Publicis Groupe has agreed to buy US data-driven marketing giant LiveRamp in a $2.2bn deal, as the French agency group continues to strengthen its capabilities in data, artificial intelligence, and personalised marketing.
The company was formed in 2011 as an “onboarding specialist” and acquired by Acxiom three years later for $310m; it entered the UK market in 2015 as a springboard for European expansion.
In 2018, Acxiom’s marketing division was sold to IPG for $2.3bn. However, it did not include the LiveRamp identity resolutions part of the Acxiom Corporation which was rebranded back to LiveRamp Holdings.
The acquisition, which will need regulatory approval, follows Publicis’ $4.4bn purchase of data specialist Epsilon in 2019, the French company’s largest ever deal.
LiveRamp serves over 900 clients worldwide, focusing on large enterprises that need advanced data management and activation, across industry sectors including retail, financial services, travel, automotive and tech platforms. Its clients include Kimberly-Clark, Jaguar Land Rover, United Airlines, Mondelēz International, Danone and Sony Interactive Entertainment.
It has also built a significant presence in the retail media network sector, powering platforms for Tesco, Co-op, Boots, Asda and Ocado.
The company will now boost Publicis’ “Power of One” proposition, alongside Publicis Sapient, Epsilon, and Marcel, delivering agentic transformation to clients.
Publicis Groupe chairman and CEO Arthur Sadoun said: “LiveRamp joining Publicis Groupe is the latest demonstration of our commitment to investing in new talent and innovation, ahead of market shifts.
“After acquiring Epsilon in 2019 in the name of personalization at scale and enabling our clients to take back control of their data from the walled gardens, by shifting from cookies to identity, once again we are looking ahead to what’s next.
“By building the future of data co-creation, we’re empowering our clients to generate new, exclusive and proprietary data, to build the smartest, most differentiated AI agents on top of the leading LLMs.
“It will be valuable for our clients’ business growth, and a new addressable market for Publicis.”
Publicis said the acquisition would help the French group provide its clients with tailored data sets to make their own AI systems perform better.
LiveRamp chief executive Scott Howe, who will continue in the role and report to Sadoun, said: “Our customers and partners have always been our North Star, and by joining forces with Publicis, we will have greater resources and flexibility to scale our business, continue innovating our platform, and help them unlock even greater value from their data.
“This transaction also represents the best path forward for our shareholders, delivering significant and certain cash value at a compelling premium.
“Above all, this outcome is a testament to our employees, whose hard work and dedication have made LiveRamp the trusted partner it is today, and who will have new opportunities to grow and thrive as part of a global industry leader.”
The deal had unanimous approval from the boards of both companies, Publicis said and is expected to close before the end of the year.
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