Google announced today that it will acquire mobile ad network AdMob in a $750 million all-stock deal. Google, which already has a mobile-ad delivery system via its $3.2 billion acquisition of DoubleClick Mobile in 2008, said that the acquisition will give it more expertise in this growing market. The deal is expected to close in the next couple of months.
Founded in 2006, San Mateo, Calif.-based AdMob is one of the largest mobile advertising firms in the industry. The company has received $47 million in financing from venture capitalists and other investors and touts some powerful clients including Ford and Coca-Cola. It also collects and publishes data on its mobile advertising traffic, which offer some powerful insights into this market.
Analyst Mike Boland of BIA/Kelsey said that the acquisition indicates that Google wants to move into the display ad arena, where AdMob has the greatest expertise.
For more:
- see this New York Times article [1]
- see this CNET article [2]
Related articles:
AdMob: Android makes up 17% of smartphone traffic [3]
AdMob: iPhone now half of U.S. smartphone traffic [4]
Smartphones now generate 35 percent of mobile ad requests [5]
Half of iPhone users [6] download premium apps every month
Links:
[1] http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/10/technology/companies/10google.html
[2] http://news.cnet.com/8301-30684_3-10393271-265.html
[3] http://www.fiercemobilecontent.com/story/admob-android-makes-17-smartphone-traffic/2009-10-29
[4] http://www.fiercemobilecontent.com/story/admob-iphone-now-half-u-s-smartphone-traffic/2009-10-01
[5] http://www.fiercemobilecontent.com/story/smartphones-now-generate-35-mobile-ad-requests/2009-05-27
[6] http://www.fiercemobilecontent.com/story/half-iphone-users-download-premium-apps-every-month/2009-08-27