Interpublic Group (NYSE: IPG) has acquired a stake in The Famous Group, a fan experience technology company based in Los Angeles. Founded in 1997, The Famous Group is an innovator in the creation of mixed and augmented reality experiences for live events. The company has partnered with live event organizations to create unforgettable moments, including the NFL, NBA, NHL, Nickelodeon and WWE. The Famous Group has also worked with such consumer brands as Verizon and Nike, among others.
The Famous Group will partner across the IPG portfolio to create immersive, interactive experiences for clients and media partners through its technology solutions. While The Famous Group will continue to operate under its agency name and retain its ability to work independently with existing and future clients, it will be aligned with Momentum Worldwide, a leading experiential marketing agency under the IPG umbrella.
“By formalizing our relationship and taking a stake in The Famous Group, we can accelerate the pace at which we move to deliver the next generation of live events, with scalable technology platforms and a deeper connection to our data resources and capabilities. Together with Jon (Slusser, The Famous Group partner/CEO) and his teams, we can create hybrid brand experiences that engage larger audiences with personalized experiences and also drive better measurement and accountability for marketers,” commented Philippe Krakowsky, CEO of Interpublic Group.
“I’ve experienced first-hand the strength that IPG brings to creating memorable and immersive brand experiences. Innovation is at the core of both our businesses and together we will make the impossible, possible and create ‘wow’ moments for audiences and brands alike,” said The Famous Group’s Slusser.
“The Famous Group has been creating outstanding work in the mixed reality and live events space and our partnership will blend metaverse and physical experiences at scale, bringing the next level of experiential marketing to our clients and the industry,” added Chris Weil, chairman and CEO, Momentum Worldwide.
Montminy & Co. served as advisors to TFG. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
Rom-Com Mainstay Hugh Grant Shifts To The Dark Side and He’s Never Been Happier
After some difficulties connecting to a Zoom, Hugh Grant eventually opts to just phone instead.
"Sorry about that," he apologizes. "Tech hell." Grant is no lover of technology. Smart phones, for example, he calls the "devil's tinderbox."
"I think they're killing us. I hate them," he says. "I go on long holidays from them, three or four days at at time. Marvelous."
Hell, and our proximity to it, is a not unrelated topic to Grant's new film, "Heretic." In it, two young Mormon missionaries (Chloe East, Sophie Thatcher) come knocking on a door they'll soon regret visiting. They're welcomed in by Mr. Reed (Grant), an initially charming man who tests their faith in theological debate, and then, in much worse things.
After decades in romantic comedies, Grant has spent the last few years playing narcissists, weirdos and murders, often to the greatest acclaim of his career. But in "Heretic," a horror thriller from A24, Grant's turn to the dark side reaches a new extreme. The actor who once charmingly stammered in "Four Weddings and a Funeral" and who danced to the Pointer Sisters in "Love Actually" is now doing heinous things to young people in a basement.
"It was a challenge," Grant says. "I think human beings need challenges. It makes your beer taste better in the evening if you've climbed a mountain. He was just so wonderfully (expletive)-up."
"Heretic," which opens in theaters Friday, is directed by Scott Beck and Bryan Woods, co-writers of "A Quiet Place." In Grant's hands, Mr. Reed is a divinely good baddie — a scholarly creep whose wry monologues pull from a wide range of references, including, fittingly, Radiohead's "Creep."
In an interview, Grant spoke about these and other facets of his character, his journey... Read More