Microsoft
The deal could be signed as early as Aug. 9, according to one of the people, who declined to be named because the discussions are private.
Microsoft acquired Razorfish, which designs digital adverting campaigns, as part of its $6 billion purchase of AQuantive Inc. in 2007. In buying Razorfish, Paris-based Publicis aims to expand its digital-ad business as demand slows for print and television campaigns.
Microsoft said in 2007 that it planned to keep the ad agency and run it as an independent unit, separate from the companys Internet business. Razorfish, whose clients include Coca-Cola Co. and Visa Inc., also directs customers to Microsoft rivals Google Inc. and Yahoo! Inc.
Last year, Publicis bought the Performics search-marketing business from Google, the most used Internet search engine, for an undisclosed amount. Publicis paid $1.3 billion in 2007 for online agency Digitas Inc.
Mark Murray, a spokesman for Redmond, Washington-based Microsoft, didnt return a call seeking comment.
In 2007, Razorfish had revenue of $400 million and employed about 2,200 people in offices in the U.S., China, France, Germany, Japan, Australia and the U.K. Microsoft hasnt broken out the companys revenue since then.