French holding group Publicis has purchased creator marketing agency Influential in a bid to bolster its influencer proposition. The deal is expected to be concluded in late August.

The move will see Publicis gain access to the influencer marketing agency’s extensive creator base, which contains more 3.5 million content producers.

According to the Paris-based group,  Influential’s proprietary AI-powered technology platform includes over 100 billion data points, and its network encompasses 90% of global influencers with 1 million plus followers.

“I am thrilled for Influential to join Publicis Groupe – the world’s highest performing and most innovative holding company,” Influential founder and CEO, Ryan Detert said.

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“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.”

The agency will now be placed centrally within Publicis, giving the group’s teams access to its technology, expertise, and delivery of influencer marketing services.

Publicis Groupe CEO, Arthur 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.”