ITV has signed up BT as the sponsor of its interactive version of
Who Wants to be a Millionaire?
The interactive programme launches on Saturday 24 November and gives
viewers the chance to play along with the quiz. It will run on ITV2 in
parallel with the main Who Wants to be a Millionaire? show on ITV1.
The BT deal was negotiated by Carlton Active, which has created the
interactive version of the programme, and The Allmond Partnership. The
sponsorship will last initially for the first 25 episodes of the
show.
Viewers of ITV Digital and owners of digital television sets will be
able to answer questions by pressing buttons on their TV remote.
Participants will win points instead of pounds for each question
answered correctly and if they hit a pre-set target they will be entered
into a prize draw.
BT is using the deal as a general branding exercise but has also secured
a space on the interactive service to advertise new products and inform
viewers about its service.
Participants in the quiz must play along for the entirety of the show to
get a chance to hit the targets. They must also stay tuned to ITV2
throughout the ad breaks otherwise their score is lost.
Andrew Chowns, ITV2's commercial director, said: "Who Wants to be a
Millionaire? is one of the great 'play along at home' games. It is a key
show for ITV. It will bring new viewers to the channel and help raise
our profile at an important time."
Amanda MacKenzie, BT's director of marketing services, said: "Who Wants
to be a Millionaire? encourages people to take part and have fun and we
want them to associate BT with this."
