Ottawa, Canada, April 2 - In response to record growth, Fuel Industries is announcing several key changes to its executive roster, including the addition of internationally recognized advertising visionary Bruce Sinclair as Chief Creative Officer.

The former Creative and Art Director at industry giants such as DDB and TBWA will lead the creative and strategic process for Fuel’s client projects, and help expand the direction of Fuel’s advertising team.

“Bruce brings to our studio a level of experience and creative insight that is rarely seen in the advertising industry,” said Warren Tomlin. “His history of creating some of the world’s most acclaimed digital campaigns for some of the world’s biggest brands makes him a crucial addition to our team at a time when our branded projects are rapidly expanding in scope and ambition. I can’t think of a better person to help bring our clients’ visions to successful fruition.”

Fuel’s recently announced satellite expansion in Los Angeles will be led by the agency’s co-founder Jeff Doiron, who will be moving to California with his family to grow Fuel’s newest office.

Warren Tomlin, having served as Chief Creative Offer since 2007, will step in to fill the role of President.

“For the past year and a half, Warren has been key in helping our business achieve its current level of success, not only as CCO, but in broader roles that have taken our vision to new levels,” said Fuel CEO Mike Burns. “I’m thrilled that he has accepted the role of President, where he’ll continue to be instrumental in helping direct and grow our company.”

Fuel’s expansions bring the agency even more presence in the industry at a time when brands are looking for richer and more creative digital integration.

About Fuel Industries

Fuel Industries is a multiple award-winning interactive studio that lives at the intersection of marketing and entertainment. With over 100 employees and presence in Canada, the US, and the UK, Fuel has built audiences by creating entertaining online experiences both for major international brands and its own licensed entertainment properties. Fuel’s diverse holdings include interests in game development, video production, sound design, social media, and mobile marketing. Passionate about redefining the interactive agency and inventing the future of online content, Fuel’s clients and joint venture partners include Microsoft, Vans, McDonald’s Global, and HBO. For additional information, visit www.fuelindustries.com.

For more information, please contact:
Nick Iannitti, Director of Communications
613-818-3560

U.S. toy manufacturer Jakks Pacific is the first to enter the virtual world, with its Girl Gourmet brand. Players will be invited to enter a Girl Gourmet store, which includes a cupcake shop, cake bakery, sweets candy stand, and a game that allows users to design their own cakes online.“With the success of the Jakks Girl Gourmet Cupcake Maker, we wanted to give kids a new way to interact with our brand,” said Gerhard Runken, director of marketing for Jakks Pacific, in a release. “The virtual environment that Fuel built for Spark City truly captures the spirit and fun of Girl Gourmet, and gives kids and parents an introduction and play experience with the brand before even stepping foot into a store.”

(Full Article:  Brand integration welcome in Spark City)

Currently running in an open beta version, Spark City was designed to provide a 360 experience for advertisers as well. Fuel recently signed a deal with U.S.-based toy company Jakks Pacific for an in-world store and branded game promoting its Girl Gourmet Cupcake Maker. “It lets them build a richer experience,” explains Mike Burns, CEO of Fuel Industries. “Kids and parents can go and interact with the toy before they ever go into a store.”

(Full Article : RPGs look for brands to play with)

March 24, 2009 — Spark City, the all-new virtual world for tween girls, has arrived. Now available to play as an open beta, the world extends the AllGirlArcade.com gaming community and invites girls to enter a bustling futuristic metropolis that is theirs to explore.

From the park to the Arcade to the pet shop, which allows players to choose and train a pet for their avatar, Spark City is a thriving world that is based around socialization, activities, and an in-game economy. The more girls participate, play games and interact, the more gems they earn. Collected gems allow girls to visit the mall and buy everything from new furniture for their apartments, to gifts for their friends.With children’s safety top of mind, Spark City employs innovative social features that allow girls to interact in a secure environment and create friendships with their peers.

Brand Integration

In top of constant growth of the virtual world is an opportunity for brands to integrate custom content into Spark City. One of the first of these brand innovators is leading toy manufacturer JAKKS Pacific, which has partnered with Fuel to bring award-winning Girl Gourmet® brand into the virtual world. Players will be invited to enter a custom Girl Gourmet store, which includes a cupcake shop, Cake Bakery, Sweets candy stand, and an original web game allowing kids to play with the cupcake maker and design their own cakes online. JAKKS Pacific is an example of how forward-thinking companies are finding ways to go beyond store shelves to give their customers a rich experience with their product.

“With the success of the JAKKS Girl Gourmet Cupcake Maker, we wanted to give kids a new way to interact with our brand,” said Gerhard Runken, Director of Marketing, JAKKS Pacific. “The virtual environment that Fuel built for Spark City truly captures the spirit and fun of Girl Gourmet, and gives kids and parents an introduction and play experience with the brand before even stepping foot into a store.”

Mobile Games

Spark City is a fully integrated experience which reaches multiple touchpoints for its audience. Launching alongside the world is a series of iPhone and iPod Touch games that extends the world into its users’ palms. The first of these, Sushi Toss, is a graphically rich and charming 2D game which makes unique use of the iPhone’s accelerometer controls. As players help Stray the robotic cat and friends serve the sushi in-game, the gems they earn on their iPhone or iPod Touch are immediately tied back to their virtual world account, which they can use on their computer at home to expand their experience. Sushi Toss is now available as a 99 cent download on the iTunes App Store.

Spark City is tied to Fuel Industries’ All Girl Star Squad property; kids can learn more and open their free accounts at www.allgirlarcade.com/sparkcity.

Key Facts

* Constantly growing world set in a gleaming futuristic metropolis
* World is open to marketers wishing to create interactive online spaces
* Average 45 minutes engagement time, 80% of users return multiple times.
* Customizable avatars, personal in-game spaces, and a mall for expanding the experience
* Girls find online games by exploring, and win in-game currency by playing
* Innovative socialization in a secure and empowering environment
* Pet store which bring animal companions to life in each girl’s personal apartment.

About Fuel Industries

Fuel Industries is a multiple award-winning interactive studio that lives at the intersection of marketing and entertainment. With over 100 employees and presence in Canada, the US, and the UK, Fuel has built audiences by creating entertaining online experiences both for major international brands and its own licensed entertainment properties. Fuel’s diverse holdings include interests in game development, video production, sound design, social media, and mobile marketing. Passionate about redefining the interactive agency and inventing the future of online content, Fuel’s clients and joint venture partners include Microsoft, Vans, McDonald’s Global, and HBO. For additional information, visit www.fuelindustries.com.

About JAKKS Pacific, Inc.

JAKKS Pacific, Inc. is a multi-brand company that designs and markets a broad range of toys and consumer products. The product categories include: Action Figures, Art Activity Kits, Stationery, Writing Instruments, Performance Kites, Water Toys, Sports Activity Toys, Vehicles, Infant/Pre-School, Plush, Construction Toys, Electronics, Dolls, Dress-Up, Role Play, and Pet Toys and Accessories. For further information, visit www.jakkspacific.com.

For more information, please contact:
Nick Iannitti
Director of Communications
nick(at)fuelindustries.com
613-818-3560

Ottawa, Canada, March 17, 2009 — Interactive entertainment pioneer Fuel Industries is midway through its ninth year of business with projections for the agency’s largest expansion to date. Significant growth in its branded services, licensed properties, and console /iPhone development divisions has driven an increase in original estimates, and pushed the agency to defy the U.S. president’s somber mood by paying out employee profit share and expanding into two new physical locations over the last four months.

Projection Highlights:

•   40% increase to original revenue projections over 2008, 50% quarter over same period 2008

•   Los Angeles branch to expand to 18 staff within the year.

•   Projected 30% increase to headcount (30 new hires within year)

Since November 2008, Fuel has launched Fuel Games Denver, its iPhone development studio, and a branch in L.A. to keep step with its growing presence in the entertainment industry born from its dedication to its own original properties, including a new and rapidly growing virtual world for tween girls, dubbed Spark City, which resides on its social gaming network for girls, AllGirlArcade.com.

“With our new virtual world booming, our Denver iPhone team releasing exciting new branded and original projects every month, and our overall team growing to the tune of a projected 30 plus staff members this year, it’s proof that the industry is hungry for new ideas, particularly during a recession,” said Fuel CEO Mike Burns. “The spoils will go to the agencies and the marketers that realize that an economic downturn can often be the best time to let loose the ideas you’ve been saving for a rainy day.”

To keep pace with its record growth, Fuel is opening its doors to industry talent and hosting an open house and job fair at its Ottawa studio on April 1st. The entertainment studio will be showcasing recent successes and, for the proper candidates, will interview on the spot.

“With all the doom and gloom reporting in the industry, missing sight of positive news can be easy,” said Chief Creative Officer Warren Tomlin. “From designers to programmers to project managers, we’ve got openings in almost every department of our studio, and we’re hosting an event to show professionals that if they’ve got the talent, we’ve got some of the hottest opportunities in the entertainment industry. With companies’ ad budgets shrinking and expected to stretch further than ever, businesses that are challenging the old models are proving that innovation retains its value–even when belts are tightening. We’re blessed to be hiring thirty more people this year. Needless to say, rockstars only need apply. ”

About Fuel Industries

Fuel Industries is a multiple award-winning interactive studio that lives at the intersection of marketing and entertainment. With over 100 employees and presence in Canada, the US, and the UK, Fuel has built audiences by creating entertaining online experiences both for major international brands and its own licensed entertainment properties. Fuel’s diverse holdings include interests in game development, video production, sound design, social media, and mobile marketing. Passionate about redefining the interactive agency and inventing the future of online content, Fuel’s clients and joint venture partners include Microsoft, Vans, McDonald’s Global, and HBO. For additional information, visit www.fuelindustries.com.

(Full Article:  Spark City Virtual World has room for brands to play)

What had happened was the beginning of a deal that would see the small Ottawa marketing firm reinvent the 29-year-old Happy Meal for more than 30 million children in Europe.

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