Publicis Groupe Australia Launches Influencer and Social Unit, Influential

Publicis Groupe Australia has today announced the launch of Influential, a new offering for the Australian market that unites the group’s social, content, and influencer capabilities under a single brand.

In Australia, Influential will be a connected influencer and social agency designed to evolve how brands connect with culture, creators and commerce. Built on a foundation of data, technology and cultural creativity, Influential unites Publicis Groupe Australia’s media, creative, and communications capabilities into a single, end-to-end solution for social and influencer marketing.

Michael Rebelo, CEO of Publicis Groupe ANZ, said, “The rise of influencers and content creators over the past 18 months remains a powerful marketing phenomenon. To truly optimise investment and impact in this space, an end-to-end solution is essential. By integrating our influencer expertise, platform, creative strategy, content production and social media buying, we now have Australia’s most connected influencer and social agency.”

The latest development follows Publicis Groupe’s global acquisition of Influential in late 2024, and Captiv8 in May 2025, bringing world-leading influencer marketing technology to the Australian market.

The Australian Influential team will report to CEO Skye Lambley, who leads the Influence Practice at Publicis Groupe ANZ – including integrated PR and communications agency, Herd MSL, and sustainability consultancy, Salterbaxter. Skye will head up the new agency in partnership with the newly appointed Influential Australia GM, Cat Wilkinson.

The Influential team brings together a mix of over 30 cross-disciplinary social-first strategists, cultural creatives, performance marketers, content creators, platform and paid specialists. Influential is not just an agency, but a Publicis Centre of Excellence, enabling the best creators and social thinking to new and existing clients.

Influential’s client list already includes some of the biggest brands from across the globe, including in industries like telecommunications, FMCG, retail, beauty, food and beverage, and many more.

Its proprietary model is built on four strategic pillars:

Influence Intelligence -- AI-powered insights to identify, vet and activate creators who shape consumer behaviour and public sentiment.

Commerce-Led Creativity -- Content designed to entertain and convert, featuring embedded shopping formats, social storefronts and performance-driven storytelling.

Cultural Co-Creation -- Campaigns co-developed with creators and communities to produce content that resonates deeply.

Commercial Impact -- A proprietary measurement framework that links social activity and paid media to brand equity, sales uplift and business outcomes in real-time.

Skye Lambley, CEO of Publicis Groupe ANZ’s Influence Practice, said, “Clients need a truly connected offering that spans the full spectrum of social media. By bringing all our social expertise under one roof, we’re delivering a unified, strategic solution that drives and measures clear business results.”