DoubleClick was one of the companies present from almost the beginning of the commercial Internet. The growth of this infomediary acts as a primer for understanding the development of online advertising and marketing, while also tracing the company’s subsequent move to become a technology provider.

This case recounts the strategy of Terra Lycos, an integrated global media company formed by the October 2000 merger of Spain’s Terra Networks and US-based Lycos, to achieve profitability and a leading market position. At the time the case was written (November 2001), Terra Lycos trailed its three heavyweight contenders, AOL-Time Warner, Yahoo! and Microsoft/MSN.