Omnicom’s acquisition of Interpublic for $13.5 billion has received conditional approval from the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC), contingent on the new entity refraining from entering agreements that manipulate ad spending based on political content. The FTC clarified that while individual advertisers can still choose where their ads appear, the agreement prohibits any collusion to direct ad dollars for or against publishers. This settlement also addresses potential issues arising from the FTC’s investigation into alleged coordination between marketing companies and media watchdogs in orchestrating advertiser boycotts on platforms like X, as highlighted by Elon Musk.

FTC Chairman Andrew Ferguson emphasized that the settlement upholds the free speech rights of advertisers and marketing firms. The deal, which positions Omnicom as the largest media buying ad agency in the US, marks a significant milestone in the advertising industry. Notably, Ferguson’s stance on behavioral remedies over asset divestitures underscores the unique circumstances of this case, given concerns about collusion in media-buying services.

As part of the agreement, the company must provide relevant documents and submit compliance reports annually for five years. The final approval rests with the FTC, where three Republican commissioners lead the decision-making process. While two commissioners supported the proposed settlement, one was recused, signaling the ongoing regulatory scrutiny and the importance of public feedback before finalizing the deal.