Global Advertising major Publicis Groupe has acquired Mars United Commerce, claimed to be the world’s largest independent commerce company. Mars has over 1,000 employees in 14 global hubs. Deal terms were not disclosed, while one report valued the acquisition at $600 million.
Mars will be rolled into Publicis data business Epsilon.
Mars, founded in 1973, helps marketers make their products consumers’ top choice in online and offline shopper ecosystems.
Publicis has been building expertise in key growth areas via acquisitions, including product data and analytics platform Profitero in 2022, Australian retail media player CitrusAd in 2021, technology and platforms company Epsilon in 2019 and influencer marketing company Influential earlier this year.
Mars CEO Rob Rivenburgh says: “Joining Publicis Groupe will help Mars realize our vision of being the preeminent global commerce company faster and more completely. We’re excited to have the support of Publicis to bring new opportunities to our existing clients and also to share our connected commerce solution with new clients around the globe. We look forward to writing the next chapter of commerce together.”
Publicis CEO Arthur Sadoun says: “We are delighted to be welcoming Rob and his incredible teams at Mars to Publicis Groupe. Their innovative spirit and proprietary platforms will further connect and complement our existing capabilities, to deliver industry-leading, end-to-end commerce solutions for our clients, both online and offline.
“With the acquisition of Influential this summer, and now Mars, Publicis is uniquely positioned to help our clients understand both existing consumers and future prospects, and connect that knowledge at an individual level to the new media channels that work hardest for their business.”
