Director Pete Henderson, a leading director in Canada who continues to be handled there by Steam Films, has joined Venice, Calif.-based Mechaniks for exclusive stateside representation.
Director Pete Henderson, a leading director in Canada who continues to be handled there by Steam Films, has joined Venice, Calif.-based Mechaniks for exclusive stateside representation. Best known for his comedy/performance work, Henderson's spot credits span such clients as Molson's, KFC, the NHL, Budweiser and Rogers Cable…..Director Danny J. Boyle has joined Radar Studios, expanding its West Coast division. He joins Walter Robot as the production house's L.A.-based directors. Already via Radar, Boyle has helmed his first campaign–Playskool for N.Y. agency Uproar. His credits over the years include spots for such clients as McDonald's, IHOP and Nesquik. He has also branched out to direct a 15-webisode series for Disney titled Zeke and Luther: Summer Dash For Cash. Boyle has additionally directed sketch comedy series for Fox Television, Disney Channel and Comedy Central….Production and design studio Superfad has signed Darren Jaffe as head of production. Over the years, Jaffe has led teams to create truly work for clients including Target, Microsoft, Emirates Airlines and artist Barbara Kruger. At Superfad he reunites with partner/exec producer Kevin Batten; the two previously worked together at Brand New School…..Sound Lounge has hired audio engineer Juan Aceves, who will lead a new Hispanic division for the full-service audio production company. Aceves' hire coincides with an expansion of multicultural capabilities for Sound Lounge, as the company gains momentum in account growth for projects tailored to Hispanic audiences. Aceves is a three-time Emmy nominee for “Outstanding Achievement in Sound Mixing” for his work on Dora the Explorer and Go, Diego, Go!, and has worked on major Hispanic-focused campaigns for General Motors, Coca-Cola, and Home Depot….
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