WME Secures New Branded Content Opportunities By Investing In Marketing Platform Influential

WME is making moves in the branded content space. The major talent agency has contributed to the Series B funding round raised by Influential, which describes itself as “the world’s premier AI-powered marketplace.”

The investment is part of a partnership between WME and Influential, through which the two companies will work together to sell influencer marketing opportunities to brands and agencies. WME will make use of Influential’s management product, Talent Pro, as well as its paid media platform, Influential Target.

“This whole partnership came about as we had been thinking a lot about the future of the commercial-endorsement business we do for talent clients, both on influencer side and very much on the traditional side,” said Chris Jacquemin, WME’s head of digital. “I was interested in how technology would impact that side of our business, and we set out to do this in a more dynamic, data-driven way.”

WME has recently increased is presence on social media by partnering with some of the biggest names in the online video world. Creators who have linked up with the talent agency over the past year include Musical.ly standouts Lisa and Lena, Venezuelan-American social media phenomenon Lele Pons, and YouTube star Tyler Oakley.

According to Variety, WME did not disclose the size of its contribution to Influential’s Series B. To date, Influential has raised $24.5 million from investors.