DoubleClick Acquires Quebec's Soussy Network

DoubleClick Canada, a subsidiary of New York City-based DoubleClick Inc., said that it is acquiring the major assets of Soussy, a Quebec-based network of French Web sites.

Effective immediately, Netgraphe, publisher of six of the Web sites on the Soussy Network, will transition to the DoubleClick Canada Network. In addition, the firm stated that the DoubleClick Canada office in Montreal will be operated by the former Soussy sales team, along with other sales staff to be named later. Financial terms were not disclosed.

“Advertisers want a single-stop solution to reach the international audience,” said Kevin O’Connor, chairman and CEO of DoubleClick. “The acquisition of the Soussy network significantly strengthens DoubleClick’s position in Canada and extends our reach to French-speaking Web audiences worldwide.”

The Soussy Network is comprised of Quebec-based French sites, including La Toile du Quebec, the largest directory in Quebec, Economedia, a business news site, and Multimedium, a technology-focused site.

The DoubleClick Canada Network, which was launched in the fall of 1997, includes Canadian sites such as AltaVista Canada, Shift.com, TSNSCOUT, and Big Charts.

“With an estimated 1.5 million French speaking Internet users in Quebec, we are committed to providing a total Canadian Web advertising solution,” said Wendy Muller, general manager of DoubleClick Canada. “These new French sites enhance the size and selection of the DoubleClick Canada Network and allow our advertisers to broaden their reach to include an even greater Canadian audience.”

DoubleClick also maintains offices in Paris, Hamburg, London, Tokyo, Madrid, Milan, Oslo, Sydney, Stockholm, Toronto, Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, and Silicon Valley.