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Publicis Groupe enters into a definitive agreement to acquire global sports and culture-first agency 160over90.
The combined platform will leverage technology, data and scale to connect brands with fans and audiences.
160over90, a division of WME Group that has supported sports and culture strategies and activations for global brands across such events as Super Bowls, Olympic Games and the World Cup, will be integrated with Publicis Sports.
The augmented Publicis Sports group will report to current Publicis Sports CEO Suzy Deering and be a part of Publicis Media Exchange.
Robbie Henchman, most recently 160over 90’s president, will remain at WME Group as a senior partner and president of WME’s brand representation business, overseeing the strategic partnership between WME Group and Publicis Groupe.
That strategic partnership is set to enable early-stage collaboration between WME’s talent and IP roster and Publicis to create opportunities across talent, content financing and marketing partnerships.
Also, as part of what Publicis calls a new “end-to-end ecosystem where cultural relevance drives measurable growth,” Publicis Sports will focus on integrating the full-service capabilities of Publicis Sports and 160over90; leveraging the Publicis Sports Intelligence platform to plan, personalize and measure investments and outcomes; and activating Influential, the industry’s leading creator platform, to extend the reach and impact of athletes as socially connected creators, storytellers, and community leaders.
“After building our industry-leading position in identity resolution, commerce, and creators, our next big bet is sport. 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,” said Publicis Groupe CEO Arthur Sadoun.
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