Kovert Creative has made a strategic investment in Howler Media, the U.S.-based multimedia company dedicated to covering worldwide soccer.
Perhaps taking a page from its partners WME-IMG, with whom the independently operated PR and marketing firm was formed in January 2016, Kovert is taking an equity stake in one of its clients. Howler, whose glossy quarterly print magazine has been praised by Sports Illustrated as “a revelation” and by The New York Times as “the best expression of the state of soccer in America,” also produces podcasts, newsletters, an editorial and e-commerce website as well as other custom content.
Kovert will provide Howler with capital as well as creative resources and infrastructure, starting with a new ad starring Kovert clients Will Arnett, Jack Black, Paul Downs, Adam Pally, Sarah Silverman and Jimmy Kimmel Live!’s Guillermo, as well as soccer stars Alexi Lalas and Jermaine Jones. The video is a parody of Sports Illustrated’s classic 1990s football-phone commercials:
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“Howler reaches an extremely tuned-in crowd of American fans, and with Kovert’s help I am very excited to bring our coverage of everything from FIFA corruption to who Luis Suarez may bite next to a much larger audience,” Howler founder and editor George Quraishi said in a statement. “Kovert’s expertise will open up a range of opportunities for Howler, accelerating growth, diversifying our digital content and experiential offerings, and bringing Howler to more fans across the U.S. and the globe.”
“George has built Howler into an incredible, widely-trusted resource for the soccer community,” Kovert co-CEO Joseph Assad said in a statement. “He’s also not afraid to be bold and tell it like it is. Whether celebrating the best moments in soccer’s history, investigating scandals or uncovering lesser-known, interesting stories about the sport, Howler has a point of view unlike any other publication out there. We see enormous growth potential in soccer and are excited to bring our depth and breadth of expertise in branding, content and design to our partnership with Howler.”
