WPP, Publicis and Dentsu Settle Alleged Political Ad Boycotts

Advertising agencies WPP Plc, Publicis Groupe SA and Dentsu Group Inc. agreed to not coordinate on ad buying, settling a US Federal Trade Commission complaint, the agency said.

The FTC and eight states alleged the companies illegally colluded under the guise of targeting misinformation. The complaint alleged that instead of promulgating neutral rules, industry groups instead targeted specific views and conservative websites.

“The ad agencies’ brand-safety conspiracy turned competition in the market for ad-buying services on its head,” FTC Chairman Andrew Ferguson said in a statement. “This unlawful collusion not only damaged our marketplace, but also distorted the marketplace ...