Google Inc. has announced a definitive agreement to acquire DoubleClick Inc., a global leader in the digital marketing industry, for $3.1 billion in cash from San Francisco-based private equity firm Hellman & Friedman along with JMI Equity and management. This is almost double what they acquired YouTube for back in October 2006, and will certainly provide major reinforcement for Google’s own marketing system. This acquisition allows Google access to DoubleClick’s customer database, network, and advertising software - increasing Google’s strength and presence among the digital marketing industry to new heights.

It was rumored that Microsoft was actually in the battle to acquire DoubleClicks as well, but as you now know, they lost to Google’s smooth “pay-anything-and-take-all” negotiating skills (if you ask me, seems like they’re playing with monopoly money).