Crispin Porter+Bogusky, Miami and Boulder, Colo., has promoted five associate creative directors to creative directors: Ryan Kutscher, Alex “Burnie” Burnard, Omid Farhang, Steve Babcock and Dave Swartz.
Kutscher becomes a creative director on Volkswagen after having served as an associate c.d. on Burger King (“Whopper Virgins”) and VW (“Meet the Volkswagen” campaign).
Farhang too is a creative director on VW. He began at the agency three years ago as an intern and moved up the ranks.
Burnard is now creative director on the Coke Zero and Buell accounts. An 11-year Crispin veteran, Burnard first carved out a name for himself with his work for AND1.
Babcock becomes creative director for Activision/Guitar Hero, He started out at the agency in April ’07 and has worked on VW, Domino’s and Guitar Hero.
And Swartz is a creative director for Best Buy, Geek Squad and B-cycle. He had served as an associate c.d. on BK and B-cycle. Swartz has been with Crispin on and off since ’90 and worked on such accounts as AvMed, Shimano, Giro, Truth, Mini, Nike and BK.
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