Azoogle Nukes Around 20 Employees - WickedFire - Affiliate Marketing Forum

Jon · 01-07-2008, 04:33 PM

Rumors were flying earlier, just got the official confirmation and statement from Azoogle over the news. It is confirmed as LEGITIMATE. The number of people fired/downsized though was confirmed as a "very close estimate".

The following is an official memo/statement issued by Azoogle about 10 minutes ago, from when this thread was created... Remember, you heard/saw this first, on WickedFire.com!

Quote:

On January 7, 2008, AzoogleAds confirmed that it has reduced its workforce, thereby streamlining its operations and enabling continued operations at maximum efficiency.

It is part of a strategic initiative to properly size the organization to 1) ensure its continued impressive income growth trend over the last 7 years and 2) to properly allocate and prioritize resources that are internally-focused and outsourced. The workforce reductions were mainly done in the Toronto office, and the company still maintains a strong presence there.

AzoogleAds continues to take pride in retaining some of the best and brightest talent, who support the company’s leadership position in the online marketing industry. External partnerships, business development, publisher relations, and ongoing business conducted with all other 3rd parties are unaffected.

AzoogleAds continues to be headquartered in New York City, with offices in San Francisco in addition to Toronto.

Doh!

masterJJJ · 01-07-2008, 10:21 PM

this is an unfortunate turn of events. Azoogle missed their year end targets substantially, and also has a new CEO that is cleaning house. This growth trend of which they speak has been ground to a halt. Hopefully Don Mathis will make some key decisions to improve the bottom line.

jared · 01-07-2008, 11:42 PM

Damn, my AM better be at work tomorrow or I'm gonna be pissed.

I'm not going to wait another 2 fucking months to get a new one again.

tezuka · 01-08-2008, 09:25 AM

As of yesterday; Azoogle just axed a bunch of dev/qa guys from the Toronto office ... is this the end of development where they are on maintenance mode?

Jon · 01-08-2008, 12:59 PM

The total count is 27. All tech related. Only the Toronto office.

But hey, this sets Azoogle at a new industry high record of 27, breaking their own previous record of 16. WF actually almost tied them when we fired 15 people (entire dev staff) in one day, but I think that 27 people being fired in one day is going to be a tough one to beat.

CPAPIMP · 01-08-2008, 01:57 PM

could be the beginning of the end, or was there already a beginning?

jared · 01-08-2008, 02:00 PM

Maybe this means they can hire on some more efficient and better skilled developers.

Their whole site is slow as fuck. I mean painfully slow. Their entire system and layout blows. Out of all the aff networks I'm on I hate logging in to their website the most by a long shot.

Hire a good information architect, get a new look and feel which promotes efficiency, optimize your damn code, and get back into the game.

Azoogle is still one of my fav networks but shit definitely needs to be done around there. Hopefully this new CEO and set things straight.

Jon · 01-08-2008, 02:06 PM

Well, being that this thread isn't being read all that much anymore, I can tell you that there are some pretty hardcore rumors within the company about one of the bigger executives getting "let go" pretty soon. Of course there is never any ETA on it, but we're constantly monitoring insider sources within Azoogle and their VC partner about news leaking out of the company.. but real news, not fake shit.

I hate to say it.. but I think the company will fold or sell sometime soon unfortunately. I am however totally cheering for them not to as I have a lot of good friends at Azoogle that I don't want to see them leave the industry. If Azoogle does in fact go down the tubes, it may actually have more of a negative impact on other ad networks and the industry as a whole than most people think. Because it would leave advertisers and potential investors wondering if the industry is stable enough, and if it is, why did the top reigning ad network of so many years crumble so quickly?

But for the time being, that's all speculation and rumors, because Azoogle is still fully operational, but granted, I don't see them ever going IPO unfortunately, because last year, clearly would have been the year to do it, and it didn't happen, so I highly doubt it ever will now.. but hey, I'm not a Wall Street expert by any means, so what the hell do I know.

CPAPIMP · 01-08-2008, 02:06 PM

with numbers down, rev down, and now people being canned, I don't know.

CPAPIMP · 01-08-2008, 02:08 PM

survival of the fittest, it's the way of the world in any industry.

casidnet · 01-08-2008, 02:09 PM

It was certainly an interesting day. Though I do have the rest of the week off so it's not all bad.

Jon · 01-08-2008, 03:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by casidnet

It was certainly an interesting day. Though I do have the rest of the week off so it's not all bad.

Were you one of the Magic 27's?

Just a week, seems like more...

katoved · 01-09-2008, 04:00 AM

27 is nothing, I fired far more then 27 people 30 minutes ago, they all went into my trash can

tezuka · 01-09-2008, 11:48 AM

Those press releases are always a snow job and usually a cover up for bigger problems. Keeping the best talents, means we have a skeleton crew to patch anything that breaks. As previously mention, they gotta be trying to dump the company off to someone.

It's 27 for 2008; doesn't include all the other ones that were dropped in 2007, gotta be at least 100 in total by now. When they got rid of their CEO; that's never a good sign, sure looks real unstable now from within.

Wonder if they're still gonna be around at the end of the year?

BrooklynBlue · 01-09-2008, 07:17 PM

Any speculation on what's going on? I know about the lawsuits, but with the BL layoffs as well, I wonder if this is indicative of industry-wide stresses. A shake-out or wave of consolidation on the horizon? Or are the networks having a hard time diversifying into other products and services outside of their traditional stomping grounds?

CPAPIMP · 01-15-2008, 10:27 AM

Azoogle in my feeling got too big too quick. WTF you need 100's of employees for? And multiple offices? I always thought staying small in this industry was the way to go, stay off the radar for the most part and make your nut.

Greed is good, but not if you don't know how to handle it I guess.

cosminautRU · 01-15-2008, 12:20 PM

I'm beginning to see why people LOVE this place, might just spend my $50,000 some place else now...

CPAPIMP-"I always thought staying small in this industry was the way to go, stay off the radar for the most part and make your nut." ...and don't put ALL your eggs in one basket!

geofferson · 01-16-2008, 12:31 AM

I think its jokes that there's an organized meet-up group in Toronto for Ex-Azoogle's...must be like 200 people in that group by now!

01-07-2008, 10:21 PM	#2 (permalink)
masterJJJ Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 2 iTrader: (0)	azads this is an unfortunate turn of events. Azoogle missed their year end targets substantially, and also has a new CEO that is cleaning house. This growth trend of which they speak has been ground to a halt. Hopefully Don Mathis will make some key decisions to improve the bottom line.

01-08-2008, 09:25 AM	#4 (permalink)
tezuka Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 4 iTrader: (0)	As of yesterday; Azoogle just axed a bunch of dev/qa guys from the Toronto office ... is this the end of development where they are on maintenance mode? Last edited by tezuka : 01-08-2008 at 09:26 AM. Reason: spelling

01-08-2008, 12:59 PM	#5 (permalink)
Jon Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: New York City Posts: 7,327 iTrader: (0)	The total count is 27. All tech related. Only the Toronto office. But hey, this sets Azoogle at a new industry high record of 27, breaking their own previous record of 16. WF actually almost tied them when we fired 15 people (entire dev staff) in one day, but I think that 27 people being fired in one day is going to be a tough one to beat. __________________ There's someone in my head... but its not me.

01-08-2008, 01:57 PM	#6 (permalink)
CPAPIMP Traffic Searcher Join Date: May 2007 Location: Windy City Posts: 106 iTrader: (0)	could be the beginning of the end, or was there already a beginning? __________________ Pimping one Deal at a Time

01-08-2008, 02:06 PM	#8 (permalink)
Jon Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: New York City Posts: 7,327 iTrader: (0)	Well, being that this thread isn't being read all that much anymore, I can tell you that there are some pretty hardcore rumors within the company about one of the bigger executives getting "let go" pretty soon. Of course there is never any ETA on it, but we're constantly monitoring insider sources within Azoogle and their VC partner about news leaking out of the company.. but real news, not fake shit. I hate to say it.. but I think the company will fold or sell sometime soon unfortunately. I am however totally cheering for them not to as I have a lot of good friends at Azoogle that I don't want to see them leave the industry. If Azoogle does in fact go down the tubes, it may actually have more of a negative impact on other ad networks and the industry as a whole than most people think. Because it would leave advertisers and potential investors wondering if the industry is stable enough, and if it is, why did the top reigning ad network of so many years crumble so quickly? But for the time being, that's all speculation and rumors, because Azoogle is still fully operational, but granted, I don't see them ever going IPO unfortunately, because last year, clearly would have been the year to do it, and it didn't happen, so I highly doubt it ever will now.. but hey, I'm not a Wall Street expert by any means, so what the hell do I know. __________________ There's someone in my head... but its not me.

01-07-2008, 11:42 PM	#3 (permalink)
jared Senior Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Texas Posts: 104 iTrader: (0)	Damn, my AM better be at work tomorrow or I'm gonna be pissed. I'm not going to wait another 2 fucking months to get a new one again.

01-08-2008, 02:00 PM	#7 (permalink)
jared Senior Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Texas Posts: 104 iTrader: (0)	Maybe this means they can hire on some more efficient and better skilled developers. Their whole site is slow as fuck. I mean painfully slow. Their entire system and layout blows. Out of all the aff networks I'm on I hate logging in to their website the most by a long shot. Hire a good information architect, get a new look and feel which promotes efficiency, optimize your damn code, and get back into the game. Azoogle is still one of my fav networks but shit definitely needs to be done around there. Hopefully this new CEO and set things straight.

01-08-2008, 02:06 PM	#9 (permalink)
CPAPIMP Traffic Searcher Join Date: May 2007 Location: Windy City Posts: 106 iTrader: (0)	with numbers down, rev down, and now people being canned, I don't know. __________________ Pimping one Deal at a Time

01-08-2008, 02:08 PM	#10 (permalink)
CPAPIMP Traffic Searcher Join Date: May 2007 Location: Windy City Posts: 106 iTrader: (0)	survival of the fittest, it's the way of the world in any industry. __________________ Pimping one Deal at a Time

01-08-2008, 02:09 PM	#11 (permalink)
casidnet Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 167 iTrader: (1)	It was certainly an interesting day. Though I do have the rest of the week off so it's not all bad.

01-09-2008, 04:00 AM	#13 (permalink)
katoved BannerBlindness.com Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Chicago Posts: 1,234 iTrader: (2)	27 is nothing, I fired far more then 27 people 30 minutes ago, they all went into my trash can __________________ Banner Blindness - online marketing, creative writing, global control politics, prank calls. My corporate blog and forum.

01-09-2008, 11:48 AM	#14 (permalink)
tezuka Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 4 iTrader: (0)	Those press releases are always a snow job and usually a cover up for bigger problems. Keeping the best talents, means we have a skeleton crew to patch anything that breaks. As previously mention, they gotta be trying to dump the company off to someone. It's 27 for 2008; doesn't include all the other ones that were dropped in 2007, gotta be at least 100 in total by now. When they got rid of their CEO; that's never a good sign, sure looks real unstable now from within. Wonder if they're still gonna be around at the end of the year?

01-09-2008, 07:17 PM	#15 (permalink)
BrooklynBlue Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 223 iTrader: (3)	Any speculation on what's going on? I know about the lawsuits, but with the BL layoffs as well, I wonder if this is indicative of industry-wide stresses. A shake-out or wave of consolidation on the horizon? Or are the networks having a hard time diversifying into other products and services outside of their traditional stomping grounds?

01-15-2008, 10:27 AM	#16 (permalink)
CPAPIMP Traffic Searcher Join Date: May 2007 Location: Windy City Posts: 106 iTrader: (0)	Azoogle in my feeling got too big too quick. WTF you need 100's of employees for? And multiple offices? I always thought staying small in this industry was the way to go, stay off the radar for the most part and make your nut. Greed is good, but not if you don't know how to handle it I guess. __________________ Pimping one Deal at a Time

01-15-2008, 12:20 PM	#17 (permalink)
cosminautRU Junior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 4 iTrader: (0)	I'm beginning to see why people LOVE this place, might just spend my $50,000 some place else now... CPAPIMP-"I always thought staying small in this industry was the way to go, stay off the radar for the most part and make your nut." ...and don't put ALL your eggs in one basket!

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01-16-2008, 12:31 AM	#18 (permalink)
geofferson Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Toronto Posts: 105 iTrader: (0)	I think its jokes that there's an organized meet-up group in Toronto for Ex-Azoogle's...must be like 200 people in that group by now! __________________ geofferson marcy Senior Affiliate Manager Advaliant - we pay you to 4 decimal places! AIM/Skype: geoffmarcy

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