- Publicis Groupe has acquired the four-year-old sports and culture agency Adopt, according to a press release. Financial terms of the transaction weren’t disclosed.
- Founded by a pair of Nike veterans, David Creech and Josh Moore, in partnership with sports agent Rich Paul, Adopt provides brand strategy, design and identity services, together with product development and digital experiences. The shop has worked with brands akin to Lululemon, The North Face and Visa, per its website.
- Creech and Moore will proceed to lead Adopt, which will probably be integrated into the Publicis Connected Media unit to support functions like media, data and influencer marketing. The deal speaks to a desire amongst marketers for greater specialization in sports, which proceed to diversify their media footprint.
Publicis is strengthening its sports-marketing muscle with the acquisition of Adopt, a Portland, Oregon-based upstart led by a pair of experienced former Nike executives and a trailblazing sports agent. Sports marketing is quickly evolving as more broadcast rights make the transition to streaming while areas including college name, image and likeness deals and ladies’s sports see a surge in advertiser interest.
The news drops ahead of the upfronts, an annual period for brokering ad-spending commitments where sports are sometimes a serious piece of the discussion. In February, Publicis introduced an investment group focused on women’s sports, called Women’s Sports Connect. Other agencies, including WPP’s GroupM, have made similar maneuvers to capitalize on an increasingly lucrative market.
Adopt has worked with each large brands and individual athletes, including Anthony Davis, Dwayne Wade and Chloe Kim. The agency also supports Klutch Athletics, the sportswear brand launched by co-founder Paul in 2023.
“Adopt is on the forefront of creativity, culture and human behavior — mixing all three to deliver customer-centric brand strategies,” said Dave Penski, global CEO of Publicis Connected Media, in a press release across the deal. “Their deep and multi-faceted expertise is invaluable to all clients looking for to define and modernize their brand on the speed of culture.”
Before starting Adopt, Creech capped off a virtually two-decade tenure at Nike as vice chairman of worldwide brand creative and vice chairman of design for Jordan Brand. Moore was on the apparel maker for over 12 years, ending his stint as global vice chairman and inventive director of Nike Digital, Retail and Content. He spearheaded initiatives akin to the favored Nike Snkrs app and Nike Apple Watch.
Publicis is staying energetic in dealmaking at the same time as the economy softens and agencies brace for pullbacks. In recent months, the network has acquired digital performance marketing agency Dysrupt and identity solutions firm Lotame. The ad-holding group’s organic revenue increased 4.9% 12 months over 12 months in Q1, though leaders cautioned on the time that client cuts might be coming in consequence of tariffs.
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