ITV strikes its biggest ad-funded programming deal

As part of a wider campaign, managed by content agency Drum PHD limited, The Krypton Factor will run alongside the first part of Sage's new nationwide campaign to identify Britain's Business IQ attributes.

ITV said that the deal will also result in the first AFP to appear in ITV1's prime time schedule.

The Business IQ campaign launched by Sage this week aims to understand the qualities that make people in business more likely to succeed.

As part of the initiative, Sage has signed the 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."

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 Krypton Factor will be made for ITV1 by ITV Productions' entertainment department and was developed by ITVP's Entertainment Development team. It will be on air in 2009.

This article was first published on Media Week