Microsoft’s German arm has announced a deal with nugg.ad that will see the IT giant use improved ad targeting technology on its suite of digital services, including Xbox 360, Skype and email service Outlook.com.

The deal further suggest a rapid increase in the German programmatic market – a trend predicted by ExchangeWire sources earlier this year – and also comes as Microsoft Advertising attempts to keep pace with rival platforms, such as Facebook and Google.

Both companies maintain the newly-launched service will let advertisers target up to 10 million users each month across multiple platforms (on the three platforms, plus the websites of “select partners”) while maintaining its users personal privacy.

Frank, Microsoft Advertising, director advertising & online, Germany, says: “Thanks to the corporation with Nugg.ad, we can now address target groups in real time, whereby Nugg.ad’s predictions also significantly reduce our advertising wastage.”

Although the partnership between the pairing involves using behavioural targeting, Microsoft has identified the responsible use of its users’ personal data as a point of differentiation in the market – see its ‘Scroogled’ campaign in the US.

Microsoft has identified Germany-based Nugg.ad as the ideal partner to help champion this message.

A release announcing the partnership reads: “At no time does Skype, Xbox 360 or Outlook.com make use of subscriber’s data or view user emails. For this exemplary behaviour in Online Brand Advertising, the EDAA Trust Seal was recently awarded to Nugg.ad."