ITV Signs PJ Smoothies For Survivor Sponsorship

ITV has secured a sponsor for the second series of reality gameshow Survivor, which begins tonight on ITV1. PJ Smoothies, a drinks brand, will sponsor the 12 week run of both Survivor and the ITV2 Survivor:Raw show which will follow the main show each evening.

The show pits 12 contestants against one another while stranded on two desert islands off Panama, for a prize of £1m. The format has been a big success in the US, but last year the first UK series, sponsored by Macleans Total Care, failed to perform as well for ITV as expected (see Reality Bites For ITV).

This will be the first time PJ Smoothies have advertised on TV and Carlton’s head of sponsorship Andy Thompson claimed “ITV are in the business of making brands famous and this association is absolutely spot-on”. However, ITV is also in the business of attracting big FMCG brands to high-rating prime time shows and the fact that neither Macleans or any other big-name brands appear to have returned for another shot at Survivor perhaps indicates disillusionment after the first series’ failure to live up to the hype.

ITV: 020 7843 8000 www.itv.co.uk

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