Big Marketers Challenge Google-Yahoo Deal

The Association of National Advertisers, a trade group representing companies such as GM and P&G, has recommended that the Justice Department block the joint ad deal between Google and Yahoo. The group says the “deal is, on balance, a negative” and expresses concerns about the “concentration of power” the deal represents in the on line ad world.  Individual support for the deal has varied widely, with some agency watchers beginning to express concern that Google is positioning itself to cut agencies out of the buying process. Washington is gearing back up after the summer recess and Google will be the topic of conversation for a number of Federal committees. With a new Congress slated to be installed expect to see some stalling tactics so that the players can see how the new congress and White House might be configured.