Flybe to sponsor ITV regional weather

by James Livesley, Media Week 15-Feb-06, 11:27

Low cost airline Flybe has agreed a six-figure deal to sponsor ITV West Country Weather for the next 12 months.

The sponsorship, which went live yesterday, is designed to increase brand awareness in the region, and promote routes from the South West to destinations in the UK and Europe.

The creative, by London agency Souk, shows an image of the West Country weather map merging into a Flybe plane, which flies to destinations from the West Country. Routes will be promoted seasonally, with locations like Alicante and Malaga in the Spring, to Chambery and Geneva in autumn and winter for skiing.

Flybe will also use the sponsorship as a platform to promote new routes when announced.

The deal, negotiated by Starcom, follows a similar sponsorship deal on ITV Scotland weather in 2004.

Flybe is located in Bristol, Exeter and Southampton in the South West and flies to 55 routes in the UK and Europe.

Simon Lilley, director of marketing, said: "Our sponsorship of ITV West Country Weather aligns us with the community by tapping into something people feel passionate about and interact with on a daily basis."