The French advertising and PR firm announced, on October 29, the acquisition of RUN, a real-time data management and multi-channel programmatic buying platform.

Headquartered in New York City, and with mobile capabilities that enable marketers to execute data-driven campaigns, RUN currently operates and reaches 50 countries. The company will retain its name, management team and structure and operate as a standalone unit within Publicis Groupe.

RUN’s mobile-focused data management platform (DMP) organizes and links diverse consumer data sets captured from multiple sources, including cellular carriers and Internet service providers (ISPs). It was built to leverage and maximize the value of information from mobile service carriers and connected devices, including location, CRM activities, behavioral and demographic insights. To date, RUN has identified more than 800MM unique consumer profiles globally. Its platform also provides transparent, immediate and actionable insights and analytics that enable both precision targeting and more effective ad spend. RUN’s omni-channel demand-side platform (DSP) powers data-driven media buying at scale; while its activation platform executes cross-device marketing campaigns across multiple formats including display and video.

This acquisition is in line with Publicis Groupe’s 2018 strategic plan to earn 50 percent of its revenue from digital – today representing 41,6 percent. The Groupe is highly invested in technology, data, content, social and programmatic across all channels and devices. Publicis Groupe has anticipated the need for clients to embrace programmatic as an irreplaceable component of their digital marketing plans, and this acquisition marks the first of its kind for the group. More recently, Publicis Groupe has sealed a number of important partnerships across programmatic, including with AOL and VivaKi’s leading programmatic solution, Audience on Demand (AOD).

The platform will be aligned with Starcom MediaVest Group (SMG) and will be available as a resource to all agencies in the Publicis Groupe network. Specifically, VivaKi will leverage RUN’s DMP and DSP technology for Publicis Groupe-wide solutions that further enhance the leadership of Audience on Demand, the programmatic solution operated by Publicis Groupe.

Seth Hittman, CEO of RUN, commented: “We’ve seen dramatic changes in the ways agencies are operating, relying more and more on data management and technology platforms to thrive in a connected world. We’re truly thrilled to join VivaKi and SMG, and integrate our platform and full suite of products into their media operations around the world. Both organizations are taking yet another great leap forward on behalf of their clients by bringing data management solutions in house and innovating a new model focused on mobile.”

Laura Desmond, Global CEO of Starcom MediaVest Group, added: “This acquisition will accelerate Publicis Groupe’s digital capabilities in the mobile space. The role of the agency has changed. We are no longer negotiating on traditional currencies. We’re negotiating on data and technologies. RUN provides the opportunity to break down walled gardens of data across all screens and devices to become a real, meaningful differentiator in how we service current clients and beyond.”