Coca-Cola is to extend its Diet Coke sponsorship of UTV Ireland’s entertainment show The Pulse, following its move to a newly-extended, half-hour weekly time slot. UTV Ireland claims the show, presented by Jenny Buckley, last year had a weekly reach of 200,000 viewers. In a deal concluded prior to Christmas and which began earlier this month, Emmerdale, which reaches over 820,000 people per week, is now sponsored by InsureMy.
Brown Thomas has renewed its sponsorship of Mr Selfridge for the series’ last ever season. Zip firelighters is to sponsor this year’s series of Rare Breed: A Farming Year – a series which looks at the successes and struggles of farming life in Ireland. The show reached over 1.2 million viewers last year, with the highest rated episode averaging 230,000 viewers.
MandMDirect has also continued its strong relationship with the channel, by sponsoring new drama series, Beowulf, while top-selling Korean car brand Hyundai will continue its sponsorship of the ever-popular Coronation Street. UTV Ireland will partner with Moy Park for the new series of Ant & Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway when it starts on February 20.
UTV Ireland’s commercial director Daragh Byrne (above left) said the station has laid a solid foundation on which to build. “We launched UTV Ireland into a busy commercial broadcasting environment of almost 50 channels,” Byrne said. After a year, UTV Ireland has been the most successful commercial broadcaster in these islands over the past 10 years, he added.
