One Twenty Nine Films is expanding to the East Coast and widening its scope beyond its niche in advertising production into original content. The company has hired veteran producer Robert Mulligan to serve as its executive producer in New York City. Previously director of content at Momentum Worldwide, Mulligan will oversee production activity in New York and work to develop new business in commercials, branded content and digital media. He will also team with One Twenty Nine Films founder Nick Seuser to further the company’s plans to develop television, feature and documentary content.
After a successful track record on the West Coast, One Twenty Nine Films is aiming to establish a national presence while also tapping into a diversifying advertising market and booming demand for original content. “We have great relationships with agencies in San Francisco and the West, as well as tech companies and other brands based here, but we want to broaden our reach,” said Seuser who added that the company seeks to create new opportunities for its roster of directors by forging relationships with agencies in New York and elsewhere, and by moving into original content.
One Twenty Nine Films’ roster includes directors Adrian Rojas Elliot, Daniel Mabe, David Rosenbaum, Ian Schiller, Mary Dauterman, Max Gutierrez, Nicholas Weigel, Patrick Biesemans, Rosie Haber and Tony Benna. Their recent work includes projects for Netflix, Specialized, Head, Google, Nike, and Alfa Romeo.
Mulligan has more than 20 years of experience as an agency and production company producer. “He’s a strong EP with a great rep and established industry relationships in New York City,” Seuser observed. “He has the wherewithal and the expertise we need. He’s comfortable in both the agency and production worlds. He has hands-on experience in every type of production.”
At Momentum Worldwide, Mulligan produced commercials, branded content, and virtual reality for clients, including American Express, SAP, Verizon, Facebook and Amazon, winning multiple awards, including Gold Clios for his work for American Express. After receiving his Master of Fine Arts, from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts in London, Mulligan independently financed “BOXED’” a feature film he wrote, produced, and directed. “BOXED” received multiple awards from domestic and international film festivals, thus opening the door to NYC’s vibrant filmmaking community and tapping Mulligan to write and produce Jane’s Addiction’s documentary, “Enit Festival.” He went on to spend the next six years producing award-winning music videos and commercials before joining F.A.Q. Productions/Partizan Films, New York as executive producer.
Mulligan has helped One Twenty Nine Films, New York, get off to a fast start. The company is in pre-production for an advertising campaign for a major bank, and kicking off branded work for two prominent San Francisco-based tech companies. It is also in talks with a major streaming distributor to create original content.
Nike’s quarterly sales and profits slump as it faces shoppers’ sluggish demand for its products
Nike sales and profits slumped in its fiscal first quarter as the sportswear giant wrestles with shoppers' sluggish demand for new sneaker models and other products.
The lackluster results Tuesday came after Nike announced last month that its CEO, John Donahoe, is stepping down on Oct. 13. Company veteran Elliott Hill is coming out of retirement to head up the company.
"A comeback at this scale takes time, but we see early wins — from momentum in key sports to accelerating our pace of newness and innovation," said Matthew Friend, executive vice president and Nike's chief financial officer, in statement. "Our teams are energized as Elliott Hill returns to lead Nike's next stage of growth."
Friend told analysts Tuesday that, given its CEO transition and with three quarters left in the fiscal year, Nike has withdrawn its full-year financial-performance guidance and intends to provide a quarterly outlook for the balance of the fiscal year. It also postponed its investor meeting that had been scheduled for Nov. 19.
Nike has been known for its innovation but in recent years, analysts have said that it has lost its focus on coming up with cool products.
Neil Saunders, managing director at GlobalData Retail, said that some of the sales decline was due to a weaker consumer economy that has shoppers buying fewer sneakers and not splurging on clothing as they once did.
"Nike has done itself no favors with a lack of focus and oomph in a market where far more effort and exertion is needed to hold onto sales," he said. "There is a general sense that Nike has lost its edge and that the power of its innovation and the quality of its storytelling have both been faded."
Saunders noted that at the same time, smaller rival brands... Read More