Alex Dobson has been named creative strategy lead, U.S., for The&Partnership. Dobson, who joined the agency in 2019, previously served as strategy director and has played a pivotal role in the global success of the firm’s Mars account, overseeing high-profile campaigns for brands including Skittles, Snickers and Extra Gum. Since joining The&Partnership, Dobson has helped lead the way on Mars’ addressable strategy, social content and purpose-led campaigns, enabling the company’s brands to forge stronger connections with their consumers. This includes developing the strategy behind the 2023 Gold Effie-winning “Everyone’s Original” campaign for Ben’s Original – the brand’s first campaign following its rebrand from Uncle Ben’s. Most recently, Dobson oversaw strategy on global Halloween TV campaigns for Twix and M&Ms. Other campaign highlights include the launch of Skittles’ “Squishy Cloudz,” the brand’s first-ever gummy confection, and the Snickers’ “Go Full Fan” campaign in support of England’s Lionesses, the country’s national women’s soccer team during the team’s run to the Euro 2022 championship. Dobson also played a key role in driving sales for Extra White gum up by more than 30 percent through the “Every Smile Should Shine” campaign. In his new role, Dobson will lead the U.S. creative strategy Team, working with the firm’s media agency, mSix&Partners, to bring more data-informed content strategies to clients. Along with client work, he will guide the agency’s implementation of AI tools throughout the agency’s work. Prior to joining The&Partnership, Dobson was a sr. strategist at Grey London, working with client Nomad Foods. Earlier at Bow&Arrow (now part of Accenture Song), he developed strategy for clients including Dow Jones and Google….
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