Ybrant Digital acquires Argentine company

Ybrant Digital, a Hyderabad-based provider of digital marketing solutions, has acquired dream ad, an Argentine advertising network company, in all all-cash deal for an undisclosed sum.

The acquisition, its fifth so far, will give Ybrant access to the Latin American region by adding four more countries – Argentina, Chile, Uruguay and Mexico – to its global footprint, bring dream ad’s 39-strong headcount and 300 active clients into its fold, and help Ybrant better represent its publishers and their global traffic.

“dream ad is the exclusive sales house for Microsoft Advertising in Latin America. Besides, it is primarily into banner and keyword search space, which we will be able to leverage by selling our products through those outlets,” Suresh Reddy, chairman and managing director of Ybrant, told mediapersons here on Wednesday.

In 2006, Ybrant had acquired two companies - Serbia-based Seenietix's flagship email marketing platform VoloMP and US-based MediosOne for undisclosed amounts. In 2007, it acquired US-based online ad-network company AdDynamix for $10 million (about Rs 50 crore) and Israeli company Oridian for $13 million (Rs 65 crore).

The advertising market in Argentina is about $2.5 billion, of which online spend accounts for $70 million, while Chile is a $900-million advertising market with the online spend being $17 million, Reddy said.

“Advertising as a whole is decreasing and we saw a slowdown this January. Realising this ourselves, we have started moving from brand advertising to performance marketing,” he said.

Ybrant Digital , a zero-debt company, posted a $55-million (Rs 275 crore) topline for the financial year ended March 2008.