DoubleClick
by Karen Feigenbaum
Okay - I admit it; I'm stumped. I constantly hear people talk about
DoubleClick and its revolutionary business plan, and I've never really
known exactly what they do. I chose this web site so I would
finally have an impetus to look into the company further.
Well, I looked, and I'm still just as clueless. According to the
DoubleClick site, "…simply put, [they] are in the business
of making Internet advertising work." Which sounds like a wonderful
promise to fulfill - the problem is that I have no idea how they achieve
this lofty goal. And I have to question how successful they could
possibly be when so many large players are still so unclear how to
make Internet advertising work.
They talk about synergies among their business units creating "the
industry's leading interactive marketing solutions," and a "service
that generates revenue for Web sites and allows advertisers to increase
their ROI." Too bad I have no clue how this system works.
I'm not saying that it doesn't, mind you. After all, I doubt
they could make false claims as bold as "The DoubleClick Network
is a collection of the most highly trafficked and branded sites on
the Web" and then reference Edgar Online.
But I am wary, because they mention using standard techniques, such
as banner ads, opt-in email, and direct mail, and my impression has
always been that these are not particularly successful Internet advertising
tools. If this is all that DoubleClick provides, my guess is that
they are just as ineffectual with their banner ads and the like as
other companies are.