AdvertisingAge

The biggest players in advertising and tech are mapping out a strategy to kill off the digital ads that have been deemed as the absolute worst by consumers. The most likely approach is the adoption of a "technology" -- the term "ad blocker" has baggage among many of the participants in talks on the subject -- that would prevent browsers such as Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge from displaying autoplaying video ads with sound, pop-up ads and ads that quickly flash or change colors.

The discussions are taking place among members of the industry's Coalition for Better Ads, including Google, Microsoft, Procter & Gamble, Unilever, WPP's ad-buying giant GroupM, Facebook, Thomson Reuters, The Washington Post, the Interactive Advertising Bureau and the Association of National Advertisers, according to Stu Ingis, counsel to the coalition and attorney at Venable LLP. "The end game here is to remove these types of ads which are undercutting the consumer internet experience," Ingis said. "Truthfully, those ads can potentially and seriously undercut the broader internet ecosystem." A "blocking mechanism" or "technology" to prevent such ads from appearing will be put into place before the end of 2017, Ingis predicted.

The Department of Justice investigation into production practices in the advertising industry is widening, as Omnicom Group said two of its subsidiaries had been subpoenaed and Publicis Groupe said one of its subsidiaries received one. "On Dec. 14, 2016, two subsidiaries within Omnicom Group received subpoenas from the US Department of Justice Antitrust Division concerning its ongoing investigation of video production and post-production practices in the advertising industry," Omnicom said. "Omnicom's outside legal counsel has contacted representatives of the Antitrust Division and the company is fully cooperating with the investigation."

The company declined further comment and would not name the units being investigated.