Channel 4 has announced that first direct will sponsor a brand-new programme strand called “The Essentials on 4”.
first direct sponsors 'The Essentials on 4'
The Big Idea
The sponsorship will run from 1st July 2022 until early next year and is the first partnership between Channel 4 and first direct. The sponsorship deal will also consist of an All 4 Collection Lounge which includes classic favourites such as The Vampire Diaries and Smallville.
Integrated marketing agency Wunderman Thompson are responsible for the sponsorship idents which include the strap line: “The Essentials on 4 given the first direct treatment”.
The punchy black-and-white text and snappy sound effects used in the idents give viewers an entertainingly straightforward introduction to programmes by summarising plots in just a few lines.
As part of the partnership, first direct will also benefit from All 4 homepage takeovers over the course of the campaign, as well as an amplify ident which helps the sponsorship stand out with a dynamic frame.
first direct’s sponsorship of “The Essentials on 4” was brokered by 4Sales and Omnicom’s media group PHD UK.
CEO of first direct, Chris Pitt, said: “Disrupting the norm is what we’ve been doing as a bank since 1989 – so working with our TV equivalent feels like the perfect fit for our first ever TV sponsorship. This partnership brings together two major Leeds-based brands, and is a great step forward in celebrating this vibrant, thriving city.”
Making it Happen
Lauren Port, Client Partner at PHD UK said: “We’re always looking for great opportunities to put first direct in the spotlight. Linking their no-nonsense banking brand to Channel 4’s new essentials programme strand not only felt like the right partnership but also a great opportunity for them to be back on TV for the first time in years.”
Tom Drew, Executive Creative Director at Wunderman Thompson said: “We gave The Essentials on 4 the first direct treatment with each show getting its own faff-free typographical synopsis turning each ident into a little guessing game.’
