17 September, London
Kameleon, a new “brand partnership agency” was launched today in partnership with the UK’s largest independent television production group, ALL3MEDIA.
Kameleon will have a unique business model, helping brand owners get closer to content and content creators and rights owners get closer to brand owners. There will be two distinct parts to the business. The first focused on helping content creators and rights owners fund their content and exploit their rights through partnerships with advertisers. The second focused on advising brand owners on branded content, sponsorship models and new innovative marketing solutions now viable due to the emergence of the new media platforms.
Prior to launching Kameleon, its three founders, Richard Armstrong, Anthony Edwards and Mark Webster held positions at MindShare UK as Co-Heads of Strategy and Content & Sponsorship respectively. They have a wealth of experience developing, managing and distributing content-rich ideas for brand owners, both locally and internationally. Their partnership brings together brand strategy, communication planning, content creation and rights acquisition into one agency proposition.
Commenting on the rationale for this new type of business Anthony Edwards said:
“Brands are increasingly behaving more like content owners, developing and distributing their own entertainment. This is being driven by new platforms that provide exciting alternatives to the constraints of fixed media.
At the same time, TV production companies are increasing looking to exploit their programme brands in new ways and to form partnerships with advertisers or their agencies. Kameleon is here to help broker those relationships and to assist in maximising the commercial opportunities in partnering with brands”
“We believe that brands need to behave more like media owners, getting closer to content and content producers. And conversely, content owners need to behave more like brands – to unlock new revenues and new routes to market.”
Steve Morrison, Chief Executive of ALL3MEDIA said:
“The launch of Kameleon and its partnership with ALL3MEDIA makes it the first agency to bring the two disciplines of brand agencies and content producers together under one roof. This partnership along with our acquisition of Illumina Digital puts ALL3MEDIA on the front foot to exploit opportunities in the changing media world”
Notes to Editors
ALL3MEDIA is an International Group of film and TV production and distribution companies with its headquarters in London.
The companies within the Group include: ARG, Bentley Productions, Cactus TV, Company Pictures, IDTV, Lion Television, Lime Pictures, Maverick Television, MME MOVIEMENT, North One Television, Objective Productions, South Pacific Pictures, Studio Lambert, Zoo Productions and ALL3MEDIA International.
ALL3MEDIA has pioneered in new media and is at the forefront of advertiser funded content. In September 2007, ALL3MEDIA hired Andy Taylor, previously Managing Director, New Media, Channel 4 as Digital Media Director to lead its digital strategy. Andy Taylor has overseen the growth in video on demand revenues with ALL3MEDIA now having distribution deals with broadcasters, iTunes and Blinkbox. ALL3MEDIA companies are responsible for four of the top five shows viewed on Channel 4’s 4od – Hollyoaks, Peep Show, Skins and Shameless.
The digital content teams at North One, Lion, Conker Media, Maverick, IDTV and MME are leaders in their field. They have produced industry leading projects including Britain From Above (BBC), Hollyoaks Online (channel4.com’s biggest site), wrc.com (the online home of the World Rally Championship), 4Homes (Channel4’s home portal) and Candy Girls (Germany’s first web soap for myspace).
N.One, the advertiser facing unit of North One, has pioneered content development for advertisers. N.One produce and operate The Audi Channel on the Sky platform, have produced ad funded programming for Red Bull, General Motors and The Guardian. N.One also recently produced the UK first live advertisement for Honda. Separately, in Holland, IDTV has developed content and campaigns for ABN AMRO, Unilever, Philips and Schiphol Airport.
For more information:
For ALL3MEDIA:
Richard Constant, Gavin Anderson & Company
+44 20 7554 1403