Channel 4 Sales secures new UKTV sponsorship deal as Plusnet sponsors key U&Dave strands

Channel 4 Sales, the advertising sales representative for UKTV, today announces it has secured Plusnet as the sponsor for two key U&Dave programming strands.

Internet service provider Plusnet will sponsor Weekday Primetime on U&Dave and U&Dave Comedy across U’s streaming platforms, as well as having a minimum of ten channel idents appear across the U&Dave channel daily.

Starting 21 November, the partnership will run for 12 months, bringing Plusnet into the heart of U&Dave’s entertainment offering, which includes fan favourites such as QI XL, Have I Got A Bit More News For You?, 8 Out of 10 Cats, Taskmaster and the premiere of Clash of the Comics.

Plusnet branding will also appear on programme pages on U and selected sponsored social clips. The agreement includes a logo licensing deal, which enables Plusnet to use the U&Dave logo across their owned social channels, marketing materials, and communications activity. 

The partnership was developed and negotiated by OpenConnect, Plusnet’s bespoke team at WPP Media. Creative by Droga5 London, part of Accenture Song, showcases Plusnet’s straightforward positioning, with its hero Plus asset appearing in entertaining scenes, much like those watched across U&Dave.

Sam Hicks, Head of Advertiser Strategy at Channel 4, said:

“This partnership puts Plusnet at the heart of U&Dave’s audience, spanning two major entertainment strands and the wider channel. We’re thrilled to have brokered this deal and delighted to welcome Plusnet as a UKTV sponsor.”

Kelly Engstrom, Brand & Marketing Communications Director at Plusnet, said:

“We’re thrilled to be launching a new sponsorship with UKTV. This is a fantastic opportunity to bring Plusnet’s playful personality to life while keeping us front-of-mind for millions of viewers across the UK. By leaning into the humour of U&Dave and showcasing our Plus, we’re reinforcing Plusnet as the UK’s most recognisable value broadband provider.”

Rebecca Marshall, Client President for Open Connect at WPP Media, said: 

“This partnership is a great example of how Open Connect brings together the best of WPP Media, pulling in multiple disciplines to answer Plusnet’s business challenges. Using WPP Open, our Planning team was able to draw on a wealth of audience and channel insight to craft the media strategy working side by side with the Plusnet client team to stay true to Plusnet’s unique tone of voice. Our Creative Futures team then identified the perfect property and worked seamlessly with Channel 4 to bring the yearlong partnership to life, handling the full implementation across all touchpoints.”