Monday, 11 August 2008

Google Gets Rid of Performics

In a recent announcement, Publicis said that it has agreed to acquire the Performics search marketing business (Performics) from Google.

Publicis deals solely in search marketing and working with advertisers to maximize their campaigns. The French advertising giant will absorb the 200 search marketing specialists currently working for Performics. It will fold the business into its VivaKi Nerve Center.

Performics had been owned by DoubleClick, and ever since Google’s acquisition of that company closed, Google has been expected to unload Performics. The conflict of interest is pretty clear, given that Performics advises clients on how to maximize their visibility on Google.

Performics is among the largest search-marketing operations, with 120 clients that include Hewlett-Packard Co., UAL Corp.'s United Airlines and Verizon Wireless, a joint venture of Verizon Communications and the U.K.'s Vodafone Group PLC.

The sale is expected to finalize in Q3, 2008. Financial terms were not disclosed.