Search engine provider Google expects to have a "very significant position" in the online display ads market by 2008-09, a company executive has stated.Commenting at the Bear Stearns Media Conference in Florida recently, Tim Armstrong, Google's North American president for advertising and commerce, said that the firm would be "disappointed" if it has not achieved such a situation within the next year.
He stated: "Over time, the Google ad system won't differentiate between search and display. We want every advertiser to put all their assets in our system with multiple creatives that can go against all types of media reaching the right person in the right place."
Mr Armstrong added that Google identifies video-sharing site YouTube, which it acquired in October 2006 for $1.65 billion in a stock-for-stock transaction, as its "brightest light" in terms of display advertising potential.
In positive news for Google's bid to expand into graphical display ads market, the search engine provider's proposed acquisition of online advertising firm DoubleClick has been given approval by European regulators.
According to the New York Times, opponents of the deal had complained that such a merger could help create a "digital colossus" by allowing Google to strengthen its position in display ads, among other areas.
However, yesterday (March 11th), the European Commission ruled that the acquisition would not hurt competition because Google and DoubleClick occupy different areas of the market.
