Pop Antitrust
A few years ago we presented you with a selection of the best antitrust-related videos (see here, here and here) and comics (see here and here).
All those were made by, and mainly for, experts. But since then antitrust has made inroads as an element of popular culture (now there’s even hipster antitrust!) . Think about it, today:
-Messages are conveyed via comics (see here; source: Pablo’s favorite site: geeksaresexy.net; you probably think I am kidding…)
-Competition Commissioners deliver TED-Talks (read Commissioner Vestager’s talk here);
-And antitrust is even the subject of US late night shows (watch John Oliver’s latest show here);
On second thought, however, antitrust has always had some role in popular culture. Don’t believe me? Well, check out this report “Antitrust in Pop Culture, A Guide for Antitrust Gurus” (by the Institute for Consumer Antitrust Studies) discussing how antitrust has featured in movies, theater, television, music, books, cartoons, and more. If you have additional suggestions to include in that list, please feel free to comment on this post; we can then send a compilation of suggestions to Spencer Webber Waller
Chillin'Competition 
Fun post. On a side note (or maybe not), can you guys recommend any ‘light’ antitrust books similar to “Virtual Competition”?
curious
26 September 2017 at 6:54 pm
Hi Alfonso, your link to the UnisA workshop is broken. Here’s the good one: https://unisabusinessschool.edu.au/connect/news-and-events/2017/15th-annual-competition-law-and-economics-workshop/
Nicolas Petit
27 September 2017 at 8:14 am
Nice post. One of my favourite references is from Puzo’s The Godfather:
“Like any good salesman he came to understand the benefits of undercutting his rivals in price, barring them from distribution outlets by persuading store owners to stock less of their brands. Like any good businessman he aimed at holding a monopoly by forcing his rivals to abandon the field or by merging with his own company.”
This is why Tom Hagen should have been fired.
Jason Logendra
27 September 2017 at 11:26 am
Pablo, you rock 😉
geekpub
27 September 2017 at 8:09 pm
This college humour video on concentration in the glasses industry is interesting:https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=h7H-_8UkmFU
Oli
28 September 2017 at 8:47 am
Talking about antimonopoly laws (although not antitrust) & pop culture: media report today that Burger King Russia asked the Russian Antimonopoly Committee to ban the movie “IT” movie because the clown looks like Ronald McDonald, its main competitor’s icon. They allege unfair competition.
Luca
28 September 2017 at 10:40 am
There is an episode of The West Wing in which Toby Ziegler threatens antitrust prosecution against the TV Networks for “collectively boycotting” the national conventions of the major political parties. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0745688/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
In addition, there is a pretty decent Danish thriller about a cartel, called “The Cartel”. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3479624/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
Eivind
2 October 2017 at 11:34 am