Microsoft annouced last Friday that it will aquire aQuantive for $6 billion (yep, billion!!!):
http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2007/may07/05-18Advertising.mspx
So what does this means (my own thoughts)?
- Microsoft has some money in the bank

- They are serious about getting into the ad business (Google?)
- They are serious about getting into the designer market with Silverlight and Expression (Adobe?)
- They will do their ad campaigns internally (they have to recoup part of the $6 billion!)
However, I'm not sure about the impact on medium to small Web agencies since Avenue A/Razorfish was one of the largest Web agencies in the world. Will we see MCS consultants with spiked hair in the future? Will Microsoft create best pratices for Web agencies? Will that knowledge translate into new products for designers and or Web agencies/ad agencies? Time will tell I guess.