Sage to fund the return of The Krypton Factor to ITV1 primetime

Sage’s nationwide Business IQ campaign launches to coincide with the return of the UK’s toughest show. The Krypton Factor is set to push boundaries like never before, not least by being the biggest and most iconic advertiser funded programme agreement on ITV to date

October 13th 2008: Sage (UK) Limited, the business software and services provider, today announced an agreement with ITV1 to relaunch The Krypton Factor to run alongside the first part of its new nationwide campaign to identify Britain’s Business IQ attributes. As part of a much wider campaign, managed by content agency Drum PHD limited, the Sage and ITV partnership has been agreed and is set to result in the biggest advertiser funded programme ITV has ever commissioned and the first one to appear in ITV1’s prime time schedule.

The Business IQ campaign launched by Sage this week aims to understand, explore and celebrate the qualities that make people in business more likely to succeed. As part of Sage’s Business IQ initiative, Sage has signed a sponsorship agreement with ITV1 to fund the production of The Krypton Factor. The deal includes integrated sponsorship credits around the show with exclusive additional content to be available online and across ITV’s other digital platforms.

Joanna Elliott, Head of Brand Communications, Sage (UK) Limited explained: “The advertising funded programme model works for us because it is one high impact tactic that can be integrated into a much bigger marketing strategy. At Sage, we are working with ITV to fund the return of The Krypton Factor to coincide with our nationwide search to find Britain’s Business IQ attributes. The Krypton Factor champions the ability of ordinary people to transform themselves to become extraordinary, and to achieve ever greater success. This will provide us with a great way of learning about what it is that makes people successful, but also because the show will be fun and exciting.”

Ben Kerr, Content Director at Drum PHD limited said: “We are delighted to be operating as a full service agency for Sage and to be working with ITV to fund the return of such an exciting and popular show. The work we are doing will see The Krypton Factor property exploited across a number of media platforms as part of the wider Business IQ campaign. At the heart of our strategy we will use content to create an emotional connection between Sage and its target audience. By utilising a range of relevant media channels including digital, traditional media and merchandising we will create a nationwide experience that will go beyond the existing AFP model.”

Julian Smith, Planning Account Director at ITV, said: “This is the biggest ad-funded and multi-platform programme ITV has commissioned and the first one to appear in ITV1’s prime time schedule. The project has come to fruition from a very well-coordinated and collaborative approach across ITV’s commissioning and commercial teams, Drum and Sage.”

The Krypton Factor will be made for ITV1 by ITV Productions’ entertainment department and was developed by ITVP’s Entertainment Development team, formerly The Hot House.  John Kaye Cooper, ITV’s Controller of Entertainment said: “The Krypton Factor is one of the most iconic and successful game shows of all time, and we’re delighted to be bringing it back to ITV1 through this ground breaking partnership with Sage.”

The Krypton Factor returns to ITV1 for 2009 with a 21st century makeover. The stakes are bigger, the competition is harder and the pressure has never been higher as members of the public are invited to test their physical and mental abilities in a range of rigorous mental and physical challenges. 

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For further information, please contact:
Louise Dorey
ITV Commercial Press Office
Tel: 020 7156 7229/07887 735433
louise.dorey@itv.com

Nicole Love or Jenny Tod
Marlin PR
T  +44 207 869 8328
M +44 784 104 2070
E   nicole.love@marlinpr.com / jenny.tod@marlinpr.com