FremantleMedia Has The X Factor With Direct To Retail Promotions

FremantleMedia Licensing Worldwide (FLW), the licensing division of FremantleMedia, one of the largest international creators and producers of programme brands in the world, has announced it has secured a raft of direct to retail promotions with leading high street chains Comet, Superdrug and Argos, for the UK’s smash hit entertainment series, 'The X Factor'. This is the first time that FLW has inked promotions of this kind and forms part of the division’s bigger strategic focus for growth.
The promotion with Comet will run nationwide in over 250 stores from November through to December 2006 and will feature a range of The X Factor branded karaoke machines, developed by Acoustic Solutions, in designated promotional bays. The promotion with Comet will be marketed through the distribution of eight million flyers in national newspapers and two million in-store flyers.
Superdrug is to run an in-store nationwide promotional competition in November for The X Factor in which fans can win tickets to The X Factor live tour. The promotional competition will be displayed in promotional bays and will accompany a series of The X Factor software products, which have been developed by Magix AG.
Additionally, FLW has agreed a further promotional competition with Argos. The competition will launch from November online and in-store with the distribution of eight million flyers. The competition offers fans the chance to win The X Factor live tour tickets.
Dominic Burns, Vice President, Licensing, UK, FremantleMedia Licensing Worldwide, commented: “We are delighted to announce our first direct to retail promotional deals and to be working with such highly respected nationwide retailers. Establishing stronger retail relationships is the next step in our strategy for continued growth and promotional deals such as these really use the power of our brands in a unique way and allow our licensees to achieve maximum cut-through in a retail environment.”
For the second year running The X Factor was hailed the Best Entertainment show at the National Television Awards last month. The award, which was voted for by the public, was personally accepted by Simon Cowell.
The third series of The X Factor is the highest rated show on ITV1 this year for 16-34 year olds, and consistently performs above the channel’s prime time average. The series currently attracts an average of 7.9 million viewers and constantly wins its time slot for the show’s target demographic of 16-34 year olds.
The X Factor is produced by talkbackTHAMES, the UK production company owned by FremantleMedia and Syco for ITV.
(DS)