Director Martin Krejci has joined Merman for commercial and TV representation in the U.K. He had previously been repped in that market by Blink. In the U.S., Krejci continues to be handled by Ruffian. His directorial credits include bold and cinematic fare for the likes of Apple, Nike, Adidas, Heineken and Carlsberg. Krejci’s work is known for his devised in-camera trickery, strong visuals and expertly crafted performances, Krejci’s commercialmaking endeavors have garnered awards for Hornbach, Honda and Lurpak including Cannes Lions, Clios and D&AD to name a few. More recently Krejci has applied his skillset to long-form projects such as The True Adventures of Wolfboy starring John Turturro and Chloe Sevigny. Krejci’s debut feature tells the story of a young boy who runs away from home in the search of his estranged mother….
Havas Group has acquired HYLAND, an independent media agency Down Under. HYLAND’s specialists will integrate into Havas Media Group to form a bigger and even more dynamic team with an extensive set of skills and in-depth knowledge base. The new team will see Havas Media Group reach a milestone of over 100 people in the Sydney office with the increased scale providing further growth opportunities for staff from both agency brands. Founded in 2005, HYLAND has constantly expanded and is known for creating highly integrated, content-rich experiences working with luxury, beauty, travel, B2B and lifestyle brands which will complement Havas Media Group’s client portfolio and its deep data and performance marketing capability. Virginia Hyland, founder and CEO of HYLAND, will take on the role of managing director, HYLAND Division, working alongside Mike Wilson, chairman, Havas Media Group, Australia-New Zealand (ANZ), and Matt Houltham, CEO Havas Media Group, ANZ, to form the sr. leadership team….
More Than A Game: Bringing Sincere Representation Of The Shawnee Tribe To Civilization 7
Shawnee Tribe Chief Ben Barnes grew up playing video games, including "probably hundreds of hours" colonizing a distant planet in the 1999 title Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri.
So when that same game studio, Firaxis, approached the tribal nation a quarter-century later with a proposal to make a playable character out of their famous leader Tecumseh in the upcoming game Civilization 7, Barnes felt a rush of excitement.
"I was like, 'This can't be true,'" Barnes said. "Do they want us to participate in the next version of Civilization?"
Beloved by tens of millions of gamers since its 1991 debut, Meier's Civilization series sparked a new genre of empire-building games that simulated the real world while also diverging into imaginary twists. It has captivated nerdy fans like Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg and a young Barnes with its intricate and addictive gameplay and rich historical context.
Choosing among leaders that can range from Cleopatra to Mahatma Gandhi, players build a civilization from its first settlement to a sprawling network of cities, negotiate with or conquer neighbors, and develop trade, science, religion and the arts. Circana, which tracks U.S. game sales, says it's the bestselling strategy video game franchise of all time.
But things have changed since the early days of Civilization. Of course, video game technology has advanced, but so too has society's understanding of cultural appropriation and the importance of accurate historical framing.
Firaxis dropped plans to add a historical Pueblo leader in 2010 after tribal leaders objected. The game incorporated a Cree leader in 2018 but faced public criticism in Canada after its release.
Developers knew that to properly represent the Shawnee leader, they would... Read More