ACCC launches public review of Omnicom-IPG merger in Australia

Competition watchdog the ACCC has opened a review into Omnicom’s proposed acquisition of IPG in Australia and is calling for submissions from interested parties.

The global mega-merger will see Omnicom and IPG’s agencies come together later this year to form the world’s biggest holdco, with around US$20 billion in net revenue. That will only happen in its entirety if the deal is approved in many separate jurisdictions, including the US, UK, New Zealand and Australia.

The ACCC (Australian Competition and Consumer Commission) has given the industry and other stakeholders two weeks to make submissions, with the deadline 5pm on 27 May. The commission’s provisional findings will be delivered two months later, on 27 July.

The ACCC’s notice of the submission described the following as IPG and Omnicom’s “key brands” in Australia:

• Omnicom: DDB, TBWA, OMD Worldwide, PHD Media, Clemenger Group and Hearts & Science.
• IPG: IPG Mediabrands, Ansible, Matterkind, Universal McCann (UM), Kinesso, Reprise, Initiative, Mediahub, Acxiom, Identity Communications, IPG Rufus, Group Yellow, 303 MullenLowe and Octagon.

The Commission describes both parties as “large US-based advertising, marketing and communications holding companies”. In Australia they “overlap in media buying and marketing and communication services.”

The deal could be blocked if it substantially reduces competition in this market.

The ACCC earlier this year told Mumbrella that IPG and Omnicom had initiated a review of the proposed acquisition. Unlike the review process in other jurisdictions, the arguments from Omnicom and IPG in favour of the acquisition have not been made public in Australia. However, they are likely to echo the sentiments in the international submissions, where the holdcos have argued there will be “vigorous and effective remaining competition” post merger.

All other submissions to the ACCC’s review will also remain confidential.

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Hal Crawford

Hal Crawford is the editorial director on Mumbrella Media. He joined the team in February 2025 after senior editorial roles including editor-in-chief and publisher at ninemsn and chief news officer of MediaWorks

topics 303 Mullenlowe ACCC Acxiom Ansible Clemenger Group DDB Group Yellow Identity Communications Initiative IPG Mediabrands IPG Rufus Kinesso Matterkind Mediahub OMD Worldwide PHD Media Reprise TBWA Universal McCann (UM)

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