Pet food brand Pedigree to feature in Sky1 HD’s ‘A Different Breed’

Sky has signed the UK’s first digital product placement deal with the pet food manufacturer Pedigree.

The deal will see Pedigree Dentastix – Pedigree’s oral care product for dogs that helps fight gum disease – feature on tonight’s episode of ‘A Different Breed’, Sky 1HD’s observational documentary series that follows a cast of devoted dog owners and their pampered pets.

Sky Media has worked closely with Sky1 HD, Pulse – the production company behind the show, and Pedigree to identify the appropriate editorial opportunities for the product. These are then digitally inserted during the post-production process. During tonight’s episode, posters for Pedigree Dentastix will be digitally inserted into the background of a scene featuring a man walking his dog through a London street, and on the side of a phonebox.

The deal was negotiated by Sky Media and Zenith Optimedia, with the digital insertion carried out by digital product placement specialists MirriAd. MirriAd’s technology allows brands to be inserted into programmes where it is editorially appropriate.

Alongside the digital product placement deal, Pedigree Dentastix will also occupy the first advertising spot during the first advertising break of the show, which will exclusively be made up of brands which have an association with pets. These will also include Dulux, Sheba, Cravendale, Whiskers and Caesar.

Jason Hughes, Head of Branded Content, BSkyB, comments:

“We’re delighted to be at the vanguard of digital product placement in the UK. ‘A Different Breed’ is an unashamedly quirky show celebrating our Country’s love of pets – in this case dogs and their owners. It therefore presents some ideal opportunities for a brand like Pedigree – especially in conjunction with it taking  the first advertising spot in an ad break exclusively devoted to product associated with pets. We are looking forward to working with other brands to explore similar opportunities.”

Nadia Follon, Marketing Manager (Snacks & Treats), Pedigree, adds:

“As the UK’s number one dog food brand, we’re always looking for new ways to engage with our consumers. In an increasingly digital environment, it’s important that we make the most of the new channels and technologies that are available to us. Digital product placement represents a great opportunity for us to communicate with our audience in an entirely new way. We’re delighted to be the first brand in the UK to use this innovative channel and look forward to a positive response from our consumers.”

Caroline Reik, Sponsorship and Brand Content specialist, Pulse adds:

“Pulse constantly seeks to innovate in the branded content sector and stay at the forefront in the connections between brands and content. We feel very proud to be the first company to work with Sky and MirriAd on the first ever UK post-production product placement deal to demonstrate how product placement can work effectively and creatively. Pedigree’s creative proved to be a perfect fit with the editorial of the programme. The post-production route gives both producers and broadcasters time to plan a suitable brand to sit within the editorial context – the better the fit, the more impactful the placement can be.”

For more information:

Sky

Matt Beake
Corporate Communications Manager
BSkyB
0207 905 8829
Matt.beake@bskyb.co.uk

Pulse
Franklin Rae Communications
020 7490 4050

Robyn Vanoli-Salmon
robyn@franklinrae.com

Richard Ware
richard@franklinrae.com

About Sky

Sky entertains and excites more than 10.1 million homes through the most comprehensive multichannel, multi-platform television service in the UK and Ireland. Sky continues to break new ground with its own portfolio of channels: Sky 1 combines its commitment to UK production with the best of the US; Sky Living pushes ahead with fresh and innovative entertainment formats; Sky Arts is the UK’s only dedicated arts channel brand; Sky Atlantic is the home to HBO and other iconic drama and comedy, Sky Sports is still raising the bar in sports broadcasting; Sky News remains a pioneer in television news; and Sky Movies is leading the way in High Definition and on-demand.

Sky also works with dozens of other broadcasters on the satellite platform, online and on mobile. Sky is now leading the UK into the age of high definition television with Sky+ HD and has launched Europe’s first 3DTV channel, Sky 3D, as well as Sky Anytime+, its internet delivered video on demand service.  Over the last three years, the company has also been the UK’s fastest-growing broadband and home phone provider.

About Pulse

Integrated content production company Pulse was set up by Thomas Benski (named a Broadcast Hotshot in 2010) and Marisa Clifford to produce content for broadcasters and brands across different sectors and platforms, including television, music, advertising, film and digital media. The company has grown from two people to a company of 30 staff with international ambitions – in just five years.

Some of Pulse’s recent projects include:

  • Hit performance documentary Pineapple Dance Studios – described as “the cleverest thing on TV by a front pike somersault and forward jazz-roll” by The Guardian – and follow-up series Louie Spence’s Showbusiness (both Sky 1).
  • Documentary/comedy hybrid series A Different Breed (Sky 1) which tackles the wonderful world of man’s best friend.
  • No Distance Left to Run – Grammy Award-nominated feature film telling the story of Blur, from their early days as giants of Britpop culture to their 2009 summer reunion Hyde Park shows.
  • Blackberry: Live and Lost – a fully interactive music tour for Blackberry and T4 which brought Universal artists The Wanted, Professor Green and Example face-to-face with their fans.
  • Cross-platform ad-funded series like The Red Bull Music Academy and The JD Set.
  • Yorkshire Tea – advertising campaign following Little Urn – a Yorkshire Tea branded ice cream van – embarking on a six week road trip across America, travelling from Los Angeles to New York to deliver the best cuppa to British expats.
  • Music videos for artists such as Jamie Cullum, Franz Ferdinand and The xx.