Microsoft exec's pitch to Madison Avenue"Not all the advertisers we've talked to are happy about this," AdAge reporter Abbey Klaassen told Microsoft VP Yusuf Mehdi in an interview published today. Klaassen said these advertisers don't like the idea of one fewer option on the market. Here's how Mehdi tried to sell a Microsoft-Yahoo merger to the moneybags on Madison Avenue.

What the market needs is a credible alternative on the search and advertising platform. Without that, there's less innovation, less competition and less value being generated. It's very clear our combination with Yahoo, especially on paid search and advertising, will drive value for folks. The other benefits and opportunities include improving ROI and decreasing the cost and complexity of running campaigns. The market continues to innovate, and there are a lot of players and media out there to reach. That will continue. It's good news for advertisers.
(Photo by thenoodleator)