Director of Innovation
Goodby Silverstein & Partners
1) The explosion of artificial intelligence, which is being applied everywhere from picture recognition to script creation, is astounding. It’s a fun playground for creatives—especially those who don’t fear robots. Also, stand-alone VR is hitting a critical mass. Some of the work being done in that space, such as Alien: Covenant in Utero from RSA and Fox Studios, is astounding.
2) The W+K work for Ok Cupid “DTF” stands out as brave, modern, simple, human, elegant and poignant—all adjectives I strive to achieve in my own work. I like how it turns the expectation of the modern dating app on its head. R/GA’s chatbot-turned-ex-Hollywood icon “Rose” is a good example of bringing narrative into new technology and advertising. And Goodby Silverstein & Partners’ rap battle on the Super Bowl stage was a high-wattage example of awesome casting and branded entertainment.
3) I expect an outpouring of creativity for the end of 2018 and 2019. The creative community is restless. There are new tools at our disposal, and it’s never been easier to connect with folks or move the world through a great idea. Expect lots of VOICE stunts and collaborations between people and programs!
4) I think we’re seeing a broadening of perspectives—stories being told in new ways, but more importantly, from new points of view. People seem to be working harder to find a truly compelling story to tell. From “Girls Skate India” for Vans to “Real Life,” starring Monica Lewinsky, to JFK’s “lost speech,” we’re seeing stories that weren’t being represented before.
5) New towers for all the VR and AI programs we're running!
An espresso machine to keep us moving.
6) We’re making lots of recruiting efforts to bring in people with all different perspectives and experiences. We treat casting as an opportunity to push diversity by representation and also as a way to make our stories unique, believable and relevant. We’re constantly on a search for new and diverse voices and talent, and we mentor our teams to make thoughtful, responsible choices.
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