Israeli ISP Internet Gold this
week inked a deal with DoubleClick
to manage advertising on the upcoming MSN Israel portal.
The Hebrew-language portal, which is set to launch at the end of the month,
will rely on the AdServer software, which DoubleClick (DCLK)
says will be important for the new site because of its ability to segment
and target its audience.
“This, I believe, is the first significant step in building e-advertising in
the Israeli Internet market,” said Eli Holtzman, Internet Gold’s Chief
Executive Officer.
MSN Israel will include Hotmail, passport, instant messagine, and a search
engine, among its other portal features. It will also be linked to Internet
Gold’s (IGLD)
network of portals.
“This is a major partnership for both companies that increases the momentum
that Internet Gold has already built in pushing forward the online industry
in Israel,” said Jitendra Valera, DoubleClisk’s vice president and general
manager – international, DoubleClick Technology Solutions. “This also
strengthens DoubleClick’s penetration into the rapidly expanding Internet
advertising marketplace in the Middle East.”
Microsoft (MSFT)
and Internet Gold formed the joint venture for MSN Israel in October, with
Internet Gold holding a .2 percent majority holding in the new company.