Kids compare action figures during kindergarten playtime. The first lad holds Viking Man who has a magic helmet. Another touts the super human abilities of his Robo Droid from outer space.
But a third boy eclipses them both. “They are no match for Renewable Energy Man,” declares the youngster. “He uses sun-water-wind power.”
The boy, with Renewable Energy Man in hand, then runs circles, literally, around his two playmates, repeatedly chanting his “Sun-Water-Wind” mantra.
The kindergarten teacher intervenes, “Billy, your mom’s here.” We then see that the mother is wearing a Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) shirt. In reference to Billy’s behavior, the teacher says to the mom, “Looks like you’ve been taking your work home.”
Billy jumps into the arms of his mommy who carries him away over her shoulder. As we see his two playmates look up at him, Billy affirms to them in battle cry fashion, “The future is clean energy.”
A female voiceover then notes that sun, water, wind and other renewables make up 30 percent of the energy PG&E delivers. The future is renewable energy.”
Titled “Action Figure,” the spot is one of four in a PG&E campaign directed by Alison Maclean of Park Pictures, New York, for Venables, Bell & Partners, San Francisco.
The agency team on “Action Figure” consisted of creative directors Paul Venables and Greg Bell, copywriter Chip Waters, art director Will Dean and producer Stacy Higgins.
Jackie Kelman Bisbee executive produced for Park Pictures, with Mary Ann Marino serving as producer. The DP was Rodrigo Prieto.
Bob Frisk of Phoenix Edit, Effects & Design, San Francisco, edited the campaign. Other Phoenix contributors were motion graphics designer Bobby Van Dyke, visual effects artist Matt Silverman, online editors John Crossley and Treena Loria, executive producer Jonathan Hinman and producer Lisa Houck. Colorist was Stefan Sonnenfeld of Company 3, Santa Monica. Audio mixer was Mark Pitchford of M Squared Productions, San Francisco. Music composer on “Action Figure” was Jason Johnson of stimmung, Santa Monica.
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