Publicis Groupe has announced its agreement to acquire Influential, recognized as the largest influencer marketing company by revenue, with reports estimating the deal at $500 million.

Influential boasts a network of over 3.5 million creators, including 90% of global influencers with over 1 million followers. The agency currently collaborates with more than 300 brands worldwide. Publicis plans to leverage Influential’s platform in conjunction with consumer insights from its martech division, Epsilon, to help clients identify influencers that can effectively engage with target consumers and communities.

With nearly half of all consumers making purchases based on influencer marketing and growing trust in influencers, this acquisition underscores the sector's significance for the future of marketing. According to Publicis, global social media spending is projected to reach $186 billion by 2025, surpassing linear television ad spending for the first time.

The influencer marketing sector plays a crucial role in this growth. By acquiring Influential and integrating it with Epsilon, Publicis will provide clients access to high-quality, well-followed digital creators, backed by insights into over 2.3 billion people worldwide.

"Not only does this acquisition position us as leaders in influencer marketing, but it also places us at the heart of the new media ecosystem," stated Publicis CEO Arthur Sadoun. "This strategy empowers brands in a fragmented media landscape and drives marketing transformation that yields tangible business results."

With Influential, Publicis will offer clients access to a network of over 3.5 million creators, enhanced planning capabilities through Epsilon's consumer data, and improved cross-channel marketing opportunities. Influential Founder and CEO Ryan Detert will work closely with Publicis to optimize these tools for clients.

The announcement of Publicis’s acquisition follows closely on the heels of Stagwell’s acquisition of digital influencer marketing agency Leaders and its InfluencerMarketing.AI platform. Such moves may signal an impending wave of acquisitions as the creator marketplace solidifies its place in the marketing industry.

“Creator marketing has become a vital component of every major brand’s marketing strategy, and the consolidation of top boutique agencies by holding companies over the past four years demonstrates their serious commitment to adopting a more integrated approach to creator collaborations,” said Ryan Stern, co-founder and CEO of Collectively, in an email statement.

“Today, major brands expect all their partner agencies to have a deep understanding of creators and know how to effectively utilize them across various channels and contexts. The ongoing consolidation among holding companies highlights the urgency for these businesses to adapt quickly,” he added.

Earlier this month, Publicis reported a year-over-year organic growth of 5.6% in Q2 2024, with net revenue approximating $3.8 billion. This strong performance prompted the agency to revise its full-year growth guidance to a range of 5-6%, an increase from its previous estimate of 4-5% growth.