Iris is set to launch its branded entertainment unit, which will focus on producing advertiser-funded content in several platforms.

Iris Studios will allow clients to be actively involved in the production process, as well as content planning and development process.

Iris’ executive director, Shaun McIlrath, will head the unit along with Henry Scotland, the company’s director of experiential marketing.

The new unit will have a new creative team, which specializes in television content.

The first project will focus on the second series of Sony Ericsson’s Pocket TV, a mobile branded music show that has live sessions and interviews with promising artists.
 
 

Philips and DDB will launch a series of five short online films next April, following the partnership’s successful award-winning interactive film—Carousel.

“Parallel Lines” was launched the Philips Cinema website and on its respective Facebook page. The series will officially launch on April 8.

The series is the culmination of the work of five filmmakers from Ridley Scott Associates (RSA). These works include drama, action, animation, and sci-fi.

For Philips, the production marks the third consecutive year that the company has invested in long-form branded entertainment.
 

James Shaver, of the Adrenaline Partnership LLC, brand stewards of the Fireball Run Adventurally®, an annual 75 team 3500 mile enthusiast rally, today announced the launch of its affiliate program. “We believe this to be a first ever affiliate program for a luxury event of our type” said Shaver, Managing Partner, and retired CEO of BroadbandUSA. “We are taking a unique approach to branded entertainment by handing the “keys” to participation over to affiliates who reach our demographic and allowing everyone in the process to prosper from it.”

The affiliate announcement also marks Fireball Run’s return to an exclusive invitation only event. “Now the only way to participate in the adventure is through our affiliate partners,” explained Shaver, “this ensures affiliate partners are rewarded for their efforts. If you have a luxury or business based audience one simply needs to click on the affiliate link available at our web site, http://www.FirebalRun.com and sign up.”

Fireball Run is one of the largest annual motoring events in the country, named in honor of late NASCAR legend, Glenn “Fireball” Roberts. NOT A RACE, Fireball Run teams are playing an interactive adventure game, networking, and meeting with community leaders.

Fireball Run teams are also on a higher mission; recover America’s Missing Children. Each team is assigned a missing child. The child’s image and stats are affixed to the vehicle, creating a “rolling milk carton”. Everywhere teams stop, they ask, “Have you seen this child?” and leave a poster behind. The Race to Recover America’s Missing Children is the longest recovery effort for missing children in history.

“The Fireball Run is a people’s event, comprised of the best our country has to offer; leaders of community and commerce sharing their affection for the open road while aiding in an effort to assist others,” said J. Sanchez, an avid rally driver, retired Air Force Crew Chief and the events Executive Director. “The Fireball Run is a proud expression of automotive enthusiasm, rich in ethnic, cultural, and lifestyle diversity through both enterprise and community celebration.”

About The Fireball Run

The festivities start September 23rd in Lake Las Vegas Nevada and finish 9 days later in Wisconsin. The invitational has attracted teams from around the world to play the 3,500 mile, nine day adventure game. Notable entries include an all-woman Bentley Team, a Batmobile, a team of police officers, an 18 wheeler, and the Time Car from Back to the Future II.

Moderati, one of the original pioneers of the US mobile content business, is now officially rebranding itself as skyrockit to focus on helping its existing media and distribution partners as well as its new brand partners deliver winning mobile entertainment experiences to their consumers. skyrockit aims to be the first full-service mobile entertainment agency that delivers the entire suite of strategy, creative, production, marketing, and research capabilities to its client base.

“Our new branding reflects our unique understanding of tech innovation in Silicon Valley, our knowledge of media industry dynamics, and our experience with what CPG companies now expect in mobile; or as we see it, connecting Madison + Valley + Vine” states skyrockit CEO Jon Vlassopulos. “To date, no other agency has been able to deliver both marketing and monetization expertise to its partners. We see the worlds of media, technology, and brands morphing in very exciting ways in the coming years and we are positioned to help partners take advantage of those new opportunities.”

Since its inception in 2001, skyrockit has evolved from a mobile media distribution company that forged the polyphonic ringtone boom in the early 2000’s to a full-blown mobile entertainment agency working with brands such as vitaminwater, Virgin, NBC, and A&E Television. skyrockit has earned its fame by developing and distributing original content across platforms and carriers, including the Virtual Zippo Lighter for the iPhone, which has given rise to nearly 10M brand ambassadors in only a little over a year.

“It’s been a pleasure working with skyrockit to create this one-of-a-kind application," said Pat Grandy, Marketing Communications Manager at Zippo. "This branding exercise has been successful for us, as we’ve seen our Web traffic and overall brand awareness increase since the Virtual Zippo Lighter’s launch."

The agency has also won several awards, including the 2009 Mobile Marketing Association Award for “Best Global Display Campaign,” as well the MOBI Award for “Best Branded Campaign.” Their app was a shortlist finalist for the MIXX Award for “Best Mobile Campaign,” as well as the Ad:tech Award for “Best Mobile Campaign,” alongside Kraft, Pizza Hut, and Dockers.

A Media Partner that Builds Brands & Drives Business

skyrockit helps brands and media companies go beyond mobile applications and develop new business models. Over the past eight years, the company’s initiatives have resulted in more than $200m in revenue for media companies, recording labels, and Hollywood studios.

About skyrockit, a Bellrock Media Company

skyrockit is an award-winning full-service mobile entertainment agency connecting brands with consumers through engaging experiences. skyrockit draws upon its relationships with Hollywood, Madison Avenue and Silicon Valley to spawn massively popular initiatives for major brands, record labels, and studios. These initiatives have resulted in over 100 million pieces of content enjoyed worldwide.

The agency is a subsidiary of Japan's leading branded entertainment shop, Bellrock Media, with backing from Yoshimoto Kogyo, the agency that dominates talent management and production in Japan. skyrockit is headquartered in San Francisco, CA.

Add skyrockit to your next launch and defy gravity.