Publicis Acquires Adopt, a Leading Brand Building Company at the Center of Sport, Athletes and Culture

Publicis Groupe [Euronext Paris FR0000130577, CAC 40] today announces the acquisition of Adopt, a highly-specialized global agency that drives brand connection by fusing creativity with sport and culture. Adopt was co-founded in 2021 in Portland, OR, by former Nike executives David Creech and Josh Moore, along with Rich Paul, who has a proven track record of building and growing brands central to sport culture including founding Klutch Sports Group and Klutch Athletics.

Adopt specializes in helping marketers modernize through brand strategy; brand design and identity; and the development of products, experiences and solutions that help brands establish authentic connections, long-lasting impact, and relevance with today’s consumers. The agency’s work has been widely recognized across high-profile global brands and some of the world’s most influential athletes and talent.

Adopt’s innovative approach, coupled with its experienced team and distinguished network of talent, will further strengthen Publicis Groupe’s ability to harness the power of athletes and sport to accelerate iconic and authentic cultural brand connections.

“Sport is the greatest force in the world today -- driving culture, commerce, connection, and community,” Paul said. “The talent I saw in David and Josh combined with their experience in sport culture led me to believe we could take that and use it to make a real impact for global brands. They have world-class expertise, and it’s proving out already based on Adopt’s major growth trajectory which has skyrocketed in just four years.”

Adopt will continue to be led by Creech and Moore, who collectively bring more than 50 years of experience in brand, product, and experience design. Adopt will sit within Publicis Connected Media, supercharging its existing capabilities spanning media, data, digital, commerce, CRM, influencer and more.

Prior to co-founding Adopt, Creech spent nearly two decades at Nike where he served as VP of Global Brand Creative and VP of Design for Jordan Brand, working with some of the world’s most iconic athletes including Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Michael Jordan, and Tiger Woods to help craft their brands, and leading creative for Nike’s presence at global events like the Olympics and World Cup.

Moore has concepted and driven innovative products and programs for some of the world’s most iconic brands such as Nike, Apple and Google where he helped pioneer digital innovations such as the Nike SNKRS app and Nike Apple Watch. He served in multiple leadership roles during his 12+ year career at Nike, culminating in the position of Global VP and Creative Director of Nike Digital, Retail and Content.

“Adopt is at the forefront of creativity, culture and human behavior – blending all three to deliver customer-centric brand strategies,” said Dave Penski, Global CEO of Publicis Connected Media. “Their deep and multi-faceted expertise is invaluable to all clients seeking to define and modernize their brand at the speed of culture.”