The news: The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has issued a second request for information on Omnicom’s $13 billion acquisition of Interpublic Group (IPG), signaling a more in-depth antitrust review, according to Ad Age.
- The FTC is examining the merger’s impact on competition in media buying. Key concerns include whether a larger Omnicom-IPG entity could restrict agency pitch choices, increase pricing power, or reduce media diversity. (Omnicom-IPG had been preemptively countering these claims with modest post-merger revenue projections.)
- Omnicom and IPG expected the deal to close in the second half of 2025, stating that second requests are a standard part of regulatory review. However, historical precedent suggests heightened scrutiny, as 75% of deals subject to second requests are either abandoned or modified, per Ad Age.