The acquisition deal 

In a statement on Thursday, Publicis Groupe announced that it will acquire influencer marketing platform, Influential, in a deal valued at $500 million. The statement reads:
“Publicis Gruope has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Influential, the world’s preeminent influencer marketing company and platform, authentically connecting brands to audiences by developing, deploying, and optimizing creator-driven digital campaigns.”

The importance of this deal is amplified by the rapid growth of influencer marketing. According to eMarketer, U.S. spending on influencer marketing surged 17.4% to $7.02 billion from 2022 to 2023, outpacing the overall digital ad spend growth.

With the acquisition, Publicis looks to offer more advanced and effective solutions in the influencer marketing space. 

Ryan Detert, CEO of Influential, expressed enthusiasm about the acquisition, stating, “Joining Publicis Groupe allows us to enhance our technology and services, setting a new standard in influencer marketing.”

More so, the acquisition positions Publicis Groupe as a strong force in the influencer marketing space, allowing it to better compete with other advertising giants like Stagwell who recently acquired LEADERS, and WPP, which acquired influencer agency Goat, last year. 

This acquisition is expected to give the company an edge over competitors and shape the media and marketing world. Publicis Groupe CEO Arthur Sadoun said.  "Not only does this acquisition mean we will take the leadership of Influencer marketing, it also uniquely positions us at the center of the new media ecosystem."

How it will benefit brands and clients

Influential’s expansive network of 3.5 million creators and its advanced AI, which processes 100 billion data points, significantly bolsters Publicis's marketing capabilities. Sadoun highlighted the strategic significance of the acquisition: "Influential’s advanced platform and talent will enable us to leverage the new creator economy and drive transformative marketing results for our clients.”

According to Publicis, this merger will provide unmatched scale and reach. Brands will potentially have the ability to connect with diverse audiences through an expansive network of influencers, allowing for precise targeting across various demographics and niches.

As Co-Founder & CEO at PWR House Anthony McGuire noted on LinkedIn, “Now Publicis can more easily pitch themselves to clients as having not only deep influencer expertise, but access to premium & brand-safe influencers.”

Secondly, the integration of Influential’s AI capabilities with Publicis's existing data assets, like Epsilon, will offer powerful, data-driven insights. Additionally, the acquisition will blend influencer content seamlessly with digital and affiliate marketing efforts and help “unify, extending, and measuring the reach and impact of social campaigns to digital and affiliate channels.” 

The deal, expected to be finalized by late August 2024, is contingent on regulatory approvals.