Publicis Groupe has agreed to acquire Influential, a leading influencer and creator marketing company. This acquisition enhances Publicis’ ability to connect brands with consumers through targeted digital influencer campaigns, leveraging Influential’s network of over 3.5 million creators.
Influential is the largest influencer marketing company by revenue, with a proprietary AI-powered technology platform that includes over 100 billion data points. It has access to 90% of global influencers with over 1 million followers and serves more than 300 brands, including McDonald’s, Hilton, Google, AB InBev, Amazon, and General Mills. Influential has a notable presence at Cannes Lions, co-hosting a beach on the Croisette.
Arthur Sadoun, CEO of Publicis Groupe, highlighted the importance of this acquisition. “The creator economy is a booming segment, fueling the growth of social media spend, which will outstrip linear TV ad spend by 2025. With this acquisition, we are taking clear leadership of influencer marketing, and putting its outsized influence at the service of our clients, thanks to Influential’s proprietary AI-powered tech platform,” Sadoun told ADWEEK.
Sadoun also emphasized that the acquisition positions Publicis at the heart of the new media ecosystem. He stated, “By combining our Epsilon data, which allows us to see 2.3 billion people around the world, with our leadership in connected TV, commerce, and now creators, we can enable our clients to truly know and understand their customers and prospects, and engage with them on a one-to-one basis, wherever they are, online and offline.”
Influential will work within Publicis Groupe, integrating its technology with Publicis’ Epsilon data to provide enhanced influencer and creator marketing services. Led by CEO Ryan Detert, Influential has been a leader in the influencer space since its founding in 2013 and surpassed $500 million in revenue by 2022. Detert expressed excitement about joining Publicis Groupe, stating, “We look forward to combining our complementary capabilities and technology to deliver unparalleled influencer identification, content creation, amplification, and measurement for our clients—and to defining the next era of influencer marketing together.”
This acquisition is part of a trend of holding companies expanding their capabilities through acquisitions. Other recent acquisitions include McKinney’s purchase of August United, WPP’s acquisitions of Village Marketing, Obviously, and Goat, and Stagwell’s acquisition of Team Epiphany.
Publicis projects 5% to 6% growth this year, and the transaction is expected to close in late August. Recent wins for Publicis include the Lego media account, Hershey choosing a dedicated Publicis team, and Publicis Conseil winning Agency of the Year honors at Cannes.
This strategic move solidifies Publicis’ position as a leading influencer marketing agency. By acquiring Influential, Publicis can leverage its advanced influencer marketing platform to implement comprehensive influencer marketing strategies. This merger underscores the growing importance of the influencer marketing industry and the significant role that companies like Publicis and Influential play in shaping its future.
