Asda launches ‘Behind the Scenes’ taste test challenge with Sky’s hit show Never Mind the Buzzcocks, to showcase food quality

Asda is continuing its quest for a #foodrevolution to highlight the quality of its food by partnering with popular Sky TV series Never Mind the Buzzcocks.

Asda has tasked celebrity comedians Judi Love and Buzzcocks regular panellist Jamali Maddix, along with the team from Sorted Food (a food community and YouTube channel with over 2 million subscribers) to perform blind taste tests (and give their honest opinion) on Asda products and their Marks & Spencer equivalents. Taking place behind the scenes of Never Mind the Buzzcocks, the ‘Taste Match’ campaign aims to challenge brand perceptions and target secondary shoppers by demonstrating the high quality of Asda products.

As the first-ever branded partnership with Never Mind the Buzzcocks, the campaign will launch primarily as a social content series on Sky social channels, comprising of three long form episodes hosted on YouTube with 60” cutdowns on Instagram and Facebook. The ads will appear across Linear and On Demand Sky Media channels, placed strategically during key show breaks. Each ad will feature a QR code, driving viewers to the longer form content and will run for six weeks, until 5th November.

Spark Foundry, Asda’s media agency, has handled the media planning and buying, with SPP Media managing the partnership, and content production by Sky Media Commercial Production.

Never Mind the Buzzcocks is available Wednesdays at 9pm on Sky Showcase, also on Sky Max and NOW.

With comedian, actor and writer Greg Davies back in the presenting chair, the new series of the much-loved music themed quiz also sees the return of team captains, Noel Fielding and Daisy-May Cooper and regular guest Jamali Maddix for a 9 x 45 series plus a Christmas Special for 2023.

Stephi Brett-Lee, Senior Director of Brand Communications at Asda, said: “We’re incredibly proud to launch our Taste Match campaign and prove that great quality doesn’t have to come at a price. In thousands of blind taste tests, 100s of Asda products were found to be as tasty, or even tastier, than M&S. Never Mind the Buzzcocks gave us the perfect platform to showcase some of these products and conduct Taste Tests in a fun and engaging way with some completely impartial guest celebrities.”

Sarah Jones, Director of Planning at Sky Media, said: “We’re thrilled to work with Asda on such a fun, engaging campaign. Through a first of its kind partnership with Never Mind the Buzzcocks, Asda are brilliantly harnessing the power of TV with social to put a spotlight on the quality of their products.”

Kat Broomhead, Managing Partner at Spark Foundry UK, said: “This campaign aligns quality video content – harnessing one of Sky’s leading shows and talent – with quality food, putting it to the test. The taste test is a brilliant way to leverage the power of TV and brand socials, and help shift key perceptions of the brand amongst a wide audience.”

To learn more, visit Asda.com/TasteMatch.

Sky Atlantic hosts Volvo’s new Safety in Action campaign in its 10th year of partnership

Sky Atlantic’s decade-long partnership with Volvo Car UK sees new safety-themed content in a campaign initiated by Sky Media and Mindshare Invention.

Sky Media’s latest campaign with Volvo, brokered in partnership with Mindshare Invention, sees high-intensity and bold branded content airing on Sky Atlantic, featuring stunt talent from the BAFTA-winning Sky Original series, Gangs of London.

Created by Sky Media’s in-house commercial production team and harnessing Sky Original talent, the four-minute branded content creative is titled ‘Inside The Mind Of A Stunt Artist’. Airing on Sky Atlantic on 18th April 2023, the content explores the importance of psychological safety for stunt artists. The message is driven home by stunt professional, Mens-Sana Tamakloe, who doubles for lead actor Ṣọpẹ́ Dìrísù in Gangs of London, a show known for its exhilarating, edge-of-your-seat, action.

The bespoke branded content will be hosted on Sky’s YouTube channel. In addition, as part of a wider media campaign, the film will be supported and promoted with 30” trailers on BVOD, SFVOD, Linear, Sky AdVance and AdSmart from Sky; and 60” clips that will run across Sky social channels.

Safety is at the core of Volvo’s ethos and the brand leads the way when it comes to the safety of people inside and outside the car. So, highlighting the importance of emotional safety is where this new campaign plays a key role with the branded content. It reflects Volvo’s Safe Space Technology, which uses cutting-edge sensing technology. The new Volvo EX90 will be the first car to feature the system that supports the driver by recognising if they are distracted and not focussed on the road ahead. The car can take appropriate measures to alert the driver of any potential risk, or even stop the car and call for help.

Sarah Jones, Director of Planning at Sky Media says, “We’re thrilled to continue to evolve our long-standing Volvo and Sky Atlantic partnership. Gangs of London – one of our most popular Sky Atlantic dramas – was the perfect context to connect Volvo’s safety features with fascinating stories from Gangs’ stunt workers.”

Terissa Wingfield, Brand and Product Marketing Lead at Volvo added, “We are delighted with this new film, which is a product of our long-running relationship with Sky. The development of our Safe Space Technology is based on understanding human behaviour. We all experience emotions, but some of them can distract us and increase the chance of a crash happening. By better understanding the driver’s state of mind, we can reduce the risk of a crash happening.”

Sam Wood, Invention Business Director at Mindshare commented, “Together Volvo Cars, Sky Atlantic and Mindshare Invention have produced a truly ambitious activation to support our longstanding Sky Atlantic Sponsorship. Fronted by daring stunt-performer Mens-Sana Tamakloe – our co-branded hero content and supporting short-form assets highlight the importance of psychological safety in even the most challenging circumstances and, more specifically, the key role Safe Space Technology will play in the next generation of Volvo Cars.”

Audi and Sky Sports drive golfing innovation following success of
cricket ‘Power Meter’

Audi renews as Official Innovation Partner of Sky Sports

Audi and Sky Media have created two new golfing innovations, providing insight into golf techniques of the professionals to help viewers improve their own performance.

Part of Audi’s renewal as the Official Innovation Partner for Sky Sports – a deal brokered between Sky Media and Omnicom Media Group’s PHD – the continued partnership swings back into action from the 23rd of February and runs until October 2023.

The two new innovations, ‘Force Plates’ and ‘Zen Eye’, will be showcased as part of PGA Tour coverage in the ‘Audi Performance Zone’ part of the Sky Sports Golf studio, with the aim of showing casual viewers how to improve their own game:

• ‘Force Plates’ will measure the force that a golfer uses to create their unique swing. Through the analysis of weight transfer and ground force, the analytics will demonstrate club head speed, ball strike and power of the swing.
• ‘Zen Eye’ will bring the art of putting to life by showing audiences the perfect pace and line for any type of putt with a display on the green.

The campaign will air on Linear TV, Sky Sports’ On Demand and Sky Go as well as YouTube and Sky’s social channels. Audi is also co-sponsoring the PGA Tour coverage, which will see the creation of unique idents produced by Sky Media Commercial Productions.

The innovations will be integrated into the programming as two- to three-minute editorial pieces and will form part of a 20” TV commercial to promote the partnership. Starting in April, the innovations will also be available on SkySports.com and through Sky’s On Demand collection, accessed via voice search, where viewers can review the tips and tricks, at their leisure, to perfect their swing.

Later in 2023, there will be two additional co-branded social content pieces produced, further bringing the innovations to life for sports fans.

The 20” TVC and PGA Tour sponsorship idents feature voiceovers from Sky Sports’ commentator Iona Stephen. Additional Sky Sports talent will be used within the ‘Audi Performance Zone’ and across the tournament coverage.

Tony Moore, Head of Marketing, Audi UK said: “Audi has established a reputation for redefining premium mobility through progressive technology, and partnering with Sky Sports is a natural fit for the Audi brand as we look to our partners to emulate our values. We’re excited to be launching our second year as Sky Sports’ Official Innovation Partner and to see the response from golf fans to the new ‘Force Plates’ and ‘Zen Eye’ innovations featured in the ‘Audi Performance Zone’.”

Sarah Jones, Director of Planning at Sky Media said: “We’re immensely proud to have Audi as the Official Innovation Partner of Sky Sports for the second year. Audi’s use of progressive technology and innovation to redefine the future of premium mobility aligns perfectly with Sky Sports’ own approach to delivering an unparalleled viewing experience for sports fans.

After the success of last year’s Power Meter, this year our innovation will get golf enthusiasts closer to the green. We’re delighted to be working together to develop new, ground-breaking technology to enrich fans’ viewing experience of the sports they love.”

Tom Rovery, Partnerships Account Director at PHD commented: “As the first-ever Official Innovation Partner of Sky Sports, the innovations developed through this collaboration are designed to enhance the enjoyment of live sports coverage, providing a relevant, immersive and attention-grabbing way to engage with fans by bringing Audi’s innovation stories to life in a sports context. The renewal of the partnership marks an important milestone for Audi and Sky Sports in further establishing their commitment to driving progress through technology.”

The partnership renewal and golf tech development comes off the back of a successful campaign in 2022 when Audi’s “Vorsprung durch Technik” fuelled Sky Sports’ most innovative Cricket format, The Hundred, with the Power Meter. The involvement of an Electric Audi, alongside top talent from football and cricket, connected Audi with Sky Sports’ huge audience and increased perceptions of Audi as an innovative brand.

It’s Official – KFC Delivers for Sky Sports Fans

KFC Delivery becomes the Official Delivery Partner for Sky Sports. Set to feature in live coverage of some of the biggest sporting events of the year including top-flight Women’s and Men’s football, The Ashes, F1 and digital touchpoints, the partnership was brokered by Mindshare.

Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) and Sky Media today announce a partnership that sees KFC Delivery become the Official Delivery Partner for Sky Sports. The multi-platform partnership deal, brokered by Mindshare, builds on KFC Delivery’s broadcast coverage sponsorship of the World Cup and will develop the brand’s existing creative (developed by Mother London) to feature voiceovers from some of Sky Sports’ most valued commentators.

Debuting on the 13th of February, the partnership will run for 18 weeks across iconic sporting events including the Premier League, English Football League One, Women’s Super League, Scottish Professional Football League, The Ashes, and Formula One. It will showcase how KFC Delivery is the perfect match for live sport fans, allowing them to enjoy their chicken delivered straight to the door, without missing any of the sporting action.

The idents showcase fans struggling to get their KFC takeaway home in time for the start of a sporting event, and will have voiceovers from Sky Sports commentators Bill Leslie, Ebony Rainford-Brent, David Croft, and Pien Meulensteen, announcing KFC Delivery as the Official Delivery partner. The campaign will deliver wide reach and high impact across Sky Sports’ wide range of platforms including Linear TV, SkyGo, and SkySports.com as well as the channel’s app and highly-engaged Social channels (YouTube, Facebook and Instagram).

Aislinn Campbell, Senior Brand Manager at KFC UK&I said: “We’re very excited to be building on the success of last year’s ITV sponsorship by teaming up with Sky Sports. With an impressive line-up of sporting events, Sky Sports is the perfect way for us to bring KFC Delivery home to fans of all sports. We’ve revamped our ads with the voices of some Sky Sports legends to put KFC Delivery at the heart of the action, which we hope people will recognise and love.”

Sarah Jones, Director of Planning at Sky Media said: “We’re thrilled to have KFC Delivery as the Official Delivery Partner for Sky Sports and help grow the exposure of their new service to loyal sports fans. There’s nothing quite like our audiences’ passion for live sport and we’re really excited to see KFC Delivery fuel that fandom in a way that’s contextually relevant.

Sam Grindey, Business Director at Mindshare said: “We’re pleased to have played a role in bringing the partnership between KFC Delivery and Sky Sports to fruition. This contextual partnership is a significant step for KFC’s Delivery service and aligns with its long-term plan to make delivery relevant to as many home occasions as possible. Similarly, considering the variety of sports that Sky Sports offers, this collaboration presents a huge opportunity.”

CENTER PARCS RENEWS SKY CINEMA PARTNERSHIP WITH A FIVE-MONTH SPONSORSHIP ACROSS FAMILY-FRIENDLY FILM CHANNELS

Family short break provider Center Parcs has today renewed its partnership with Sky Media for a five-month sponsorship of its family-focused movie channels: Sky Cinema Family, Sky Cinema Animation, as well as for family films on Sky Showcase and Sky Max.

The partnership encompasses linear, VOD and online. The deal was brokered by media agency Hearts & Science and is designed to drive brand awareness for Center Parcs ahead of the 2023 peak holiday booking season.

Sponsorship idents for Center Parcs will run across all four Sky channels for films certified 12 and under, which will include hits such as Sonic 2, Peter Rabbit 2 and Sing 2. Over the duration of the campaign, the Center Parcs brand will reach 2.3m viewers.

The partnership will be amplified across @SkyTV and @SkyCinema social channels including YouTube, Instagram and Facebook, guaranteeing a further 1.8 million views. Brand tagging allows users to click through to Center Parcs’ website, and Sky will offer bespoke integration for social posts about the relevant films to engage parents.

Colin Whaley, Sales and Marketing Director at Center Parcs, says: “We know that families like to come together and watch films in the run up to Christmas, so this sponsorship is a great opportunity to remind them of the family time Center Parcs offers. We’re really excited to showcase Center Parcs to even more families through new creative and engaging formats.”

Garrett O’Reilly, CEO at Hearts & Science, adds: “While family time is increasingly spent across different screens, there’s still nothing better than a big Christmas movie to bring us all together on the sofa. Sky’s family-friendly movie channels are highly targeted so there’s no better streaming option for the Center Parcs brand.”