Microsoft launches its online ad-network in India

Microsoft Advertising has rolled out DrivePM online ad-network in India and has already started selling advertising space for 25 websites

Microsoft Advertising, which offers online marketing solutions, has soft-launched its international online ad-network, called DrivePM (Performance Marketing), in India. The company claims that it has already tied up with 25 Indian websites or publishers, excluding any of the MSN web properties, and is currently managing 28 online advertising campaigns.

DrivePM enables advertisers to carry out online campaigns based on pay-for-performance basis. This implies that advertisers can sell their advertising inventory on cost per click (CPC) or cost per lead (CPL) basis and pay only when users click or submit specific information through their online advertising campaigns.

Microsoft launches its online ad-network in India

Speaking to afaqs!, Richard Dunmall, general manager, Greater Asia Pacific, Microsoft Advertising, reveals that the company sees an opportunity in the Indian online market, which has not matured yet as compared to other regions in the Asia Pacific. “In countries such as Japan, Korea and Australia, advertisers are spending between 9-20 per cent of their total advertising spend on digital marketing while in India, the average spend by advertisers on the digital media is still low and restricted to 2.5-3.5 per cent.”

According to an industry estimate, about 7-8 per cent of the total amount of display advertising market, which is worth Rs 400 crore, is supported through various online ad-networks in India.

Other online ad-networks which surfaced include .FoxNetworks, launched by Fox Interactive, the digital arm of News Corp and NetworkPlay.in by the interactive agency Webchutney. Both networks were launched in the third quarter of 2008-09. Reliance Big Entertainment is also working on an online advertising exchange named Kyphy.

Some of the old players in the ad-network space are Komli Media; Tyroo, which belongs to the Quasar Media Group and Yahoo!; Ad Magnet, owned by Interactive Avenues; Ozone Media and Ad Chakra, run by Percept Knorigin, the digital arm of Percept Holdings.

Microsoft Advertising is also evaluating the options to launch its search marketing facility called Ad Center in India.

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