Publicis Groupe has revealed that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Influential, an influencer marketing agency and platform, which connects brands to audiences by developing, deploying, and optimising creator-driven digital campaigns.
Influential has a proprietary AI-powered technology platform with over 100 billion data points, coupled with its network of over 3.5 million creators. The platform also includes access to and data on 90 per cent of global influencers who have more than 1 million followers each, and currently serves more than 300 brands around the world.
The deal is reportedly worth approximately USD $500 million, a Wall Street Journal article revealed.
Arthur Sadoun, CEO of Publicis Groupe, said, “It is a great pleasure to be welcoming Influential to the Publicis family. Influential is above all an outstanding team of talent at the very cutting edge of their sector. With the new creator economy set to exceed linear tv on ad spend in the next year, thanks to Influential we are able to fully embrace its outsized influence and put it at the service of all of our clients.”
Sadoun added, “Not only does this acquisition mean we will take the leadership of Influencer marketing. It also uniquely positions us at the centre of the new media ecosystem. By combining our Epsilon data, which allow us to see 2.3 billion people around the world, with 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, both online and offline. It’s how we are putting power back into the hands of brands in a fragmented media landscape, and driving marketing transformation that delivers real business outcomes.”
Led by Founder and CEO Ryan Detert, Influential will be positioned centrally within Publicis Groupe, empowering all Publicis clients and teams with leading technology, expertise, and delivery of influencer marketing services.
Detert said, “I am thrilled for Influential to join Publicis Groupe – the world’s highest performing and most innovative holding company. 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.”
Influential’s differentiated offering enables brands to source high-quality digital creators, curate impactful creative strategy, and activate, amplify and optimise digital media to drive real-world outcomes.
By combining those capabilities with the unique data and identity assets of Epsilon, and the scale of Publicis Groupe, the acquisition aims to put the leadership of ID-driven influencer marketing in the hands of all the group’s clients through:
- A premium creator network: a brand-safe, premium marketplace to directly connect the world’s leading brands with preferred access to millions of diverse creators and their audiences.
- Revolutionised influencer planning: Bringing our leading understanding of consumers via Epsilon to better identify creators that meaningfully connect brands to their target customers and find their audiences across the entire internet.
- Maximised cross-channel outcomes: Unifying, extending, and measuring the reach and impact of social campaigns to digital and affiliate channels in a singular, AI-powered platform with connected creative and sequential messaging that enhances customer experience and drives better business outcomes.
Influencer marketing is revolutionising the media and advertising industry and has become a growth driver for brands due to the channel’s unique ability to meaningfully connect with their customers.
By 2025, social media spend is expected to reach $186 billion, exceeding global linear TV ad spend for the first time, with influencer marketing as its fastest growing segment.
The transaction is subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions including regulatory approvals and is expected to close in late August 2024.
