Publicis Groupe Acquires Sports Marketing Agency 160over90

Publicis Groupe SA has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire 160over90, a global agency focused on sports and culture. This move is intended to establish the industry's premier global platform for driving measurable business outcomes by connecting brands with fans and audiences through technology, data, and media scale.

160over90, previously a division of WME Group, specializes in creating connections within sports and culture, working with major events like the Super Bowl, Olympic Games, and World Cup. The agency operates with over 670 employees across the US, UK, EMEA, and APAC regions.

The company highlights the growing importance of sports in media and marketing, noting the sport media market's substantial global value. Publicis aims to address what it describes as a disconnected and outdated landscape for marketers by integrating 160over90's capabilities with its own Publicis Sports unit, data platforms, and media operations. The goal is to offer an end-to-end ecosystem utilizing data and technology for sponsorships, events, content, and talent.

This acquisition builds on Publicis Sports' existing capabilities in the sector. CEO Arthur Sadoun stated that sport has become a high-value channel for clients, delivering cultural relevance and measurable impact. By combining 160over90's expertise with Publicis's connected influencer platforms, experiential capabilities, and data insights, the group seeks to disrupt and unify the fragmented sports marketing landscape.