When the Federal Trade Commission approved a mega-merger between two ad agencies earlier this week, the regulator imposed a restriction on ideological and political collusion that could have far-reaching implications.
On June 23, the commission approved Omnicom Group Inc.’s $13.5 billion acquisition of The Interpublic Group of Companies Inc. However, in a consent order, the agency charged with protecting America’s consumers barred what it identifies as a coordinated boycott and discrimination in ad placement based on political viewpoints.
Specifically, a consent order told Omnicom companies that they cannot “rely on ‘exclusion lists’ or other means of differentiating between Media Publishers … on the basis of political or ideological viewpoints to determine or direct Advertisers’ advertising placements”…
FTC Restricts Political Boycotts by Ad Agencies
