Publicis Groupe has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire the influencer marketing company and platform Influential, as ad spend on the creator economy is set to overtake linear TV.
The holdco said the deal will see Influential’s capabilities combine with the data and identity assets of Epsilon, and the scale of the holding company.
This aim is to provide clients with a premium creator network, change influencer planning, and maximise cross-channel outcomes.
Ryan Detert, the founder and CEO of Influential, will be positioned centrally within Publicis Groupe.
“I am thrilled for Influential to join Publicis Groupe – the world’s highest performing and most innovative holding company,” Detert said.
“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.”
Arthur Sadoun, Publicis Groupe CEO, said: Influential has a proprietary AI-powered platform, 100 billion data points, a network of over 3 million creators and access and data on 90% of influencers with 1 million+ followers.
“Influential is above all an outstanding team of talent at the very cutting edge of their sector,” he said.
“With the new creator economy set to exceed linear TV on adspend 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.
“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.”
Sadoun added that the deal will put “power back into the hands of brands in a fragmented media landscape, and driving marketing transformation that delivers real business outcomes.”
The transaction is subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions including regulatory approvals and is expected to close in late August 2024.