“We’re going to use who they are, [combined] with our capabilities, particularly in data, to truly disrupt the sports marketing environment,” Sadoun said.
Sports are becoming even more important to marketers and consumers craving human connection in the age of AI, he said: “Where you see hyper-personalization everywhere, sports is one of the very rare moments where people get together.”
Publicis’ investment in AI will also allow it to connect its sports capabilities across the group, Sadoun said. He told ADWEEK in February that 73% of Publicis’ operating model is now “AI-powered.”
The 160over90 acquisition is the latest sign that Publicis intends to keep investing in new capabilities while rivals pull back, Sadoun argued.
“We are continuing to invest in capabilities that our clients really need and that transform and make our model unique at the moment where basically the market is focusing on share buybacks,” he said. “This is the polar opposite strategy of our peers.”
Publicis reported $17.18 billion in net revenue in 2025, up 5.6% from 2024 and a 20% increase since 2022.
