AIG buys search ads to promote its car and life insurance products, and both Lehman Bros. and Merrill Lynch have bought online display advertising in recent years. Still, it may be a stretch to think any potential loss of ad dollars from the three firms will affect the online ad industry in any major way. The collapse of Lehman, acquisition of Merrill, and government takeover of AIG, however, may have a trickle-down effect on ad spending by other financial services firms and investors.

All together, AIG American International Group, Merrill Lynch & Co, and Lehman Bros Holdings spent only around $10.9 million on online display advertising between January 2006 and June 2008, according to TNS Media Intelligence data. AIG spent far more than the rest: about $7.26 million in that time span. Meanwhile, Merrill bought around $3.6 million worth of display ads since the start of '06, and Lehman spent a measly $18,000 in that time, all of it in 2006.

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