Bauer Advertising and 4Music today announced an exclusive sponsorship deal with Activision to promote the Guitar Hero games across Channel 4’s 4Music channel and six Bauer Consumer Media music TV channels; Kiss, Kerrang!, Magic, Q, The Box and Smash Hits.
The deal, brokered by Bauer Advertising and Starcom Mediavest, is one of the largest gaming advertising deals negotiated at Bauer Advertising to date.
The partnership with Activision Publishing, Inc., a leading worldwide developer, publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment and leisure products, is designed to further enhance brand awareness for Guitar Hero, the world’s best-selling rhythm-based video game series, as well as help promote the upcoming Guitar Hero World Tour launch in the U.K.
Beginning 15th August 2008, Activision’s Guitar Hero brand will be the exclusive weekly sponsor for over 40 hours of live concerts that will be broadcast on 4Music, Kiss, Kerrang!, Magic, Q, The Box and Smash Hits for a six-month period, running until February 2009. Bespoke 60” interactive adverts will run across all channels during that six-month period as well as 10” blipverts that will act as teasers to ensure that short-stay viewers also engage with the promotion.The adverts will preview new footage from various Guitar Hero games and run competitions offering viewers the chance to win prizes such as home entertainment systems, accessories and other Activision games. Viewers will text in to enter the competitions, or log on to a bespoke microsite, generating audience interaction within the campaign activity.
As part of the partnership, the Guitar Hero brand will also sponsor seven hours of relevant weekly programming across the music EPG on Bauer channels, which comprise 40% of the total music TV market.
Darren Khan, TV Sales Director, Bauer Advertising says: “The live festivals and music programming on our channels are a perfect fit for Guitar Hero’s target market and it is great to work with Activision on this exciting long-term promotion. Creating and packaging exclusive partnership opportunities for clients across the extensive music programming content on 4Music and Bauer music TV channels is a great new proposition from Bauer Advertising, and we are delighted to have Activision on board.”
David Tyler, UK & Ireland Marketing Director, Activision Publishing, Inc. UK says: “This is an amazing opportunity for us to reach a huge number young people with a variety of music tastes in one neat, targeted campaign. Guitar Hero video games are the perfect product for all music lovers who live and breathe the fantastic programming that Bauer’s music channels and 4Music provide.”