The news: The pending Omnicom Group and Interpublic Group merger is facing a new hurdle, per a New York Times report. The Federal Trade Commission is reportedly considering adding restrictions on Omnicom and IPG that would stop the merger unless the new company agrees to a ban on ad boycotts that would prevent it from refusing to host clients’ advertisements on platforms because of political reasons. Our take: If the FTC proceeds, the decision will have a ripple effect on the advertising industry as a whole, emphasizing that advertisers are increasingly faced with choosing between brand safety and legal pushback.

Target’s foot traffic has declined for 10 straight weeks: The drop followed its decision to step back from DEI efforts, a topic the CEO discussed with activist Al Sharpton.

Backlash builds against US brands as more tariffs loom: Global consumers are shunning US products, posing a threat to retailers, CPG companies, and the travel sector.

40-day boycott makes Target a target: The company is already dealing with fallout from February’s economic blackout, and another boycott could spell trouble.

US President Donald Trump’s shifting trade policies will have ramifications for US brands that do business with Latin America. This FAQ addresses the most pressing questions for companies as they navigate new tariffs, supply chain disruptions, and the potential rise of new competitors.

Consumers take part in one-day economic blackout: Today’s boycott may cause brands to reconsider their DEI stances.

CEOs’ politics impact their brands: Hastings’ endorsement triggers Netflix boycott, drawing parallels with Musk's controversies impacting Tesla and X.

On July 1, 2020, many advertisers pulled their spending from Facebook and Instagram, and in some cases Twitter, to show solidarity with the racial justice movement and for other reasons. While it got a lot of media attention, the ad boycott did not negatively affect the social properties’ ad revenues.

Social network ad spending has substantially rebounded since the early days of the pandemic. In 2021, the biggest issues social media marketers will face are in the areas of brand safety, ethics, and privacy.

This report explores the latest developments in the social media landscape, including the Facebook ad boycott and new monetization opportunities from the platforms, as well as our latest forecast for social network ad revenues.