Publicis Groupe announced the acquisition of Captiv8, an end-to-end influencer marketing platform, continuing its expansion in the creator economy.

The acquisition combines Captiv8’s technology with Influential, which Publicis acquired in 2024, to create what the company calls “the world’s most powerful connected influencer platform.” The unified offering will be positioned within Publicis Connected Media.

Founded in 2015, Captiv8 brings a network of 15 million creators globally, covering 95% of all influencers with over 5,000 followers. The platform processes more than 2.5 billion social posts annually and operates in 120 countries with local language and currency adaptations.

“Through this acquisition, we are further reinforcing our Category of One, building the world’s most powerful influencer platform by connecting the scale and service of Influential with Captiv8’s unrivalled technology, grounded in Epsilon’s connected identity,” Arthur Sadoun, Global CEO of Publicis Groupe, said in a press release.

The integration of Captiv8’s capabilities aims to deliver four key advantages:

• Expanded Network: The combined entity connects brands to more than 15 million creators, covering both 95% of influencers with 5,000+ followers and 90% of influencers with 1 million+ followers
• AI-Powered Platform: Captiv8’s top-ranked platform will be enhanced with the CoreID technology of Publicis-owned tech company Epsilon 
• Commerce Integration: Brands will gain access to Captiv8’s Creator Commerce capabilities for monetizing creator content
• Enhanced Measurement: The platform will provide real-time, full-funnel measurement across platforms and media channels

Part of Broader Acquisition Strategy

The Captiv8 acquisition follows Publicis’ recent purchases of BR Media Group in Latin America and Influential in 2024, forming part of the company’s creator economy expansion strategy.

“Captiv8 was built to unify the fragmented creator economy – turning influence into a commerce engine that drives real ROI,” stated Krishna Subramanian, Captiv8 co-founder and CEO.

The acquisition comes amid strong financial results for Publicis. The company reported €3,535 million (~$4,001M) in net revenue for Q1 2025, representing 9.4% reported growth and 4.9% organic growth. This performance has led Publicis to confirm its full-year guidance of 4-5% organic growth.

According to its Q1 report, Publicis has invested €500 million (~$566M) in M&A focused on digital media, influencer marketing, and data since the beginning of 2025, reinforcing what the company terms its “Category of One” status in the advertising industry.