Sony Ericsson and the WPP Group (specifically, Grey, Schematic and GCI Group) have launched a “landmark” advertising campaign for  the Women’s Tennis Association. The ad was launched June 18, and will break in 75 countries over the next year and a half.

According to Sony Ericsson, the campaign ($15 million over three years)  is the “single largest commitment to promote the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour players” in the history of the tour. It will include TV, print, digital and viral advertising, and will gather momentum stateside around the US Open in August. More info here.

by Jeff Koss, VP Client Services

Schematic’s New York office recently developed an animated :30 spot for Fountain House, a professional self-help program for men and women recovering from mental illness. Fountain House, founded in 1948 and located on West 47th Street, pioneered the “clubhouse” model, which is recognized worldwide as one of the most successful models for rehabilitation.

To honor Fountain House’s 60th anniversary, Panasonic donated time on its AstroVision billboard. The video will run twice an hour throughout June at :19 and :48 minutes after the hour. For you non-New Yorkers, check it out on the Times Square Cam. . . and look for the Schematic logo in the lower left corner.

by Katy Saeger, PR Director

Schematic is featured in today’s AdWeek as one of the five “Next Generation” shops to watch; we were chosen based on our success at leading innovations in the marketplace. Here’s some of what AdWeek has to say:

“Trevor Kaufman has never considered himself an adman. Unlike interactive agencies in San Francisco and New York, Schematic, the agency Kaufman founded, didn’t shift to online marketing. Instead, it focused on solving distribution problems for media and technology businesses. Before it became a buzzword on the conference circuit, Schematic helped clients create digital platforms.

“Clients like Disney, ABC and Intel “didn’t come to us to market some offline product but to create products for them to distribute media or establish a community or build an e-commerce experience,” he said. ABC, for instance, tapped Schematic to build the broadband video player when it began putting its TV episodes online, along with helping it figure out an ad model that balances the user experience with business imperatives.

“Its experience with media companies has paid dividends as more companies look to content and customer experiences as a pathway to building brand loyalty. . . .”

Read the entire article here. And look for an article in the same issue on Project DaVinci, our Dell/WPP initiative, of which Schematic is “the digital cornerstone,” according to AdWeek.

by Lisa Smith, Senior Director, Microsoft Platforms

Thanks to our hard work, I’m happy to report that we are now a Microsoft Certified Partner. This certification allows us to pass on some great benefits to our clients, including:

- Improved customer support through access to Microsoft software and in-depth product information

- Development updates to help prepare for product launches

- Customized training to help grow our product and services expertise

- Access to technical support services that will help us successfully deploy and troubleshoot customer solutions

We achieved this level by earning points, primarily from positive customer references. The next and highest level is Gold, which we are now working towards.

Thanks to everyone in Schematic’s Microsoft Platforms Group who helped make this certification possible.

With more than 100 pieces of furniture from 4 different collections, Target’s new Patio and Garden offers Target Guests an elegant, streamlined and fun way to browse and buy outdoor furnishings. Congratulations to the Schematic team that created this great new boutique experience, which you can check out here.