Crispin Porter + Bogusky (CP+B) has promoted Jason Gagnon to the role of executive producer, head of radio + audio. Gagnon, who is based out of Miami, will oversee all sound production at the agency, including radio commercials as well as audio needs relating to TV or Internet-based work. Gagnon has been with CP+B since 2005, producing much of the agency's radio work since that time. In 2008, he was promoted to head of radio production, where he took a further lead on related work for CP+B clients including Domino's Pizza, vitaminwater, belVita, Best Buy, MetLife, Arby's, Applebee's, Old Navy and KRAFT. Gagnon got his start in advertising in the late 90's, spending five years as an audio engineer at a South Florida agency before becoming a studio director at another local agency, writing jingles and producing and mixing spots in the automotive industry. His work has been awarded with Silver at the London International Awards and Bronze at the Clios as well a Titanium Lion at this year's Cannes for the KRAFT Ted Williams-Fight Hunger campaign. In addition to acting as sr. integrated radio producer on the campaign, Gagnon was instrumental in locating, connecting, and signing singer Ted Williams, 24 hours after the viral video that propelled his notoriety hit the web…Sydney-based design, visual effects and animation studio Animal Logic has expanded its advertising creative team with the addition of director Simon Robson and VFX supervisor/lead Flame artist Jonathan Hairman. BAFTA-nominated Robson, who spent over 10 years in London making his mark in various production and animation studios, joins Animal Logic as director in its advertising and multimedia division. While working with London's Nexus Productions, Robson collaborated with high profile agencies and directors, turning out work for such clients as Mars, Nike and Adidas. Now living in Australia, Robson has been busy directing work for an international stable of clients bringing his animation sensibilities to the live-action realm on commercials for MasterCard, Coke, Kia Motors, Telstra and award winning promos for SBS. Meanwhile Hairman, an 18-plus year industry vet, returns to Animal Logic. After nine years at Framestore, London, where he rose to being a leading spot VFX supervisor, Hairman is back home in Sydney. Known for his distinctive eye for detail Hairman has worked with such noted directors as Martin Krejci, Tom Hooper, Johnny Green, Frank Budgen, Chris Palmer and Jonas Akerlund….New York-based Cause & [Effect] has signed director Moh Azima for U.S. commercial representation. A music video director with output for Cold War Kids, Interpol and more to his name, Azima has also helmed spots for MTV, Marc by Marc Jacobs and American Express. The director recently completed an Olympics-themed spot for Nick Jr., produced by Cause & [Effect]. Azima is currently repped on the West Coast and for music videos by Doomsday and was most recently repped at Paydirt Pictures….Editor Tracy Hof has inked a deal with Stitch to work on commercial, music video and narrative work. Her credits in the commercial field include Bud Light, Adidas, Sony, Toyota, Xbox and DirecTV. She had a recent stint as sr. editor at Oprah Winfrey's OWN network…..Barbary Post has promoted Matt O'Donnell to editor. O'Donnell was hired in January as a senior assistant/junior editor but has done very little assisting and quite a bit of editing. O'Donnell has recently cut a package of spots for XOJet, directed by Jeff Iorillo, and videos for Salesforce.com and Barefoot Wines, through BBDO/SF. O'Donnell joins the Barbary roster of editors Bob Spector and Nick Tomnay, VFX compositor Greg Gilmore, VFX designer Steven McEuen and colorist Kent Pritchett. O'Donnell had been a part of the San Francisco post community for seven years, including five on staff at Bonfire/Phoenix….The VIA Agency has hired Dustin Levine as integrated producer reporting to Sven Fahlgren, director of new media and production services. Levine will work on the Welch's and DuPont accounts. Prior to joining VIA, Levine was employed at Sony PlayStation Marketing Werks as marketing manager where he helped to launch the PlayStation Vita and 3D TVs….
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