Forgive this intrusion, but I got drawn over here today by Jon Tara's entrance onto your thread. And since there are big happenings with respect to Doubleclick today, I'm tagging on for a bit. I promise you, I won't be here frequently since I own no Doubleclick stock.
But please note that the press release indicating that DCLK is number three, behind AOL and Yahoo, also included Netscape as number four.
Now, statistics are like a bikini: What they reveal is interesting; but what they conceal is crucial. For example, consider the following:
What's hidden in the Media Metrix ranking (see below) is that ZuluMedia (which purchased Softbank Interactive Marketing, DCLK's former number two competitor) is doing much of what Netscape, Infoseek and Lycos are getting credited for in the below ranking.
Media Metrix April 1998 Reach, Top Domains
Total Domains Reach %
AOL 46.3
Yahoo 42.4
DoubleClick Network 29.4*
Netscape 25.8
GeoCities 25.5
Microsoft 24.2
Infoseek 17
MSN 13.3
Lycos 13.2
Tripod 11.6
Call up Netscape, Infoseek or Lycos and ask how they relate to ZuluMedia. Look for future signs of Zulu, and its movie-quality internet advertising technology and marketing, soon to manifest on radar screens far and wide.
Indeed, Doubleclick is the clearcut one and only forerunner in this sector. But once Zulu--a new kid on the block--has strengthened its business operations from recent acquisitions and has successfully merged with ESVS onto Nasdaq, there will be a new game for institutional investment in this advertising field.
In short, Zulu is a sleeper that will soon awaken. |
