Lowe Campbell Ewald–the U.S. hub for worldwide network Lowe and Partners–announced plans to open an office in New York City. Sal Taibi, most recently general manager at Deutsch New York, has been named president of Lowe Campbell Ewald’s NY office. He will report to Jim Palmer, CEO of Lowe Campbell Ewald. The NY shop is expected to open its doors in January 2014 and will include clients Taibi and his team have worked with previously.
“Our New York office will bolster our national footprint from coast to coast,” said Palmer. “With offices in Detroit, Los Angeles, San Antonio and now New York, plus Lowe’s international talent and distribution channels, Lowe Campbell Ewald is poised to better help clients navigate the ever-evolving global media and marketing environment.”
Taibi said that Lowe Campbell Ewald’s four U.S. offices “will make up a truly national network and great launching pad for global marketers based outside the U.S.”
On July 9, it was announced that Campbell Ewald would become the U.S. hub for the Lowe and Partners Worldwide network. Since that time, the agencies have worked hand-in-hand on shared clients and new business opportunities. Plus Lowe Campbell Ewald has scored several key new business wins, including Cadillac, Atkins, Western Governors University and the Detroit Lions.
Earlier this year, Lowe Campbell Ewald announced it was relocating to downtown Detroit after 35 years in the suburbs. The agency is expected to move into to the J.L. Hudson Warehouse at Ford Field in January 2014.
“Sonic the Hedgehog 3” Tops Weekend Box Office
In the holiday season battle of big-budget family movies, Paramount Pictures' "Sonic the Hedgehog 3" sped past the Walt Disney Co.'s "Mufasa: The Lion King" to take the top spot at the box office ahead of the lucrative Christmas corridor in theaters.
"Sonic the Hedgehog 3" debuted with $62 million in ticket sales over the weekend, according to studio estimates. With strong reviews (86% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes) and a high score from audiences (an "A" on CinemaScore), "Sonic 3" is well positioned to be the top choice in cinemas during the busiest moviegoing period of the year.
It was telling of some wider trends that "Sonic 3" — made for $122 million — bested one of Disney's top properties. Videogame adaptations, once among the most derided movie genres, have emerged as one of the most dependable box office forces in recent years. The two previous "Sonic" movies together grossed more $700 million worldwide and the third installment appears likely to do better than both of them. A fourth "Sonic" movie is already in development.
"Mufasa," however, was humbled in its opening weekend, with its $35 million in domestic ticket sales coming in notably shy of expectations . The photorealistic "Lion King" prequel even opened wider than "Sonic 3," launching on 4,100 theaters and gobbling up most IMAX screens, compared with 3,761 locations for "Sonic 3."
Though "Mufasa's" reviews were poor (56% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes), audiences gave it an "A-" CinemaScore.
"Sonic 3" nearly doubled the haul for "Mufasa," which cost more than $200 million to make. Disney could look to $87.2 million in international sales to help make up the difference. The third "Sonic" will rollout in most overseas markets in the coming weeks.
In director Jeff... Read More