The Times Teams With Berkmann Wines For Film Deal
The Times London Film Festival has secured Berkmann Wine Cellars as the primary sponsor of this year’s festival.
The deal, which represents Berkmann’s first foray into film and sponsorship, is designed to increase consumer awareness of the company and its key wine producers.
Berkmann will also sponsor the UK premier of Bernardo Bertoluuci’s The Dreamers, which will take place at the Odeon West End in early November. The deal will see Berkmann hold post-screening tastings at various films at the National Film Theatre.
The Times recently expanded its sponsorship of the London Film Festival and is to support it for the next three years. Commenting on the continuing association, Robert Thomson, editor of The Times, said: “Cinema has a profound role in the life of every person in Britain and we hope that our association will help to give the festival and film the stature that they both surely deserve. We have the most extensive cinema coverage of any newspaper, and this new partnership is a reflection of that commitment.”
This latest deal reflects the increasing popularity of arts sponsorships as a way of connecting with hard to reach consumers. Travelex recently unveiled a £1 million sponsorship agreement with the National Theatre, which enabled the theatre to provide discounted £10 Travelex tickets at a variety of different shows.
Commenting on the sponsorship, Tessa Jowell, Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, said: “Our national theatre should be accessible to the nation, and the £10 season is a great way to help achieve this. Travelex deserves every praise for sponsoring the £10 season. Their generosity is a very good example of the arts and business working side by side.”
The popularity of such sponsorship deals, which support arts and give something back to the community, have proved increasingly popular over recent years. Their worth can be contrasted against the rapidly increasing cost of television sponsorship. Nestlé recently shelled out a record £6 million sponsor of the second series of Pop Idol (see ITV Secures Nestlé As Record £6m Sponsor Of Pop Idol).
London Film Festival/bfi: www.rlff.com
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