HSI Productions has entered into an arrangement with digital creative shop Heavenspot whereby the former will represent the latter to ad agencies and clients. Via the partnering, HSI gains digital chops, enabling the longstanding commercialmaking house to package its production acumen with Heavenspot’s web and interactive talent and resources. Conversely Heavenspot picks up access to live-action directors and production, thus allowing it to offer more comprehensive capabilities to not only its clientele but also those advertisers, marketers and ad agencies it’s introduced to by HSI.
According to HSI head of sales Michelle Ross, the two companies have already collaborated on an Old Navy project for Crispin Porter+Bogusky, with HSI handling the commercial production and Heavenspot the digital element of the campaign, including web banner work. HSI also secured for Heavenspot the digital portion of a Quiznos job (with live action spot work done by another production house).
Heavenspot’s portfolio includes the creation of graphically rich websites, movie and games trailers, and banner ads for global brands like Disney, Adobe, Hasbro, Fox Broadcasting, Focus Features, Paramount Pictures and Warner Bros. Heavenspot earned this year’s “People’s Voice” Webby Award for “Adobe Brilliant.” Creative entrepreneur Chevon Hicks–who earlier served in senior creative positions at Universal New Media, Sony Online Entertainment, Attitude Network, and MGM Creative Advertising–is founder and president of Heavenspot.
“We know that HSI is the perfect representative to help us expand our capabilities in production and client relations,” said Hicks. “We look forward to leveraging our strengths in the evolving digital space on behalf of HSI clients as we move forward together to create memorable digital content for current and future clients.”
Heavenspot’s sister company AppWagon publishes games and applications for the new wave of portable touch devices.
HSI produces commercials and music videos for global brands and entertainment artists such as Activision, Pepsi, Burger King, adidas, Britney Spears, Madonna, Justin Timberlake to Jay-Z, while representing such notable directors as Brett Ratner, David LaChapelle, Joseph Kahn, Hype Williams and Allen Hughes. Founded by president/producer Stavros Merjos in 1986, HSI has offices in Los Angeles, New York and London.
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