Picture credit: iStockPhoto

Updated “All Sage lines terminate here.” This is the opening statement of an advert placed in yesterday’s Financial Times and Metro by NetSuite.

Parodying a railway network, the ad asks: “Has your business come to the end of the line with Sage?” adding it had poached 500 customers from its rival.

CEO Zach Nelson has approved the campaign, seeing it as an ideal time to further European expansion for NetSuite. Nelson is planning to move to the UK for a period next year to help with this, as well as oversee the recent acquisition of the UK-based commerce provider Venda back in July.

When the two companies spoke to CloudTech as the deal was being completed, they agreed they both “shared the same DNA”, with Pete Daffern, EMEA president at NetSuite, arguing: “It’s just us doubling down on our European investment.”

Sage’s SMB segment managing director Steve Attwell said in response to the advert: “In Sage’s world, businesses don’t run in a straight line and end. They adapt, evolve and grow.”

He added: “If Sage ran the underground, it wouldn’t be under the ground, it would not have an end of line and there would be no gaps to mind. You would get to your destination quicker, there would be no delays and you would get there with confidence.”

NetSuite is planning to announce a variety of new customers and launches at its SuiteConnect conference in London on November 10. Nelson will be delivering a keynote speech: “The Next Disruption: Collision of Product and Services Business”.

Despite its ambition, there’s still lots of work for NetSuite to do if it wants to topple Sage. The Newcastle-based firm recorded revenues of £657m for the first half of this year, compared to NetSuite’s £160m.

This feud looks like it will run and run. Take a look at the advert below – what do you think?