any other offering available today in digital marketing.”

“We’re very pleased to be able to strike this partnership with 24/7,” said Rik van der Kooi, Corporate Vice President of Microsoft Advertising. “Our mission is to provide extraordinary experiences for consumers and effective solutions for our digital marketing partners. Marketers are telling us they need to get their hands on premium quality inventory at-scale by reducing friction, which is what this deal will do. And unlocking new demand for publishers’ inventory through our Exchange will similarly create new value in the market.”

The agreement consists of four main components that will help strengthen advertising technology stacks and expand opportunities for the marketer and publisher clients of both WPP and Microsoft Advertising.

Specifically:

• The Microsoft Advertising Exchange will become the exclusive third-party ad exchange offered by Real Media Group, a business unit of 24/7 Media, to its 24/7 Open AdStream clients. Access to and management of the Exchange will be available via the 24/7 Open AdStream user interface and significant integration between the platforms. The arrangement provides 24/7 Open AdStream clients with seamless access to the Microsoft Advertising Exchange, which is designed specifically for the needs of premium publishers.
• The Microsoft Media Network will become the only non-WPP demand source granted programmatic access to Real Media Group’s premium inventory. Marketers and agencies will benefit from having this quality advertising inventory from premium publishers available for purchase in conjunction with Microsoft’s data and ad offerings. At the same time, Real Media Group’s publishers will benefit from the addition of Microsoft’s high-quality advertiser base. Real Media Group may also use the Microsoft Advertising Exchange to provide exchange services to publishers who are part of the 24/7 Access audience activation channel, which has the fifth largest reach in the US and select other markets.
• 24/7 Connect, a powerful new tool that WPP agencies and clients around the world are using to simplify and automate their media planning, will include the full catalog of Microsoft’s ad offerings. In addition, WPP agencies and clients will be able to programmatically create media plans that include Microsoft Advertising offerings. This will enable a richer set of solutions for the advertising needs of WPP agencies and clients, while also providing increased monetization of Microsoft’s publisher partner inventory.
• Microsoft, 24/7 Media, and WPP are also expanding their existing relationship around Microsoft’s Atlas ad server, which is a preferred ad server of WPP. Microsoft and 24/7 Media will work together toward a zero discrepancy solution between Atlas and 24/7 Open AdStream. 24/7 Media will join the Atlas Technology Partner Alliance, supporting the integration between 24/7 Trader, 24/7 Media’s demand side platform used by WPP, and Microsoft’s Atlas ad server.

*GroupM, April 2012

About Microsoft Advertising

Microsoft Advertising provides advertisers and publishers with media, tools and services to help drive deep and profitable engagement with their audiences. This includes a media network that reaches hundreds of millions of consumers around the world; global technology platforms and tools that enable easy planning and management of campaigns and content; and services that help untangle the complexities of digital media to get more value from marketing and content investments. Microsoft Advertising makes buying and selling media simple, smart and cost-effective across media and devices in the Microsoft network of properties and beyond. More information is available at http://advertising.microsoft.com.

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.

About 24/7 Media

24/7 Media, Inc. is a leader in digital marketing technology, serving advertisers, agencies and digital publishers worldwide. The 24/7 technology platform spans every digital channel, providing users with unprecedented control and consolidated data analysis. This technology powers two specialized business units: Real Media Group helps marketing organizations engage their audiences with superior precision, transparency and return on investment. The group also helps digital publishers monetize their properties and manage advertising operations more effectively. Media Innovation Group provides advertisers and agencies with strategic consulting and implementation services that deliver competitive advantage in fields being transformed by technology.

Formerly 24/7 Real Media, the organization has been in the forefront of media innovation for fifteen years. 24/7 Media is a WPP Digital company headquartered in New York with 18 offices in a dozen countries. For more information, please visit www.247media.com.

24/7 Media is a member of the NAI and adheres to the NAI privacy principles that have been applauded by the FTC. These principles are designed to help ensure Internet user privacy. For more information about online data collection associated with ad serving, including online preference marketing and an opportunity to opt-out of 24/7 Media cookies, go to: www.networkadvertising.org.