Yahoo's weakness,
WPP's gains

Yahoo has selected WPP Group to manage online ad and rich media sales, reports The New York Times.

The relationship has not yet been formally announced.

The deal grants WPP clients access to publishers in Yahoo's display ad network. WPP will also be able to collect information on the demographics and behaviors from Yahoo's Right Media publisher network, which it can then funnel into its ad profiling database on 24/7 Real Media.

WPP's GroupM agencies will be able to access audience data from 24/7, then make more targeted ad buys based on that data, MediaPost reports.

Yahoo expects to generate more ad dollars from WPP's efforts, which it will need in its continued attempts to stave off the wolves. Over the short-term, however, the panoply of availed demographic information is practically a steal for WPP's subsidiaries.