Global advertising firm Interpublic Group and The SpringHill Company, the media conglomerate spearheaded by basketball player LeBron James and childhood friend and businessman Maverick Carter, have formed a joint venture.
The IPG x The SpringHill Company. partnership, announced at the Cannes International Festival of Creativity, will bring a community of diverse and influential creators, emerging talent and modern changemakers to create culturally-relevant and purpose-driven content, partnerships, experiences and products.
IPG’s portfolio of creative, media and marketing services specialists will leverage this joint venture to enhance their short- and long-form creative content for brand marketers.
The joint venture will supercharge The SpringHill Company’s mission to empower and elevate creators of colour by connecting them to IPG clients, some of the world’s largest and most recognisable brands, to support, shape and jumpstart influential, culture-defining projects.
The SpringHill Company will partner with IPG agencies to offer brands unmatched access to the world’s most sought-after creative talent, allies, artists and athletes, delivering a unique and unfiltered perspective from The SpringHill Company’s strategic and creative production resources.
IPG chief executive Philippe Krakowsky: “Our industry has the opportunity and responsibility to engage with culture, to create messages that are both authentic and memorable, as well as to play our part in improving the world around us.
"In the ten plus years I’ve known Maverick I’ve watched and admired the way that he, LeBron, and the team from The SpringHill Company are changing the way the world thinks about the role of creators, by building one of the most powerful platforms for tapping into diverse talent and driving change.
"IPG’s people, clients and communities will all benefit from close collaboration with The SpringHill Company as we look to spark important, and sometimes difficult, conversations, elevate voices that need to be heard and help our clients connect with new creative perspectives and purpose-driven projects.
"The relationship that we are announcing and formalizing today will help us meaningfully accelerate progress on that journey."
Brendan Gaul, global chief content officer for IPG Mediabrands, and Taj Tsonga, vice president and creative executive of TRAVERSE32, will lead the partnership for IPG.
Chris White, executive vice president of brand oartnerships, and Ricardo Viramontes, chief creative officer, will lead the partnership for The SpringHill Company.
Devin Johnson, president, The SpringHill Company: “The world’s most culturally-connected brands understand that the power of their voice goes far beyond an ability to move product.
"IPG and The SpringHill Company share in that belief and want to offer brands a better way to connect with audiences – by giving voice to the untold stories, advancing issues we care deeply about and bringing forward the voices that represent who we are and the change we want to see."
Recent productions from The SpringHill Company include “Hustle,” “Space Jam: A New Legacy,” “Self Made: Inspired by the Life of Madam C.J. Walker” for Netflix; the documentary “What’s My Name: Muhammad Ali,” distributed by HBO; the game show “The Wall” for NBC; Emmy award-winning series "The Shop”; and “These Hands” in partnership with P&G.
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