Tony Granger, global chief creative officer of Young & Rubicam, has been selected to chair both the Cannes Lions Film and Press juries at next year’s International Advertising Festival.
Under Granger’s creative leadership, Young & Rubicam’s global network ranked third at Cannes 2010, leaping upward five slots in a single year; Y&R New York was the number one agency in the U.S. and second globally. Also in 2010, Y&R was named Network of the Year by the Art Directors Club, New York Festivals and the London International Awards.
Since arriving at Y&R in 2008, Granger has attracted top drawer creative talent, fully integrated digital into the agency, and built a global creativity community in both spirit and practice. This is reflected in notable work for clients like Virgin Atlantic, Land Rover, LG and Telefonica.
“Young & Rubicam’s rising up the agency ranks in the last couple of years is a testament to Tony’s incredible talent, his belief in the power of creativity and brilliant leadership,” said Terry Savage, chairman of the Cannes Ad Fest.
Granger said of his being named chair of the Film and Press juries, “This is a great honor. Cannes Lions is the most prestigious global awards show in our industry–it gives us the chance to highlight what is possible while inspiring us to leap forward. It’s the celebration of creativity in all forms of communication, and I’m excited to be a part of it.”
Before joining Y&R, Granger spent five years at Saatchi & Saatchi. There, too, he led the agency’s creative transformation. Saatchi became the top creative agency in the U.S., and International Agency of the Year at both the Cannes and the Clio Festivals. He led a similar renaissance at Bozell New York, where the shop catapulted to best in the U.S. and third best at Cannes in 2002. Granger began his career in his native South Africa, where he led TBWAHunt Lascaris.
The 58th Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival is slated for June 19-25, 2011 in Cannes, France.
Apple and Google Face UK Investigation Into Mobile Browser Dominance
Apple and Google aren't giving consumers a genuine choice of mobile web browsers, a British watchdog said Friday in a report that recommends they face an investigation under new U.K. digital rules taking effect next year.
The Competition and Markets Authority took aim at Apple, saying the iPhone maker's tactics hold back innovation by stopping rivals from giving users new features like faster webpage loading. Apple does this by restricting progressive web apps, which don't need to be downloaded from an app store and aren't subject to app store commissions, the report said.
"This technology is not able to fully take off on iOS devices," the watchdog said in a provisional report on its investigation into mobile browsers that it opened after an initial study concluded that Apple and Google effectively have a chokehold on "mobile ecosystems."
The CMA's report also found that Apple and Google manipulate the choices given to mobile phone users to make their own browsers "the clearest or easiest option."
And it said that the a revenue-sharing deal between the two U.S. Big Tech companies "significantly reduces their financial incentives" to compete in mobile browsers on Apple's iOS operating system for iPhones.
Both companies said they will "engage constructively" with the CMA.
Apple said it disagreed with the findings and said it was concerned that the recommendations would undermine user privacy and security.
Google said the openness of its Android mobile operating system "has helped to expand choice, reduce prices and democratize access to smartphones and apps" and that it's "committed to open platforms that empower consumers."
It's the latest move by regulators on both sides of the Atlantic to crack down on the... Read More