Latest news with #Interpublic
Bloomberg
a day ago
- Business
- Bloomberg
FTC Weighs Political Neutrality Pledge for Ad Agency Mega-Merger
Omnicom Group Inc. and Interpublic Group have discussed with US antitrust officials not withholding online advertising for political reasons as a possible condition for winning approval to form the world's biggest advertising agency, according to people familiar with the matter. The unusual merger stipulation was floated in recent discussions between company representatives and officials with the US Federal Trade Commission, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the discussions are private. In December, Omnicom announced its intent to buy Interpublic.
New York Post
a day ago
- Business
- New York Post
FTC could bar Omnicom, Interpublic from boycotting sites over political views as merger condition: report
The Federal Trade Commission could reportedly bar advertising giants Omnicom and Interpublic from suppressing ads to websites over their political views as a condition for approving their pending merger. The FTC, led by President Trump-nominated chairman Andrew Ferguson, is considering imposing the consent decree as it engages in a broader effort to investigate and stop collusive ad boycotts that unfairly target conservative media. New York City-based Omnicom was among the companies called out by House Judiciary Committee chair Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) over its involvement with the Global Alliance for Responsible Media, a left-leaning advertising cartel that allegedly sought to defund news outlets and platforms, including The Post. Advertisement 3 The FTC is currently reviewing a $13.25 billion all-stock deal between the two ad giants. Bloomberg via Getty Images Jordan launched an investigation into Omnicom after the merger was first announced last December. The FTC is currently reviewing a $13.25 billion all-stock deal between the two ad giants. Advertisement If approved, the combined entitles would form the largest ad agency in the world, with around $25 billion in annual revenue. The terms of the merger deal are still under review and have yet to be finalized, Reuters reported on Thursday, citing a source familiar with the matter. Representatives for the FTC, Omnicom and Interpublic did not immediately return The Post's request for comment. 3 The Omnicom and Interpublic merger deal was first announced in December. REUTERS Advertisement The FTC's move points 'to a much more highly politicized environment for agencies than we have ever seen before, at least in the United States,' analyst Brian Wieser wrote in a midyear industry update on Tuesday that was cited by the New York Times, which first reported on the proposed consent decree. Fergson has said that any boycotts organized by advertisers can be illegal because they involve coordinated refusals to do business, which may restrict competition. Earlier this week, the FTC requested documents from top ad agencies, including Omnicon, Interpublic, WPP, Dentsu, Havas and Publicis, as part of a broad review into whether the firms had violated antitrust law by participating in boycotts against certain news outlets. The FTC is also targeting so-called watchdogs like Media Matters and Ad Fontes Media in the investigation and in May requested documents about their dealings with a dozen firms, the Wall Street Journal reported. Advertisement 3 Chairman of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), Andrew Ferguson, testifies during a House Committee on Appropriations – Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government on a oversight hearing of the US Federal Trade Commission on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, on May 15, 2025. AFP via Getty Images The probe is focused in part on how the firms dealt with Elon Musk's X, which suffered a mass exodus of advertisers after the mogul bought the social media company formerly known as Twitter in 2022 and loosened its content moderation practices. The agency's letter to Media Matters requested 'all documents that Media Matters either produced or received in discovery in any litigation between Media Matters and X Corp. related to advertiser boycotts since 2023.' Last year, Musk filed a sweeping antitrust lawsuit against the World Federation of Advertisers and its now-defunct GARM initiative, which shut its doors after the suit was filed. X CEO Linda Yaccarino told The Post at the time that the entire online advertising ecosystem was 'broken' as a result of the alleged boycotts. 'We were victimized by a small group of people pushing their authority or ability to monopolize what gets monetized,' Yaccarino said. With Post wires
Reuters
2 days ago
- Business
- Reuters
FTC may restrict Omnicom, Interpublic over ad restrictions after their merger, NYT reports
June 12 (Reuters) - The Federal Trade Commission, reviewing ad giants Omnicom and Interpublic's proposed merger, may impose a condition that will stop the combined company from boycotting platforms because of political content, the New York Times reported on Thursday. Omnicom (OMC.N), opens new tab struck a $13.25 billion all-stock deal in December last year to buy rival Interpublic Group (IPG.N), opens new tab, thus creating the world's largest advertising agency. The restrictions the FTC is discussing are part of the Trump administration's effort to address perceived political bias in corporate America against conservative voices and causes, the report said, citing two people briefed on the matter. The U.S. regulator and the ad companies did not immediately respond to Reuters requests for comment. The terms of the merger review between the FTC and the two ad companies were not finalized, the report added.
New York Times
2 days ago
- Business
- New York Times
F.T.C. May Hit a Mega Ad Merger With an Unusual Rule: No Boycotting
As the Trump administration considers approving a proposed merger between two of the world's largest advertising agencies, Omnicom Group and Interpublic Group, regulators may impose unusual conditions. A proposed consent decree would prevent the merged company from boycotting platforms because of their political content by refusing to place their clients' advertisements on them, according to two people briefed on the matter. The restrictions being discussed by the Federal Trade Commission as part of its merger review are part of an effort by the Trump administration to use federal agencies to root out what it considers political bias in corporate America against conservative voices and causes. The two people, who requested anonymity because the talks are confidential, said that the terms of the merger review between the F.T.C. and the two advertising companies were not finalized and could change. A spokesman for the F.T.C. declined to comment. Spokeswomen for Omnicom and Interpublic did not have an immediate comment. Omnicom and Interpublic announced their plans to combine in December, setting them up to create an advertising goliath that would generate around $25 billion in annual revenue. Analysts quickly questioned whether antitrust enforcers would approve the deal because it brings together two of the largest advertising agencies. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Zawya
19-03-2025
- Business
- Zawya
India's antitrust raids on global media giants GroupM, Publicis, Dentsu ran through the night
NEW DELHI - India's antitrust officers grilled media executives and seized data in an investigation into price fixing by global advertising agencies GroupM, Interpublic, Publicis and Dentsu, with raids continuing well past midnight into a second day on Wednesday, people familiar with the matter said. The Competition Commission of India (CCI) raids began early morning on Tuesday at around 10 locations in the strictest enforcement action ever against media agencies and a group of the nation's top broadcasters, just before the start of the popular IPL cricket tournament, the biggest sporting event for advertisers in India. Top officials at the Indian office of GroupM were not allowed to go home overnight and the raid was still continuing on Wednesday, with evidence from mobile phones being cloned, two people with direct knowledge said. Raids at Indian offices of U.S.-based Interpublic's IPG Mediabrands unit, Japan's Dentsu and top broadcasters industry group IBDF ended early morning on Wednesday, nearly 24 hours after they started, people familiar with the matter said. At the New Delhi IBDF office raid, CCI inspectors reviewed emails related to advertising dealings of the group, which represents billionaire Mukesh Ambani's Reliance-Disney joint venture and Sony, said the first source. France's Publicis Groupe office was also raided on Tuesday and the operation continued well past midnight, though it wasn't clear if it has ended, said another source familiar with the operation. GroupM, owned by Britain's WPP, did not respond to Reuters queries. WPP in 2023 said it had a 45% media market share in India, with 45 of the top 50 advertisers as clients. Interpublic's IPG Mediabrands unit, Publicis, Dentsu and the IBDF did not respond to Reuters queries. The CCI also did not respond. The raids come amid major shifts in India's ad landscape following a $8.5 billion merger between Walt Disney and Reliance's India media assets, which is estimated to have a 40% share of the ad market in TV and streaming segments. The media agencies compete in India, the world's eighth-biggest ad market, where revenues of $18.5 billion last year are set to grow 9.4% in 2025, GroupM estimates. In a case started last year, the CCI is investigating allegations that broadcasters and media agencies were colluding on prices and discounts of ad rates. The raids were carried out in New Delhi, Mumbai and Gurugram, Reuters has reported. The watchdog does not provide details of price collusion cases, or make its investigations public, and the case is likely to drag on for months before a conclusion is reached. If found guilty, the media agencies may be liable to pay a penalty amounting to up to three times their profit for each year during which the collusion took place, or 10% of their turnover for each year of wrongdoing, whichever is higher.
