MAM
‘Spider-Man’ weaves a legal web around SPE, Marvel
LOS ANGELES : Spiderman may have seen Sony Pictures Entertainment set new box office records last year but like “Tobey Maguire”, the studio has now been “bitten” courtesy a lawsuit filed by Marvel.
The issue relates to the critical area of movie merchandising and a Reuters report indicates that the matter rests with a Los Angeles judge. A verdict is expected sometime next week.
As per the suit, the comics publisher of the super hero Marvel Enterprises wants to end its Spider-Man licensing agreement with SPE after the sequel is completed. Marvel has accused Sony of attempting to hijack the brand; claiming exclusive merchandising rights to the character; and “cross-promoting” the superhero with other Sony features in violation of their agreement. Through promotions, Marvel has alleged that Sony is trying to remove the connection one automatically makes between Spider- Man and Marvel.
SPE has stated that a jury trial where confidential information would be made available would undermine the studio’s future dealings with partners. Therefore it wants the issue to be settled through arbitration away from the public domain.
The movie studio argues that Marvel is using the litigation as leverage to secure better licensing terms. Sony is anxious that the license agreement and an internal marketing document are not made public. Information such as revenue projections, advertising budgets and royalty targets from the first Spider-Man movie, would undermine its ability to negotiate merchandising agreements for the sequel.
On its part, Marvel says that it is in no way trying to hinder production of a sequel. Spiderman made $800 million worldwide. Marvel has also accused Sony of going back on its promise to use its sister companies, such as Sony Electronics and Sony’s games division, to merchandise the web-slinger. The report states that Marvel’s 4,700 comic characters are licensed to promote everything from snack foods to clothing and entertainment. Its Daredevil, X-Men characters were made into films by 20th Century Fox.
MAM
Publicis Groupe acquires sports marketing agency 160over90
Deal strengthens Publicis Sports with global scale and talent partnerships.
MUMBAI: Publicis Groupe has just scored a major goal in the sports marketing arena and this time, it’s not just about fans in the stands, but brands looking to win big. The French advertising giant has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire 160over90, a leading global sports and culture-first agency that is part of WME Group. The move builds on Publicis Sports’ recent expansions, including the acquisitions of Adopt and Bespoke in 2025, a partnership with Magic Johnson Enterprises, and the launch of Influential Sports.
The combined Publicis Sports group will be led by Suzy Deering, CEO of Publicis Sports. Robbie Henchman, most recently President of 160over90, will stay with WME Group as Senior Partner and President of its brand representation business while overseeing the strategic partnership between WME Group and Publicis Groupe.
160over90 employs over 670 people across the US, UK, EMEA and APAC. It specialises in creating meaningful connections between brands, sports events, properties and culture. The sports media market is valued at $150 billion globally, while sports sponsorships have crossed $90 billion, yet many marketers still struggle with fragmented and outdated approaches.
With this acquisition, Publicis aims to offer brands a more unified solution through greater scale and reach across key markets, data-first optimisation powered by the Publicis Sports Intelligence platform, activation of the creator economy via Influential, and a new strategic talent and entertainment partnership with WME Group.
Publicis Groupe CEO Arthur Sadoun described sport as one of the most high-value channels in the age of AI. “This acquisition is the latest demonstration of our ongoing commitment to investing in the channels and capabilities that deliver the highest value for our clients,” he said.
Publicis Connected Media CEO Dave Penski added that sport has become the most powerful intersection of culture, commerce and community.
WME Group president and managing partner Mark Shapiro noted that combining 160over90 with Publicis Sports will create an unmatched offering for brands seeking deeper connections with sports fans.
In a fragmented sports marketing landscape, Publicis has clearly decided that the best way to win is to bring the whole team together turning scattered plays into one powerful, end-to-end strategy that connects brands to fans in meaningful and measurable ways.
