Interpublic Group has struck a deal with LeBron James’ entertainment company and brand consultancy, SpringHill Company, in a move to gain access to the firm’s growing lineup of diverse creators, including copywriters and entertainment development executives. The joint venture, called IPG x The SpringHill Company, will be announced today at Cannes and comes as marketers and ad agencies seek new ways to connect brands to pop culture.
“IPG will have access to all of our creates and creative teams and our creative community. So what we are going to do is play a little bit of matchmaker,” SpringHill President Devin Johnson said in an interview.
SpringHill, which is led by James and longtime business partner Maverick Carter, has been on a roll, pumping out recent films such as “Hustle,” the Netflix basketball movie starring Adam Sandler, as well as “Space Jam: A New Legacy,” which starred James and ran in theaters last year. SpringHill’s production arm also handled the 2022 Super Bowl ad for Crypto.com that starred James.
SpringHill also runs a brand consultancy called Robot whose clients have included “Fortnite” maker Epic Games. Epic is part of an investment group that late last year acquired a minority stake in SpringHill that valued the firm at $725 million. The group also included Nike, RedBird Capital Partners and Fenway Sports Group, whose holdings include the Boston Red Sox and Liverpool F.C.