International creative animation/design studio LOBO, with bases of operation in Sao Paulo, Brazil, and New York, has partnered with Ground Control Studios, London, for representation across the U.K. and Asia. Ground Control represents A-list shops across live-action, post, animation and experiential, including XR, with work for brands such as Coca-Cola, ASICS, Adidas, L’Oreal, Nintendo, and many more. The signing follows LOBO’s successful expansion into NYC to support increased demand in the U.S. market and cements its London presence under the leadership of Ground Control executive creative producer Loic Dubois. LOBO recently earned the Grand Clio in the Games category, as well as two Gold and one Silver award for their spot “The Real Airdrop” out of AKQA for Free Fire, directed by Giovani Ferreira. The two studios most recently launched the TotallyMoney campaign “You’ll Totally Get There” for the U.K. market….
Pixly, a San Francisco-based influencer marketing agency specializing in video content on platforms like YouTube, TikTok, Instagram and Twitch, has hired Jacqueline Dennis, an experienced sales professional with talent relations expertise, as its new director of partnerships. Dennis will lead advertiser sales outreach, establish and solidify relationships with new clients, build custom influencer strategies, and secure sponsored influencer content. She will form the bridge between brands and influencers to create bespoke advertising campaigns. In her most recent role as talent partnerships manager at Enthusiast Gaming, Dennis oversaw campaign management, advertising sales and business development. Prior to that, she served as sales planner at Super League Gaming, where she created and built custom in-game digital media campaigns and influencer integrations….
Google Opens Its Defense In Antitrust Case Alleging Monopoly Over Online Ad Technology
Google opened its defense against allegations that it holds an illegal monopoly on online advertising technology Friday with witness testimony saying the industry is vastly more complex and competitive than portrayed by the federal government.
"The industry has been exceptionally fluid over the last 18 years," said Scott Sheffer, a vice president for global partnerships at Google, the company's first witness at its antitrust trial in federal court in Alexandria.
The Justice Department and a coalition of states contend that Google built and maintained an illegal monopoly over the technology that facilitates the buying and selling of online ads seen by consumers.
Google counters that the government's case improperly focuses on a narrow type of online ads — essentially the rectangular ones that appear on the top and on the right-hand side of a webpage. In its opening statement, Google's lawyers said the Supreme Court has warned judges against taking action when dealing with rapidly emerging technology like what Sheffer described because of the risk of error or unintended consequences.
Google says defining the market so narrowly ignores the competition it faces from social media companies, Amazon, streaming TV providers and others who offer advertisers the means to reach online consumers.
Justice Department lawyers called witnesses to testify for two weeks before resting their case Friday afternoon, detailing the ways that automated ad exchanges conduct auctions in a matter of milliseconds to determine which ads are placed in front of which consumers and how much they cost.
The department contends the auctions are finessed in subtle ways that benefit Google to the exclusion of would-be competitors and in ways that prevent... Read More