Come full circle

Yesterday Microsoft unveiled Microsoft Advertising, a division that unites all of its cross-platform ad services.

Microsoft Advertising weds previous acquisitions like Atlas, AdECN, AdCenter and Massive — each of which targets different a platform.

It also includes the other offerings that were announced at Microsoft's ad conference in Redmond this week, such as mobile display ads and Live Search for Cashback.

The unification of disparate ad technologies under one roof will grant Microsoft advertisers the ability to make more harmonious cross-media buys.

At the Redmond conference, SVP Brian McAndrews told advertisers that Microsoft is one of only two names that can offer such comprehensive online ad opportunities.

The other, of course, is Google.