Per a recent commitment to broaden its digital advertising horizons, Microsoft today agreed to purchase online ad firm aQuantive for $6 billion, Internet News reports.

At $66.50 per share at an 85 percent premium over aQuantive's Thursday closing price, the $6 billion purchase represents Microsoft's most ambitious bid to date.

Microsoft has stated it plans to use aQuantive's myriad assets to develop "new media" ad systems like cross media planning, VOD and IPTV.

From inception, aQuantive has seen significant growth spurts, having evolved into three primary brands: DRIVEpm, an ad service that matches ad campaigns with published content; Avenue A | Razorfish, a digital marketing consulting service; and Atlas, the foundation for the Media Console ad platform.

aQuantive is expected to add thrust to Microsoft's AdCenter, which serves approximately 500 users a month but remains a small contender to Google AdWords and Yahoo Search Marketing.

The deal is expected to finalize in Q1 of 2008.

CFO Chris Liddel noted the online ad market, worth about $40 billion at present, is expected to grow 20 percent per year until 2010.