Publicis Groupe expands global influence with acquisition of Captiv8

Publicis Groupe has announced its acquisition of Captiv8, a major move aimed at strengthening its global presence in the influencer marketing space. This strategic development is set to create a comprehensive, data-driven influencer platform by integrating Captiv8 with Influential, both of which will now operate under the umbrella of Publicis Connected Media.

Captiv8 is one of the world’s most expansive influencer technology platforms, currently encompassing 95% of influencers with over 5,000 followers and managing a creator network of over 15 million individuals worldwide. The company’s platform handles more than 2.5 billion social media posts annually and operates across 120 countries with localized capabilities in language and currency.

By bringing together Captiv8’s proprietary AI systems, social commerce tools, and expansive influencer base with Influential’s scale and Epsilon’s identity resolution technology (CoreID), Publicis aims to deliver a unified solution for brands seeking to consolidate and measure their influencer marketing efforts across all platforms and channels.

The newly merged platform promises to offer brands unprecedented reach, covering 90% of influencers with over a million followers and combining influencer, commerce, and affiliate capabilities in one system. The integration also offers brands advanced tools for campaign planning, activation, and full-funnel measurement — with an emphasis on real-time data and transparent results.

Captiv8’s assets will now be fully embedded within Publicis Connected Media, forming the technological backbone of Publicis Groupe’s global influencer marketing services. The goal is to empower clients to build and control creator-driven campaigns that are optimized for brand alignment, audience engagement, and business outcomes.

This acquisition marks another step in Publicis Groupe’s effort to consolidate digital capabilities across the marketing value chain, integrating media, data, and technology under a single operational model.

While financial details of the acquisition were not disclosed, Publicis emphasized the long-term strategic importance of the move. Publicis Groupe CEO Arthur Sadoun described the acquisition as a key initiative in constructing a centralized influencer platform capable of delivering scalable, commerce-driven outcomes.

Captiv8 CEO Krishna Subramanian echoed the sentiment, highlighting the opportunity to turn influencer activity into measurable commercial performance. Influential CEO Ryan Detert also noted the expanded potential for collaboration, combining the strengths of both platforms to drive transformation in the creator economy.

This latest move continues Publicis Groupe’s trajectory of integrating advanced technology and data solutions into its global operations, signaling a heightened focus on performance-driven marketing in the creator space.