Havas acquires majority stake in Archrival to expand Havas Play capabilities

Havas has acquired a majority stake in Archrival, a U.S.-based youth culture and experiential activation agency, further strengthening Havas Play’s ability to help brands earn relevance through culture, fandom, and participation. The acquisition expands Havas Play’s offering across sports marketing, live experiences, branded partnerships, creator engagement, and experiential activation, giving clients new ways to cultivate brand desire while deepening audience connection and delivering measurable growth.

Founded in 1997, Archrival has built a reputation for creating culturally relevant programs that connect brands with younger audiences through sports, collegiate activations, ambassador networks, and immersive experiences. The agency is known for helping brands show up authentically within the communities, passions, and moments that shape culture today.

Archrival currently works with some of the world’s most iconic brands including adidas, Spotify, Netflix, EA, YouTube, Google, Disney, and Amazon.

The acquisition marks another significant step in the expansion of Havas Play, strengthening its ability to connect brands with audiences through the passion points that drive participation, advocacy, and growth.

Together, Havas Play and Archrival will offer clients an expanded suite of capabilities spanning sports marketing, creator engagement, experiential activation, branded partnerships, ambassador programs, gaming, and community-led brand building.

Combined with Havas’s Converged.AI operating system, Archrival’s expertise in collegiate activations, ambassador networks, and grassroots engagement will help clients identify emerging cultural signals faster, activate communities more effectively, and translate engagement into measurable business outcomes.

“We are very pleased to welcome Archrival to the Havas family. Their expertise enhances Havas Play’s offering in a high-growth area and represents an important step forward in expanding our capabilities and delivering long-term value for our clients. As sport and fandom play an ever more central role in shaping culture, they’ve become increasingly powerful drivers of growth for brands and businesses, helping build the kind of brand desire that creates a lasting competitive advantage,” said Yannick Bolloré, Chairman and CEO, Havas.

“North America represents a significant opportunity for brands as sports, entertainment, creators, and fandom increasingly shape how audiences discover, engage, and build loyalty. Clients are looking for partners that can help them navigate this changing landscape and connect more authentically with consumers. Archrival expands our ability to scale those solutions and deliver them in a way that is connected, differentiated, and built for where the market is heading,” commented Greg James, CEO, Havas Media Network North America.

“When we stop chasing trends and understand what truly moves a generation, we win the hearts and minds of consumers. That belief has fueled how Archrival helps brands show up meaningfully in youth culture for nearly 30 years. Like us, Havas understands what it takes for challenger brands to break through and isn’t afraid to go against the grain to do it, making this next chapter together a natural fit,” added Clint Runge, CEO & Founder, Archrival.

“Archrival brings a unique combination of youth culture expertise, experiential activation, and community engagement that creates meaningful new opportunities for our clients. Together, we can deliver more connected ideas, stronger outcomes, and the kind of work that helps brands grow while earning a lasting place in culture,” said Andrea Isaac, Managing Partner, Havas Play North America.