This campaign centers around fans’ deep belief in the power of superstitions–refusing to change their “lucky” socks, sitting in their favorite chair or rubbing the head of their Teddy Bear–to ensure their baseball team’s victory. BBDO San Francisco is launching two promo commercials for Comcast that show the extremes San Francisco Giants fans are willing to go to for their team. In “Cast Air,” a fan recollects falling off a ladder last year while pruning a tree. As a result, he broke his arm in three places and had to wear an orange cast–orange being one of the Giants’ colors. He relates that it may sound crazy but that mishap might be why the Giants won the 2010 World Series.
The guy then proceeds to throw himself off a ladder, landing on his arm with a thud–all in the name of ensuring that the Giants repeat their world championship greatness this season.
The other spot shows a fan letting her daughter’s hamster “get lost,” knowing that losing another hamster could be the key to another title.
To encourage fans to share what they did to help the Giants win last year, the two humorous ads direct viewers to helpthegiantswin.com, where they can Tweet their baseball rituals and superstitions. The TV spots are airing throughout the San Francisco market, and fans are already coming together online to share their stories and rituals online.
Both commercials were directed by Amir Farhang of Uber Content.
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