UKTV inks airtime-for-equity deal with easyJet sister brand

UKTV has announced it has invested in easyJet’s partner travel-agent brand easyGuide in a £1m airtime-for-equity deal.

The agreement will be live from 1 July and means UKTV will gain an equity stake in the business. UKTV would not disclose the size of the equity stake when asked by The Media Leader, but said it would provide £1m worth of airtime as part of the deal.

Then easyGuide will launch its first TV ad campaign across UKTV’s seven linear channels; Dave, W, Gold, Alibi, Drama, Yesterday and Eden. These channels have a combined audience of 26 million viewers each month.

EasyGuide is a standalone company under the Easy family of brands (led by budget airline easyJet) which offers 25,000 products globally related to travel and attractions. The site enables users to discover and instantly book tickets to experiences near them and internationally.

This is the latest in a series of investments by multimillion investment fund, UKTV Ventures, in companies such as social media business WeAre8 which seeks to pay people for their attention and is currently running marketing campaign starring former star footballer and investor Rio Ferdinand.

Blake Anthony Reddy, CEO of easyGuide, said: “With travel well and truly back post-lockdown, people are more eager than ever to find the best and most unique activities and experiences while travelling and in their local area. The huge reach that the UKTV network provides is the perfect way of building our brand recognition with a whole new audience.”