Microsoft finally sells Razorfish for $530 million

Publicis, a French advertising firm with clients as large as Coca-Cola, is the proud new owner of Razorfish.

We’ve been chronicling the plight of Razorfish for a few months now. To recap: Microsoft acquired Razorfish’s parent company in 2007 and has been looking to unload the interactive agency ever since. Razorfish, formally known as Avenue A, has offices all over the world including Center City Philadelphia.

According to the Times of London, Microsoft was in “an unholy rush” to get the deal done so it wouldn’t have to pay scheduled bonuses to Razorfish’s employees.

Details of the deal after the jump.
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If you call now, Microsoft will also throw in an ad agency

As we told you many a Friday Tech Link ago, Microsoft is looking to unload the Internet ad agency Razorfish.

The software giant is said to be courting five major ad firms with the help of banker Morgan Stanley.

To refresh your memory, Microsoft acquired the agency, which has offices in Center City, in 2007 when it purchased Razorfish’s then-parent company, aQuantive. Since, many suspected that Microsoft would eventually sell the Razorfish brand.

But, according to the Wall Street Journal and other sources, the lack of credit in the market and a potential conflict of interest for buyers are putting the prospects of a sale in serious doubt.
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Philly.com denies malware allegations

Philly.com is denying allegations that Philadelphia’s largest news portal is distributing malware that could potentially harm user computers.

“Philly.com takes seriously the online security of our users, and we go to great efforts to combat issues including malware,” according to a written statement issued to Technically Philly.

“We will continue to investigate all claims regarding Philly.com and stand by our pledge to provide our users with a safe and secure online experience.”

Earlier today, city blog Phillyist reported that one of its readers was issued a warning by an employer to stay off Philly.com because the site could contain malware.

Only one mention of the malware allegations appeared in a Twitter search, but it was posted before the Phillyist’s story and was not the blog’s original source. “Whatever you do, don’t go to Philly.com, it’s infected with Malware,” April Robinson wrote on her Twitter account a little after Noon.

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Technically Philly will soon be introducing advertising, other monetization strategies

For four months, we’ve been writing, reporting and researching dutifully the technology and innovation communities in and around Philadelphia.

We want to do more.

To appease our devotion for transparency, we want to be the bearer of the news that in order to continue to grow our coverage, we will now begin pursuing monetization. We’ll continue sharing disclosures and conflicts should they arise and hope you’ll approach us with any concerns you may have.

This is no hobby of ours.

We are three professionally-trained and seriously-driven young journalists who want to develop a sustainable and impactful news coverage source for you, your city and this region.

We’re doing it already. When Google CEO and Princeton University-graduate Eric Schmidt gave the commencement address at the University of Pennsylvania, we asked the question and got his answer about the possibilities he thought Philly had to become a tech corridor. No other news source in this city of 1.5 million people reported when Philadelphia CIO Allan Frank pledged to work with Refresh Philly to reinvigorate Philadelphia’s connection to technology.

We’ll chase big city news when it affects our readers, on the Web or otherwise. Philadelphia Inquirer Publisher Brian Tierney told Fox 29 yesterday that the third-oldest newspaper in the country is going to add a paid content model to its Web site, but, of course, we told you about that three days earlier on Friday.

We want to be able to devote the time to make sure that coverage continues and only expands. We’ll need resources to do that.

So consider this the official declaration of the monetization of Technically Philly — something we hope to do slowly and judiciously to ensure we never deleteriously affect our maturing brand or turn off our growing readership. Still, sometime soon, you should begin to see advertisements, and we want to invite you to participate, as other profit strategies come online.

See our media kit here. For rates and further advertising information, contact us at advertising@technicallyphilly.com.

If you have any thoughts, let us hear them in the comments. Any more sensitive thoughts can be sent our way here.

Today’s primary involves online advertising ballot question

The day’s primary polls in Philadelphia are open and lively already, and the Web, it would seem, is on the ballot.

In what most analysts are, of course, suspecting will be a low turnout affair and media coverage has focused on contested Democratic primaries for district attorney and city controller, one of two citywide ballot questions just might have implications for the future of online advertising.

As city political oversight group the Committee of Seventy explains the second of two ballot questions today: “currently, the Home Rule Charter imposes specific advertising requirements with respect to certain legal notices of the city.”

A yes vote on the question would allow City Council to change the avenues through which newly incorporated businesses, city contracts and public hearings are publicized.

It just might help kick newspapers when they’re down.

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Welcome to Comcast Town

Have you seen Comcast Town, yet?

It is part of a new ad blitz from the Center City telecommunications giant that includes commercials, an interactive Web site, a Juno-esque design theme and, yes you guessed it, social networking.

The campaign was designed by Goodby, Silverstein & Partners, who are not located in Philadelphia, but San Francisco.

See an entire collection of the ads on AdFreak, or catch the most played one and some more after the jump.

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