Microsoft, VivaKi Team Up In Digital, TV Advertising

Microsoft and VivaKi, the digital arm of Publicis, have unveiled a broad co-operation deal spanning the fast-growing digital advertising sector to targeted television advertising. The deal will lead to the creation of a customised VivaKi advertisement exchange for television advertising delivered via Microsoft's Admira software, the statement said. "This will enable more 'audience-specific' television buying by VivaKi, creating an audience on demand for television" it said.

As part of the agreement, VivaKi's units Starcom MediaVest Group, Zenith Optimedia and Digitas, will use Admira technology to help clients plan and buy media ads when Admira goes live in the fourth quarter 2009. Admira, developed by Microsoft's Navic division, helps advertisers target specific television audiences, thus saving on the costs of placing ads in front of consumers, who are unlikely to buy their products.

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Publicis, the world's third-largest advertising group by revenue, launched VivaKi a year ago. VivaKi, which pools the digital capabilities of various Publicis units, aims to help advertisers access a single target audience through a global campaign. Publicis aims to generate 25 percent of its revenue from digital activities by 2010 against 20.5 percent in the first quarter of this year. (Reuters)