Dive Brief: 

• Publicis Groupe has launched a new sports-oriented influencer unit, Influential Sports, that draws upon the holding company’s Influential creator marketing arm, Publicis Sports and its data agency, Epsilon, per a company announcement.
• The new unit is intended to capitalize on the deepening connection of sports and culture, connecting brands to sports-oriented creators across a variety of sporting levels, including major leagues, collegiate athletics and emerging sports.
• The holding company said the effort will bring an end-to-end approach to sports marketing that will amplify and measure creator and influencer marketing content with speed and accuracy. The move follows other efforts by Publicis Groupe to grow its sports marketing chops.

Dive Insight:

As sports fans look for authentic ways to tap into their interests, the creator economy has provided a welcomed outlet. Over half, 71%, of professional athletes or team fans engage in online communities, and 57% interact with creators within fandoms, according to Deloitte. Half of those fans seek out fan-created media as a way to be more connected to their passions.

Publicis Groupe’s creation of Influential Sports is meant to be a way for advertisers to take advantage of that opportunity. Drawing upon the hefty investment the holding made in acquiring Influential in 2024, the unit will help brands identify the best creators and to connect them with sports fans. In the past year, Publicis Groupe has grown its sports presence, acquiring sports marketing agencies Bespoke Marketing & Entertainment and Adopt, launching Women’s Sports Connect and partnering with Genius Sports and Magic Johnson Enterprises.

Drawing upon Publicis Sports’ institutional knowledge of the complex sports media landscape, and data and insights from Epsilon, the unit will help clients “navigate complexity and unlock new opportunities with confidence, turning cultural relevance into real performance,” said Influential CEO Ryan Detert, in a statement around Influential Sports.

Sports marketing offers brands the opportunity to reach a passionate fan base. According to Forrester research cited by Digiday, 37% of Millennials and 43% of Gen Z adults watched more sports broadcasts in 2024 than in 2023. That increased attention is leading marketers to consider increasing their investment in the space.

Unilever’s Dove, for instance, has drawn upon athletes as creators as part of its larger overall sports strategy, including documenting former NFL star Marshawn Lynch’s experience at a soccer training camp with U.S. soccer star Trinity Rodman for the brand’s World Cup activation. Creators played a role in this year’s Super Bowl advertising, such as MrBeast bringing his competitive content style to Salesforce’s ad, and they are expected to play a big role in the World Cup this summer.