ITV Signs FMCG Giant For Emmerdale Coverage
FMCG heavyweight Reckitt Benckiser has signed a wide-ranging sponsorship deal to cover ITV’s six-night-a-week soap, Emmerdale.
The new deal gives the household goods manufacturer, which sells products such as Cillit Bang and Mr Sheen, broadcast sponsorship of all episodes of Emmerdale on ITV1, ITV2 and ITV3, as well as online branding, licensing, off air promotions and, for the first time, interactive applications.
Welcoming the sponsorship, Joanna Kay, media controller for Reckitt Benckiser Northern Europe, said: “That we are able to take a deal as big as Emmerdale, reflects the growing strength of Reckitt Benckiser as an Advertiser in the UK. This is just the kind of through the line opportunity we are actively looking for.”
Gary Knight, head of sponsorship and branded content at ITV Sales, added: “Reckitt Benckiser is one of our largest and fastest growing advertisers and I’m delighted we’ve been able to forge this relationship with Emmerdale. The partnership will be activated across the full 360° communications platform. Emmerdale remains one of the key jewels in ITV’s crown and it’s particularly pleasing to have such a high quality client sponsor for the show.”
The deal with Reckitt Benckiser sees ITV part ways with Emmerdale’s previous sponsor, Heinz Salad Cream and Tomato Ketchup, which held the position for two years running, following record sales as a result of its coverage (see ITV Secures Heinz Salad Cream As Emmerdale Sponsor).
Heinz’s sponsorship is believed to have generated £6 million for ITV in 2003, and again in 2004, although the deal did not cover any of the online, off air or interactive elements of the latest deal, suggesting that the value of Reckitt Benckiser’s coverage is significantly higher.
Emmerdale’s audience has dwindled recently, losing 4.3% year on year from its monthly average in July. January’s figure is worse still, with the show shedding a million viewers between January 2004 and January 2005.
The programme’s decline has been less pronounced in recent months, however, with May losing 1.5% from its monthly average year on year, while June shed just 0.7%.
The soap remains popular, however, with an average audience of 8.8 million viewers over 2005. The show recently celebrated its 4000th episode, making it the second longest-running serial drama in Britain, while the programme’s content continues to win critical acclaim, having scooped several BAFTAs for its storylines and plot twists.
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