Adobe to Ban Political Ads on Its Online Ad-Sales Platform--Update

By Emily Glazer and Patience Haggin 

Software giant Adobe Inc. plans to ban political ads from its digital advertising sales platform, the latest company to make such a move just months away from the U.S. presidential election.

Adobe, a large player in facilitating online ad buying, said it would prohibit clients from purchasing political advertisements, such as those featuring a candidate or political issue, on its Advertising Cloud product effective Aug. 30.

The ban will cut off a spending outlet for political buyers just before the homestretch ad blitz that begins around Labor Day in an election year.

A spokesman for Adobe confirmed the company's plans after a Wall Street Journal report. The spokesman said Adobe is focused on large brand and agency customers, as well as customers that use its other products.

"Adobe decided that the Political Category no longer aligns to our Ad Cloud business goals," the spokesman added.

Adobe has been alerting political advertisers of the change this week, said people familiar with the matter.

Digital platforms have been writing their own rules for political ads in the absence of federal guidelines.

Social-media site Twitter Inc. and streaming-music site Spotify Inc., two other large players in political advertising, banned political ads last year.

Digital-ad giants Facebook Inc. and Alphabet Inc.-owned Google placed restrictions on political ads last year, but didn't ban them.

Write to Emily Glazer at [e-mail] and Patience Haggin at [e-mail]

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

July 31, 2020 18:47 ET (22:47 GMT)

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