Affiliate Leaders rounds-up the latest mergers and acquisitions, partnerships, and account moves for marketers.
Deal Desk is a new series from Affiliate Leaders, which rounds-up the latest moves across the global affiliate and digital marketing industry and why it matters.
This week, we look at the Publicis Groupe’s latest acquisition and its partnership with Microsoft; MiQ buying out Rocket Lab; Aldi partnering with Instacart; Canva’s dual acquisitions; and what Bazaarvoice is doing on TikTok Shop.
Publicis Groupe: 160over90 acquisition and Microsoft deal
Publicis Groupe has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire WME Group’s 160over90 – one of the largest global sports marketing and creative agencies, known for delivering some biggest campaigns across Super Bowls, the Olympic Games and the World Cup.
160over90 will be integrated into Publicis Sports and powered by the holding company’s technology and data arm, Epsilon. The combined group will report into Suzy Deering, chief executive of Publicis Sports.
Robbie Henchman, president of 160over90, will remain at WME Groupe as senior partner and president of WME’s brand representation business.
Arthur Sadoun, chief executive of Publicis Groupe, said: “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.
“By combining 160over90’s scale and expertise in sports experiences, culture, and talent with the industry’s most powerful connected influencer platform, experiential capabilities, and data-driven insights, we are disrupting a highly fragmented landscape by creating a unified, end-to-end platform that connects brands to fans in ways that are both meaningful and measurable.”
Mark Shapiro, president and managing partner of WME Group, added, “[…] Combining forces with Publicis Sports will create an unmatched offering for brands looking to move faster and create deeper connections with sports fans, properties, and content.”
Microsoft partnership
Publicis Groupe has also expanded its partnership with Microsoft to build a full-stack marketing solution, which unifies legacy systems, AI agents, and identity-based data.
The move comes ten years after the two companies collaborated to build Marcel, an innovative AI platform, but this time it will focus on embedding agentic AI across the entire workflow for marketers.
On the deal, Sadoun said: “Together, we are combining Microsoft’s unmatched technology and AI capabilities with Publicis Sapient’s transformation expertise on top of Epsilon’s industry-leading identity data to deliver agentic solutions that are truly game-changing for clients.
“Both our companies believe that the future of AI requires agents in service of people and humanity, and with this partnership we are creating a unique opportunity for our clients to lead against this ambition.”
Publicis Groupe will also become Microsoft’s global media agency of record.
Leaders take
The acquisition of 160over90 and the partnership with Microsoft are both moves, which look to strengthen and grow Publicis dominance among the network agencies. The deal with Microsoft signals a shift in how marketers use AI and the ability to deliver personalisation at scale.
Meanwhile the 160over90 acquisition seems to bet on sports marketing being the next big thing in advertising. It’s no surprise that Publicis wants to get in on the game – the sports media market is valued at around $150bn and this figure is only likely to increase. So if a giant network agency like Publicis is making moves in this field, it’s a sign for affiliates and marketers to take note.
Bazaarvoice integrates with TikTok Shop
Bazaarvoice, a SaaS company that connects brands with retailers, has integrated its software with TikTok Shop.
The decision means brands in the Bazaarvoice Network can now syndicate their reviews and user-generated content (UGC) directly to products purchased on TikTok Shop.
Jo Callahan, vice president of product marketing at Bazaarvoice, said: “Social inspiration works best when paired with social proof.
“By syndicating native reviews, photos, and videos, we help brands immediately build trust. Whether it’s hearing how a blouse fits or seeing how a moisturizer blends on real skin, these human moments bridge the gap between browsing and buying, allowing consumers to make informed, confident decisions.”
Leaders take
Social commerce has been growing and this move by Bazaarvoice demonstrates it is a core part of the shopping ecosystem. For affiliate networks, they integrate through Bazaarvoice Vibe, allowing brands to manage and reward affiliates based on verified sales.
But mostly, for affiliates, this provides instant social proof and a visual validation on product pages, which could directly increase conversion rates for affiliate-driven traffic. It also offers a more integrated performance tracking, giving a better and more transparent view of ROI.
Other key deals
Global programmatic media company, MiQ has acquired Rocket Lab, a mobile app growth hub. The move will enable MiQ to accelerate its in-app performance as a core capability and strengthen its omnichannel proposition. It follows MiQ’s recent acquisition of Adsmovil.
Aldi US has launched a new website and app powered by Instacart’s e-commerce and fulfillment platform, Storefront Pro. This move will offer better product recommendations, enhanced discovery and expanded meal planning support, Instacart said. By combining Aldi’s discount-model with Instacart’s advertising infrastructure, it’s created a powerful retail media network that marketers can tap into.
Canva has made two acquisitions: Simtheory, an AI collaboration and agent management platform; and Ortto, a customer data and marketing automation firm. Both deals are part of Canva’s continued investment in AI and marketing infrastructure.
Superdry & Co. has partnered with Verde Digital to boost its SEO and AI search strategies. While it is a well-known consumer brand, in the new AI era, this move looks to bolster its non-brand organic traffic and compliments its wider marketing activity across paid social and search.
