Microsoft says aQuantive is big bet on advertising

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Microsoft said on Friday its proposed $6 billion (3 billion pound) deal to acquire online advertising company aQuantive AQNT.O was one of the software maker's "big bets" to expand into the fast-growing online ad market.

"This deal takes our advertising business to a new level, and we are committed to earn a bigger slice of that $40 billion pie that's growing," said Kevin Johnson, president of Microsoft's platforms and services division.

"It is a big bet on advertising monetisation for the long term," Johnson told investors on a conference call.

Microsoft expects the deal, its largest ever, to close in its upcoming 2008 fiscal year, following antitrust and other regulatory approvals, officials said in a conference call following news of the deal.

Microsoft is making no change to its financial outlook, the officials said.

(Reporting by Eric Auchard and Michele Gershberg in New York and Daisuke Wakabayashi in Seattle)