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France’s Publicis Group has agreed to acquire sports marketing agency 160over90 from talent firm WME Group.
Key details:
- Publicis to pay more than US$500 million, according to The Wall Street Journal
- 160over90 to be integrated with Publicis Sports
- 160over90 president Robbie Henchman will remain at WME Group as a senior partner and president of WME’s brand representation business
Context:
WME, which was known as Endeavor until going private last year, bought 160over90 in 2018 for approximately US$200 million. 160over90 employs more than 670 people across the US, UK, EMEA and APAC, and secures and manages sponsorship deals between brands, athletes and sports properties. It also delivers corporate hospitality and branded experiences at major events such as the Super Bowl, the Olympic Games and the Fifa World Cup. 160over90’s clients for this summer’s World Cup include Visa, Anheuser-Busch InBev, Coca-Cola and McDonald’s.
The acquisition sees Publicis ramp up its presence in sport as it looks to capture a greater share of advertisers’ spending in the sector. Publicis said the deal will create the industry’s “leading global platform”, designed to drive measurable business outcomes by connecting brands with fans and audiences through “unmatched” technology, data and scale across sport and culture.
Comment:
“After building our industry-leading position in identity resolution, commerce, and creators, our next big bet is sport,” said Arthur Sadoun, chief executive of Publicis Groupe. “In the age of AI, it has become one of the most high-value channels for clients, delivering unparalleled cultural relevance, live engagement, and measurable impact.
“By combining 160over90’s scale and expertise in sports experiences, culture, and talent with the industry’s most powerful connected influencer platform, experiential capabilities, and data-driven insights, we are disrupting a highly fragmented landscape by creating a unified, end-to-end platform that connects brands to fans in ways that are both meaningful and measurable.
“This acquisition is the latest demonstration of our ongoing commitment to investing in the channels and capabilities that deliver the highest value for our clients, giving them control over their audience connections, transparency in their investments, and real business outcomes across every activation and engagement.”
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