T-Mobile’s “Welcome Back” scored Best TV Commercial of the Year honors at the 2011 British Arrows Awards (formerly the BTAAs) held at Battersea Evolution in Battersea Park on Wednesday (3/16). Directed by Henry-Alex Rubin of Smuggler for Saatchi & Saatchi London, “Welcome Back” additionally scored two gold awards for telecommunications services and best over 90 second TV commercial.
“Welcome Back” also helped Smuggler tie with Academy for Arrows’ Most Successful Production Company of the Year. Additional work helmed by Rubin (a Sony Ericsson Experia X10 phone campaign that earned three bronze awards and three finalists) spurred Smuggler to earn the distinction.
Meanwhile Academy’s strong showing was propelled by gold award wins for Ikea’s “Kitchen Party” directed by Kim Gehrig and Match.com’s “Piano” helmed by Si & Ad, as well as a silver award recipient, Kick Racism out of Football’s “Unacceptable” helmed by Walter Stern.
Mother was named Advertising Agency of the Year, in part on the strength of the aforementioned “Kitchen Party” and “Piano” spots, among other work. This marks the third time Mother has copped the ad agency honor. Only three other shops have won three or more times: BBH London with five, and DDB and Abbott Mead Vickers BBDO with three apiece.
Volkswagen received The Chairman’s Award recognizing outstanding contribution to the industry. This is only the second time an advertiser has been selected, Hamlet being the first. The award is usually given to an individual.
To view the full list of winners, visit the British Arrows here.
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