Advertising creatives Steven Bennett-Day and Aaron Howard have launched Few & Far, a venture designed to work with clients’ in-house capabilities by providing creative ideas, departing from the traditional ad agency processes. Bennett-Day was most recently chief creative officer at Feed in London. Before joining Feed in 2017, he spent three years as group executive creative director at Havas helia, London. It was during this time that he met Howard, who had previously cut his teeth at EHS Brann, Havas’ direct, digital and data marketing group in London. Howard was most recently working as creative director at Havas London. While Few & Far specializes in ideas, it also has a network of curated experts in disciplines including production, strategy, design, technology, PR and editorial, with whom the studio can collaborate as needed. Bennett-Day and Howard believe this style of agency taps into the need for clients to seek best-in-class creative offerings from wherever they can find them. The Few & Far team will avoid the expense and restrictions of a formal headquarters and will base themselves wherever best to serve the client and inspire creativity. Bennett Day noted that a number of clients are taking their work in-house and seeking good ideas without having to engage in a complicated agency relationship. Few & Far launches with two clients: Vivobarefoot and Gail’s Bakery. Bennett-Day and Howard have previously worked across a range of clients including Ella’s Kitchen, Dove, Tesco Clubcard, Adidas and Heinz, and they have produced everything from digital firsts–such as the first ever beer created from A.I.–through data, social and film….
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