Singapore influencer agency Hepmil, owner of meme site SGAG, sold to global ad giant Publicis
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Founded by friends Karl Mak (left) and Adrian Ang, Hepmil Media has a network of more than 3,000 creators and employs more than 300 people.
PHOTO: ST FILE
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SINGAPORE - Advertising and public relations giant Publicis Groupe announced on Oct 29 that it is acquiring Singapore influencer agency Hepmil Media Group, the parent company of home-grown meme website SGAG.
The valuation of the deal was undisclosed.
Besides SGAG, Hepmil also started other regional spin-offs such as MGAG and PGAG, which target audiences in Malaysia and the Philippines, respectively.
Established in 2015, the company has a network of more than 3,000 creators, which serves over 450 brands in six South-east Asian markets.
Founded by junior college friends Karl Mak and Adrian Ang, Hepmil currently employs more than 300 people.
The deal will combine Hepmil’s expertise with Publicis’ data capabilities, specifically Epsilon’s identity graph of over 800 million consumer profiles in South-east Asia.
The deal’s goal is to cement Publicis’ leadership in identity-driven influencer marketing in a key region for clients that is increasingly taking a social-first approach, the group said.
Publicis Groupe chairman and chief executive Arthur Sadoun said: “We’re doubling down on data-driven creator marketing in what is a highly strategic region for Publicis and our clients.”
The company noted that influencer marketing is set to grow between 12 per cent and 15 per cent in South-east Asia over the next five years, with influencer marketing spend likely to exceed US$1.4 billion (S$1.8 billion) by 2030. THE BUSINESS TIMES
