Hiding in plain site 2 days ago (Saturday afternoon's NYT digital version), we noticed a blurb/ brief mention of what was obviously the biggest merger in the history of the ad industry. Somewhat surprised that this blogger was the first to 'tweet' it, and even more surprised that the story didn't make the Saturday evening news or the following Sunday morning newspapers, we figured that Perry White must have been on holiday in the Hamptons.
Seems we were right on both counts. Omnicom and Publicis Groupe's plan to marry is the MadMen Industry's biggest event since...well certainly since Darrin Stevens took over McMann & Tate and Samantha blinked Tabatha to walk on the moon for a Kodak commercial..
After senior editors and reporters returned from their summer weekend, the 2 day old story appeared on this a.m.'s NYT front page, but only because WSJ cub reporter Jimmy Olsen apparently sent his girlfriend and NYT columnist Lois Lane a txt msg that read: "Ad Industry Merger: "Market Moving to NASDAQ Model" Says Designated Madmen Mogul.".
And the rest, they say, "is history" [in the making]. Jimmy Olsen will undoubtedly be charged by a joint task force led by Eric Holder and Preet Bharara for disclosing insider information. Lois Lane can be expected to be arraigned later today for conspiracy to disclose confidential information that Nasdaq has already negotiated to acquire the merged entity after the merger passed muster with the FTC...
The SEC of course has already put out a statement : "We've heard nothing, we've seen nothing and we know nothing ...about any disclosure of non public information involving any of these very public companies...." An SEC spokesman added (without being authorized to speak or think), "If Nasdaq has actually played a role in bringing these two ad agencies together in anticipation of acquiring that new entity so they could dominate the buying and selling of ad placements via an electronic market...well..that sounds good to me!"
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