Google Adtech Antitrust Lawsuit: Read the Leaked DoubleClick Whitepaper

Paparo confirmed the authenticity of the document with two people with direct knowledge of the matter. (Paparo was employed by DoubleClick when the document was produced, but did not have access to it at the time.) Business Insider separately confirmed the authenticity of the document with a person with direct knowledge. This person has been granted anonymity due to active and high-level litigation. Business Insider could not confirm for certain whether this was a final version. Five slides from a later version of the packet are also included in trial evidence, filed by the plaintiffs in the case.

DoubleClick was pitching itself to potential suitors Yahoo, Microsoft, AOL and Google — hence the references to “YMAG” in the package — all of which submitted bids for the company, according to a person with direct knowledge. Google won, paying $3.1 billion in a 2007 deal that officially closed in March 2008.

The US Department of Justice and 17 states allege in their complaint that Google achieved dominance in the $300 billion adtech industry and reduced competition by making key purchases and manipulating ad prices. The DOJ and states are seeking a breakup of Google’s adtech business, which could have big ramifications for the broader digital ad market.

The case concerns the under-the-hood part of Google’s advertising business: the technology that connects advertisers with publishers and runs advertising auctions that take place in the milliseconds it takes for a web page to load.

Google did not provide a comment for this story. “We look forward to clarifying things,” a company spokesman told Reuters in June when a judge ruled the case would go to trial.

Excerpts from the 49-slide presentation deck below outline how DoubleClick has positioned itself as a key asset in helping a potential Big Tech buyer become an advertising giant.

BI looked at how the 2007 document could become a central part of next week’s blockbuster trial, which is due to start on September 9.