C4 Gains New Sponsorship Deals

Channel Four has announced two new sponsorship deals, both negotiated by Drum PHD. Zoe Ball’s new music and entertainment show is to be sponsored by Wella, and a new combined gardening and cookery series will be sponsored by Seeds of Change.

Right About Now begins broadcasting in an early evening slot from November 9. Presented by Zoe Ball, the first episode will feature guests Paul Whitehouse, Kate Winslet and David Bowie. Wella, which previously sponsored Channel 4’s Friends, is continuing its strategy of “targeting style-conscious, media-literate young people”, according to Drum PHD’s account director David Liverage.

Fork To Fork will be the first television programme to combine cookery with gardening. Celebrity gardener Monty Don and his wife will take viewers through the process of growing and cooking organic food. Mars-owned supplier of organic food, Seeds of Change, are sponsoring the show as part of its UK launch strategy.

In another deal, ITV has announced that HSBC will continue to sponsor all Drama Premieres on the channel next year. As part of its new branding campaign (see ITV Promises To Be Advertisers’ ‘Best Route To Mass Communication’ In Digital Age) the premieres will be generically branded.

Channel 4: 0171 396 4444 ITV: 0171 843 8000