With Saturday Night Live about to mark a half-century on the air, NBCUniversal has sold presenting sponsorships for SNL’s 50th anniversary to Allstate, L’Oreal Group, T-Mobile and Volkswagen of America.

The SNL anniversary celebration wraps up with a live primetime special on February 16 from 8 p.m. till 11 p.m. ET.

Throughout the season, the brands will have opportunities to celebrate years of comedy through curated custom content and experiences across the NBCU portfolio, NBCU said.

Financial terms of the packages were not disclosed. NBCU talked about SNL 50 sponsorships being a hot ticket going into the upfronts.

“Saturday Night Live is a cultural institution that has been etched into NBCUniversal’s storied history. For five decades, SNL has been one of the most desired properties for marketers, and we are thrilled to have these presenting sponsors join us for the 50th anniversary season as we honor this iconic show,” said Mark Marshall, chairman, NBCU global advertising & partnerships.

T-Mobile, which has been a sponsor of Saturday Night Live for the past two seasons, is expanding its current relationship for the 50th anniversary.

Saturday Night Live is produced in association with Broadway Video. The creator and executive producer is Lorne Michaels. 

The Super Bowl Soulful Celebration 25th Anniversary has attracted a long ist of sponsors including P&G, Amazon Prime, Disney, Lexus, Mars and Crown Royal.

The special will air February 10, the day before the big game, on CBS. Formerly known as The Super Bowl Gospel Celebration, In past years, it has appeared on BET, Bounce, NFL Network and Amazon Prime.

This year’s edition uses the theme “Just Believe” and feature performances by T-Pain, Rachel Platten Mickey Guyton, Earth, Wind & Fire, Kirk Franklin,

Mary Mary, Robin Thicke, and The Players Choir.

Cedric the Entertainer and Techina Arnold are the hosts of the event.

P&G brand Febreze is working with Howard University alumna designer Rachel Motley to create custom-designed cardigans that will be worn by Kirk Franklin and the all-NFL Players Choir, featuring the Southern University 'Human Jukebox' Band Drumline. The outfits will add a stylish and distinctive flair to the musical experience, ensuring that the performers are "Fresh as Febreze" while on stage. 

P&G’s Mielle and King C. Gillette brands will host a beauty and grooming lounge to get all of the honorees and performers ready for their big moment.

Super Bowl Soulful Celebration will introduce the inaugural “Essence Glass Ceiling Breaker Award presented by Mielle.” Monique Rodriguez, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Mielle, will present the award to honorees Dasha Smith and Kimberly Fields from the NFL, and Sandra Douglas of the Las Vegas Raiders.

Crown Royal will present the "Lifetime of Inspiration'' award to former NFL player, CBS Mornings co-Host and host of NFL Today, Nate Burleson. Crown Royal will be making a donation of $25,000 from The Crown Royal Generosity Fund to an organization selected by Burleson. Former player Fred Taylor will present the award to Burleson.

Amazon Prime presents the "New Beginnings" spotlight honoring Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin, who nearly died on the field just over a year ago.

Peanut Butter M&M’s will sponsor the "HBCU Spotlight," shining a light on Markquese Bell, a Dallas Cowboys star and HBCU graduate of FAMU.

Disney helped Atlanta Falcons player Calais Campbell and his non-profit Charles Richard Campbell Foundation to create a magical experience, gifting a deserving family with a once-in-a-lifetime vacation to Disney World.

The Huntsman Family Foundation, a Utah-based nonprofit, stands up for mental wellness and eradicating stigma, with a message of hope presented by James Brown, veteran sportscaster and host of NFL Today. Vibrant Emotional Health and former NFL player Brandon Marshall, CEO of I Am Athlete, also share a message on mental health with a call-to-action urging viewers to dial 988 if experiencing mental health challenges.

Palms Casino Resort serves as the sponsor for red carpet arrivals, PlayersTV and Lionsgate will also play a role in supporting and enhancing the evening.

The Super Bowl Soulful Celebration 25th Anniversary is executive produced by Melanie Few, with Valarie Benning Thompson serving as producer. Veteran television creative Leon Knoles serves as director, with Grammy-nominated artist Adam Blackstone serving as music director.

Hard Rock, State Farm, Brighthouse Financial and Franklin Sports have signed up as sponsors for Pickleball Slam 2, organizers Horizon Sports & Experiences and InsideOut Sports + Entertainment said.

Pickleball Slam 2 will feature former tennis stars John McEnroe, Andre Agassi, Stefanie Graf and Maria Sharapova competing in the new, hot racquet sport for a $1 million purse.

The event will appear live on ESPN on February 4.

“After our inaugural event drew a capacity crowd and scored impressive viewership and social media attention, we have experienced unprecedented interest for Slam 2, evident by the support we have from our four initial outstanding presenting partners,” said Neal Gluckman, senior VP and head of sales for Horizon Sports & Experiences. 

“We are excited to return to the court alongside this strong group of companies who believe in this one-of-a-kind branding and proven customer engagement opportunity that only our platform can provide to fans in person and watching at home,” Gluckman said.  

The first Pickleball Slam took place in April and averaged 670,000 viewers on ESPN.  Subway was the presenting sponsor of the Pickleball Slam and K-Swiss signed on as the official shoe of the event.

At Pickleball Slam 2, Hard Rock returns as the venue partner and will receive baseline signage and other coverage during the event.

State Farm will receive prominent brand position on the sideline player benches.

Brighthouse Financial will have exclusive on-court branding near the net.

Franklin Sports will provide the official ball use in Slam 2 and Amateur Slam. 

Amateur Slam 2 will again precede the Pickleball Slam, with amateurs competing for a cash prize and a chance to play against the tennis legends.

Bravo fans headed to Las Vegas to soak up BravoCon will have a number of treats in store for them thanks to sponsors, who have created on-site attractions designed to match the channel’s unique take on reality.

Bravo parent NBCUniversal has signed up 20 sponsors for BravoCon, a similar number to last year’s event in New York, with eight sponsors coming back.

“A lot of them have really built on the success that we had last year,” Sari Feinberg, senior VP, marketing, advertising & partnerships at NBCUniversal, told Broadcasting+Cable. “Some introduced new product lines, new brands.”

In addition to their on-the-ground participation in the event, all of the sponsors are TV advertising clients.

Feinberg declined to say how much revenue Bravocon sponsorships would generate, but noted “not only did we hit our goals, but we exceeded them.”

Sponsors also benefit from coverage of BravoCon on NBCU outlets. There will be a live morning show on Tik Tok every morning and a recap show that will live on Peacock. Episodes of Watch What Happens Live will be taped in Vegas and shown on Bravo. And there will be live look-ins from the event on the air and a special award show called The Bravos.

Some panels from BravoCon will be available on demand on Peacock.

“We’re making more content than ever before,” Feinberg said.

One of the returning sponsors is Lay’s. Last year, Lay’s had an area at BravoCon where attendees could sample different recipes made with potato chips inspired by some of Bravo’s Real Housewives.

“We created a lot of content from there. The tagline #Real Housewives of Lay’s was trending over the course of the weekend,”

This year, Lay’s is back as a presenting sponsor of BravoCon.

“This year they’ve done an incredible job capitalizing on the fandom around Vanderpump Rules,” she said, with Ariana Madix and Katie Maloney at the center of the Lay’s activation.

In the show, Madix and Maloney are opening a sandwich shop called Something About Her and Lay’s is releasing a sandwich-inspired chip flavor: Grilled Cheese & Tomato soup.

A version of their sandwich shop will be open to BravoCon attendees. On the menu are dishes and cocktails with Lay’s among the ingredients.

On the menu are Lay’s Born Cool As a Cucumber Cup, which uses a sturdy Lay’s Wavy chip as the base; Lay’s OMGrilled Cheese and Tomato Soup, which uses toast made with Lay’s and soup infused with Lay’s Cheddar Sour Cream and Lay’s Chocolate Chip-Duo Cookies, which are dusted and baked with crushed Lay’s.

Drink selections include Lay’s Something About Sangria, which is rim dusted with crushed Lay’s; Lay’s I Take Sandwiches Very Seriously PB&J Martini, which is rim dusted with crushed chips and a Lay’s Spice up the Drama Margarita, which is rim dusted with Lay’s Kettle Cooked Jalapeno

Bravolebrities will stop by the shop and there will be sweepstakes and merchandise giveaways.

Lay’s is also sponsoring Bravopolooza, a premium set of lunches, brunches and happy hours.

Smaller companies are also on the BravoCon bandwagon, like Studs, an ear-piercing boutique.

Studs will have a truck outside of the venue at Ceasar’s Forum where people can get pierced with a Bravo-inspired earring, such as the lightning bolt worn by Sandoval on Vanderpump Rules or a martini glass.

“That's an example of a smaller emerging business that we've been able to find a home for in a very unique and customized way,” Feinberg said.

State Farm, another returning sponsor turned presenting sponsor will be transporting attendees to a Summer House inspired Hamptons beach refuges.

State Farm will sponsor The BravoCon Morning Show onTikTok and the The Best of BravoCon recap show on Peacock.

Both programs are hosted by Bravo’s Daryn Carp and Summer House’s Paige Desorbo and Amanda Batula, with special appearances by Jake from State Farm.

If it sounds like every inch of BravoCon is sponsored, that’s not far off. A new BravoCon sponsor is Clorox which has taken over the bathrooms at the venue.

Clorox will have signage clinging to bathroom mirrors with quotes from Bravo shows. It will put trivia questions in the stalls and QR codes that unlock coupons.

“There is a place for any brand that really wants to lean into the fandom around this audience and event,” she said.

Prudential said it signed a multi-year agreement with Disney Advertising and the Tournament of Roses to be the presenting sponsor of the Rose Bowl Game through the 2025-26 college football season.

Prudential replaced Capital One as the presenting sponsor of the Rose Bowl with the January 2023 game.  

Financial terms were not disclosed.

Unlike most other major bowl games, the Rose Bowl does not have a title sponsor.

“This sponsorship aligns with our ongoing strategy to invest in our brand and encourage consumers to think about financial planning when life has changed for the better,” said Richard Parkinson, chief brand officer at Prudential Financial. “By tapping into highly visible cultural moments like the Rose Bowl, we can help more people seize their Now What? moments and take their financial future to the next level.”

This season, the Rose Bowl will appear January 1 on ESPN and the ESPN app. It will be a College Football Playoff Semifinal game in what will be the last year of the eight-team championship tournament format. Next season the college football playoffs expands to 12 teams.

Prudential will serve as the official sponsor of the Pasadena Tournament of Roses events leading up to the game known as “The Granddaddy of Them All.” 

The brand will also have category exclusivity across both the College Football Playoff and the Tournament of Roses in the Life Insurance, Wealth Management, and Financial Advisory categories.  

"As a global financial brand, Prudential's commitment to excellence and its shared passion for the game aligns with the spirit of the Rose Bowl, and we are thrilled to have them as a returning sponsor of this historic event,” said Mike Denby, senior VP, Disney Advertising Sales. "Through Disney’s unrivaled reach, brands like Prudential can leverage the power of college football across our platforms to engage with diverse audiences nationwide, and on the grandest of stages."  

AMC Networks, a presenting sponsor of the Harlem Festival of Culture, said it has signed up Shark Beauty, SheaMoisture and Boost Mobile as sponsors of the event.

The festival, which recalls the historic 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival featured in the Oscar-winning documentary Summer of Soul,  will take place July 28 through July 30 on Randall’s Island in New York and will be headlined by Teyana Taylor and Wyclef Jean.

AMC’s ALLBLK and WE tv will sponsor a VIP area inspired by the Cotton Club, the legendary Harlem nightclub.

MC Lyte, star and executive producer of the ALLBLK original series Partners in Rhyme, is the festival’s host for the weekend. 

Fat Joe, who appeared on WE tv’s Growing Up Hip Hop: New York, is one of the weekend’s performers. Reginae Carter, star of the upcoming WE tv series Toya & Reginae, will be creating custom social content for Shark Beauty leading up to the festival.

“We could not be more pleased or proud to be a presenting sponsor of this landmark cultural event, the present-day reimagining of the historic Harlem Cultural Festival of 1969,” Kim Kelleher, chief commercial officer of AMC Networks, said. “This important partnership has paved the way for our talent and creators to play meaningful roles in the program itself, and also for a number of key partners to become involved in the event that promises to be a one-of-its-kind celebration of Black music and culture.”

Shark Beauty is working with AMC Networks and the Harlem Festival of Culture as the official hair drying and styling tool. During the festival weekend, guests will be able to book complimentary dry styling appointments at the Shark Beauty Hair Village choosing from a menu of festival styles. 

Custom social content featuring Reginae Carter will kick off Shark Beauty’s festival presence across WE tv’s social handles, spotlighting three unique looks that guests can get. Live coverage of Shark Beauty’s Hair Village activation will also be posted on the WE tv Instagram handle during the festival weekend.

“We’re thrilled to be a part of this amazing celebration and cultural experience,” said Brendan Bosch, global head of marketing at Shark Beauty. “The Shark FlexStyle was designed to help consumers embrace their hair, no matter their hair type, and we’re excited to bring the multi-styling tool to festival weekend to help attendees look and feel their best.”

SheaMoisture will be activating on-ground as the official hair care partner of the Harlem Festival of Culture. The brand will have an extensive footprint within the Mart 125 marketplace, which showcases Black-owned entrepreneurs. SheaMoisture products will be for sale, as well as products from many of the Shea List businesses it supports. 

A recap of their activation will be posted on WE tv social handles in the days following the festival.

As a partner of AMC Networks, Boost Mobile will be supporting the Harlem Festival of Culture through an extensive presence in the Harlem community.  Boost Mobile will host events in and around its 12 Harlem retailers with music, giveaways, Harlem Festival of Culture discount ticket access, and opportunities to win VIP admission tickets.

“The Harlem Festival of Culture is our love letter to Harlem and is truly an opportunity to recenter Harlem as the mecca of Black culture. This is the ultimate celebration of Black culture, and we are so thrilled that we have partners in AMC Networks, Shark Beauty and SheaMoisture that understand that and see the vision of what we are doing with this festival,” said HFC co-founder and technical & talent producer Yvonne McNair.  “We look forward to working with them to build on that vision and create a festival experience that will become the cultural event and a destination point for festival goers every year.”

Shark Week is coming and a mouthful of new sponsors have signed up for the fearsome event’s 35th anniversary season.

Signing up for the 2023 edition are Budweiser, Chili’s Grill & Bar, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, Domino’s, Mountain Dew, Long John Silver’s and the University of Phoenix.

Returning sponsors include Gorilla Glue, PNC Bank, Sport Clips and Wayfair. 

Shark Week sponsors often air specially-themed ads to mark the occasion. Sponsorship also includes custom vignettes, tagged tune-ins, billboards and in-program messaging, plus social media extensions across TikTok, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

“Shark Week attracts impressive audiences year after year, and we create endemic sponsorship opportunities for clients that fit seamlessly into the programming to deliver enjoyable advertising experiences for engaged consumers,” said Jon Diament, executive VP, advertising sales at Warner Bros. Discovery. “We work closely with our sponsors to ensure their overall marketing objectives are met through unique and impactful campaigns that provide unmatched reach and scale through our wide portfolio of brands.”

This year, Shark Week appears from July 23 through July 29 on Discovery Channel. It will also available to stream on Max and Discovery Plus, parent company Warner Bros. Discovery’s direct-to-consumer platforms.

Shark Week is being hosted by actor Jason Momoa. It will feature 20 hours of new programming. Shows will take viewers inside a great white shark feeding frenzy and investigate rumors of sharks feasting on cocaine.

Shark Week attracted more than 28 million viewers last year.

Warner Bros. Discovery’s linear and streaming portfolio — including TBS, TNT, truTV, TLC, Food Network, HGTV, CNN, Travel Channel, Cartoon Network, Adult Swim, Animal Planet, Science Channel, ID, TCM — will air Shark Week-inspired content or cross-promote the event.  

NOTE: Contains details about the Top Chef Season 20 finale (airing on June 1), so if you want to avoid spoilers, read this after watching the episode.

In the shadow of the Eiffel Tower, the four remaining competitors in season 20 of Top Chef prepared to guide unseen partners through a Quickfire cooking challenge.

Top Chef, the long-running Bravo series, went abroad for the first time, shooting episodes in London with All-Star chef/contestants from around the world. For a surprise season finale [airing on June 1], the finalists were taken to Paris, the capital of cuisine. The weather wasn’t cooperating. The skies were gray. It was a chilly 56 degrees at about 10:30 a.m., and then it started to rain. But the show went on. 

Each of the Top Chef finalists was led to a stall. They were on one side of a wall. Their unseen partners were on the other side of the wall. The chefs had 30 minutes to coach their partners to make a dish using ingredients provided while they prepared the same dish. 

It wasn’t easy. As it turned out, few of the partners were very good cooks. They had other talents. Each of the partners was a Team USA Olympic or Paralympic athlete, quietly flown into Paris by Delta Air Lines, the official airline of Team USA and a major Olympics sponsor for NBCUniversal, which is gearing up for the 2024 Summer Games in Paris. 

Host Padma Lakshmi emerged from a tent that served as a dressing room as production staffers tried to keep her and her fabulous outfit from getting wet as she walked to where the challenge was being filmed.

Lakshmi set the stage, noting that the chefs were in “one of the most-visited locations in the world.” She thanked Delta for bringing them there and asked the contestants if they “were ready to get on board.” They raised their hands.

She introduced the Quickfire challenge.

"In just over a year’s time, the world’s greatest athletes will be coming together here in Paris for the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games, where they will be competing in the ultimate test of their endurance and skills. Sound familiar? Thanks to Delta Air Lines, the official airline of Team USA, the four of you will be doing the same here in Paris over the next two weeks and it all starts right now," Lakshmi said. "Our friends at Delta have flown in some very special teammates for you today. But, you won’t know who they are until you are done cooking."

Slaving over hot stoves would be Suni Lee, all-around gymnastics gold medalist from the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics; two-time Olympic gold-medal hurdler Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone; Mallory Weggemann, a three-time Paralympic swimming medalist; and Hunter Woodhall, a three-time Paralympic track medalist. 

With the weather, some Delta and NBC executives watched from their hotel in Paris via closed circuit. 

A half-hour later, the winning chef was Ali Ghzawi, who was paired with Weggemann and managed to whip up potato leek soup with créme fraîche. As the winner, Ghzawi received a Delta Gift Card valued at $10,000 to take a trip anywhere Delta flies worldwide.  

“It definitely was challenging, but it was a lot of fun,” Wegemann said. 

“I’ve never cooked with leeks before and I had a moment where I wondered, ‘Are we going to have a dish when the timer’s up? There’s just going to be water in the bowl,’” she continued. “I think it’s neat to get out of your element and try something new I would sway we all probably thoroughly enjoyed it.”

The integration into Top Chef was part of Delta’s Olympics sponsorship deal with NBCU, worth a reported $400 million. NBCU and Delta gave Broadcasting+Cable access while the episode was being shot in Paris last October.

Airing now, about a year before the start of the Paris Olympics, the integration promotes the upcoming games for NBCU and Delta’s support of Team USA.

“With Delta being such a supporter of Team USA, it was exciting to watch the athletes extend their competitive spirit into the Top Chef environment,” Emmakate Young, managing director, brand marketing and sponsorships at Delta, said.  

“The Quickfire challenge demonstrated how much connection can happen over food, travel and cultures,” Young said. “It was great to see the participants from all over the world connecting over food in this amazing destination. We are looking forward to seeing how the episode plays out and consumer reaction to the challenge. Additionally, having the backdrop of this challenge be an iconic Parisian landmark will make Paris 2024 feel even closer.”

NBCUniversal has been televising the Summer Olympics since 1988 and the Winter Olympics since 2002. A new cycle for U.S. sponsors started in 2020, and Delta was the first to sign up with NBCU. The sponsorship runs through the Los Angeles games in 2028.

“Delta has been a fantastic Olympic sponsor,” said Dan Lovinger, president, Olympics and LA2028 advertising sales and partnerships at NBCU. “They are enthusiastic. Their entire organization is locked in and taking advantage of the Olympic spirit.” 

The International Olympic Committee has its own roster of global top sponsors — including Visa, Procter & Gamble, Toyota and Samsung — that have international rights to use the Olympic rings in their marketing. Those companies support their sponsorships by spending ad dollars during NBCU’s Olympic coverage in the U.S.

For the U.S. market, NBCU recruits sponsors of the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic teams. In addition to Delta, NBCU’s Olympic sponsors include parent company Comcast, Salesforce, Deloitte and Hershey.

Delta’s first experiences as an Olympic sponsor were impacted by the COVID pandemic, yet the airline powered through the turbulence, helping to move athletes to Beijing, Lovinger said.

“It was a very tricky time period,” Lovinger said. “We couldn’t have done it without Delta. 

Going for the Gold

For Delta, sponsoring the Olympics was a big commitment. “We are a global brand and we wanted to align with a global property like the Olympics,” Young said. “Their tenets of faster, higher, stronger align perfectly with our tagline, ‘Keep climbing.’ So it was really a natural fit.”

Delta’s goal in advertising starts with awareness. Equally as important is creating the perception that the airline is a premium global brand — both with consumers and within its own staff.

“We want our Olympic sponsorship to permeate the entire organization,” Young said. “Our employees are a huge part of our audience and a massive constituency for us. We’ve got 80,000 and climbing employees. We want to make sure that everybody in the company knows about it.”

Delta has been a longstanding advertiser on NBCU and was a powerful media partner for the airline.

“They have so many different properties that hit our target audience, so we're able to really laser-focus on who we want to target, and NBC has a lot of those capabilities,” Young said.

Lovinger said NBCU aims to find opportunities for Olympic sponsors across the entirety of its portfolio for ways to connect with their target audience. 

The Top Chef integration in Paris was “a natural synthesis of our needs to grow the awareness that the games are coming with Delta's needs to connect people and Paris,” he said. 

Finding the right recipe for a tasty integration can be a tricky thing.

Sponsors like Delta prefer to sponsor Quickfire challenges because they don’t want to be responsible for a contestant being eliminated, Jamie Cutburth, executive VP, Creative Partnerships, Advertising and Partnerships, NBCUniversal, said.

But taking chefs and Olympians to Paris was on brand for Delta, according to Young, who said she watches the show.

“We obviously bring people to places. get them from A to B,” Young said. “But we believe our ultimate purpose is to get people to their potential and to help them achieve their potential. That was another reason why it was really a bull's eye for us to be a part of this partnership.”

Delta wasn’t looking to overpower the segment with branding and doesn’t settle for cookie-cutter solutions. 

“We never want to in any of our relationships just slap a logo on something,” she said. “We really want a natural fit and a partnership. It would require a lot of things coming together and really be a bull's eye for us. And this one provided that.”

The only thing that would have made the segment better would have been to have had a Delta jet fly over the contestant behind the Eiffel Tower. “Maybe we could do it in post,” Young joked.

Weggemann, the athlete who won the Quickfire challenge, worked with Delta since 2019 as a member of Delta’s advisory board on disability. “When they became a Team USA partner, I was ecstatic because I’m very biased in my enthusiasm for Delta,” she said. “They’re a remarkable brand because when you’re with them, it truly is a family.”

Weggeman also worked with NBCU as an on-field reporter during the 2018 Pyeongchang Paralympic Games in South Korea and worked in the studio during the 2022 Paralympics in Beijing.

Weggemann is one of six Olympians and Paralympians Delta works with. They have been featured in the airline’s ad campaign. The athletes also work with Delta employees. They worked with different departments. Some reviewed safety protocols, others went through flight attendant training

“The airline industry is hard and we do have to overcome a lot of adversity and be very resilient,” Young said. “Those were themes that really resonated with our employee base.” 

City of Light

While being in France was new to Top Chef, sponsors being stirred into episodes wasn’t.

“It’s wonderful to be here in Paris,” Lakshmi said. “This is one for the history books. Rain is part of life and it’s certainly part of life here in Paris. So it’s almost apropos that we get into it on our first outing here in Paris.”

Lakshmi said she and the show do their best to incorporate sponsors’ initiatives into their scripts.

“I’m very grateful to our sponsors because they allow us to do the show in such a high-caliber way,” Lakshmi said. “For instance, without Delta we wouldn’t be here. They enabled us to fly our whole crew to London and onward to Paris.”

Lakshmi noted that she’d previously worked with Delta, curating an in-flight entertainment program for Asian-American and Pacific  Islander Heritage Month.

Delta fit right in with the show’s other sponsors for season 20, which including first-timers Finish Dishwasher Detergent, Ritz Crackers, and Saratoga Spring Water, along with returning sponsors Anolon Cookware, BMW of North America, Mastercard, Morton Salt, Universal Pictures and Vrbo.

“Delta enabled Top Chef to tell the story of taking the contestants to England and, if they were successful, to Paris as well,” NBCU’s Cutburth said.

Cameras were rolling not just in the kitchens, but at the airport, Cuthburth noted. 

“Our team was at Charles de Gaulle picking up Olympians,” he said. “We did the B-roll footage; we tell the whole story. We've learned that audiences love the cooking, but they also love the  people and we want to help tell that story. So you see the athletes are arriving and getting excited. You know, that’s all real. They’re fun, behind-the-scenes stories for the audience.

“The storytelling in Top Chef provides plenty of space for brand stories, too,” Cutburth said.

“We try to create a very natural script and we [ want to tell a very natural story,” he continued. “Without Delta, we wouldn’t be in Paris bringing the Olympians togetherI think we are also working hard to make sure that our partners’ brands are elevated in the most organic way possible. We don’t want to be beating people over the head with a brand point. I think everyone in our industry agrees we're beyond that.”

Brands can afford the softer sell, he said, because it works.

“We work directly with our research team and understand the lifts in brand favorability and brand awareness,” Cutburth said. “Top Chef is always stellar as an environment when it comes to increasing brand awareness and favorability, mostly because we do it in such a creative and unique way. We don't do the same integration twice, so every integration that we create is bespoke.” 

Going to Paris was a chef’s-kiss moment for the Top Chef, added Ryan Flynn, senior VP, recurring production for Bravo.

“We endeavor to introduce our viewers to a location,” Flynn said. “What better way to say you're in Paris than the base of the Eiffel Tower.” 

The rain didn’t put a damper on the scene, Flynn said. “Not at all.  For us, rain or shine, we press on, and we're always ready for anything.”

While the show is obviously open to branded integrations, a balance needs to be struck. “I always think about the viewers at home and what feels appropriate,” Flynn said, “We have very savvy, very smart viewers.” 

That’s particularly true with a first-time sponsor like Delta. “If it’s too much like an obvious commercial, it’s our job to say to them, it’s in your best interest for us to find that right balance, so that when people watch they’re excited.”

And of course, there’s a financial incentive to integrate sponsors into the show.

“It really allows us to continue to make the show we want,” Flynn said. “What's great about this is so many parts of our company come together to support, what we think is — obviously, I'm going to be biased — one of the best shows on TV and hopefully the best cooking competition show on TV,”

The Top Chef cast said going to Paris was the piece de resistance for the show.

“It took 20 seasons to get here. It really means a lot and I think the fans are going to love it,” Tom Colicchio, Top Chef’s head judge, said. “Chefs of my generation, and maybe even slightly older, at some point we all came to France to work. It was like a rite of passage.”

He noted that the competing chefs were psyched to get to Paris. “Some have never been here, and so as a working chef, I think it’s really exciting for them,” he said. “For us, we get to eat a lot of great meals, when we’re not actually working.”

Added Top Chef judge Gail Simmons: “For so long, France was the only place that mattered in food. It was the center of Western culinary history and that is still true to some degree.”

“I think our producers do a great job of working those products into the challenges,” Simmons added. “Partners allow us to create the best possible challenge around them so that our chefs don’t mind  the sum is bigger than its parts.”

Spicy Competition

Before the competition, the athletes eyed one another as rivals while also sharing scouting reports on which chefs would make the best partners.

“I don’t know who had experience cooking, or even likes cooking, but I do know that these athletes are of such a high caliber that they're really good at taking directions,” Lakshmi said. “They understand what’s at stake for the chef they're paired up with and I think they all wanted to do a good job and I think they all did do a good job.”

Woodhall, the Paralympic track medalist, said he went into the competition with no expectations. “I was just trying to figure it out as I go. [Chef Buddha Lo] was very good at teaching what to do, but I told him I’m not good at cooking, so let’s do this together.”

Woodhall has done some work with sponsors before. “We try to work with companies that align with what they want to do.”

Weggemann, who won the Quickfire challenge, said she thought the values it takes to compete cross over from athletics to business. “You look at the resilience it takes to be an Olympic and Paralympic athlete, and the drive and dedication and community,” she said. “There's so many parallels between that and Delta. And I think that that's such a really powerful synergy that we share.”

While she’s looking ahead to her fourth Paralympics, she’s also looking forward to life outside the pool. 

“At this stage of my career, what makes me a fierce competitor is knowing, there’s more to Mallory Weggemann than being a swimmer,” she said.

“I love what I got to do with NBC for the 2022 Beijing games,” Weggemann said. “I thought it was such a remarkable chance to kind of pull out of my athletic world. It’s not about you. It’s about connecting with the viewer so you can articulate the stories of the individuals who we are highlighting and share that with people.” 

Delta’s sponsorship will continue to gain altitude as the games get nearer.

Earlier this year, the airline opened a Delta Sky Club at the airport in Minneapolis where Top Chef inspired dishes were served. A Delta Sky Club in Boston similarly featured recipes from Top Chef alum Karen Akunowicz.

“The next big thing for all of our partners will be the one-year-out announcement,” Lovinger said. “There’s still a year to go. They’ve got other cool stuff cooking.”

EGO Outdoor Power Tools has selected to be the presenting sponsor of On the Clock, an ESPN series looking at four of the top college quarterbacks expected to be picked in the NFL Draft, which will also be televised by ESPN.

The series features Archie, Peyton and Eli Manning and is produced by the Mannings’ Omaha Productions along with NFL Films. It will appear on ESPN Plus and ESPN2 starting April 10.

On the Clock follows Bryce Young of Alabama, Anthony Richardson of the University of Florida, Hendon Hooker from Tennessee and Will Levis of Kentucky.

As a sponsor, Disney Ad Sales said EGO will appear in the show’s opening animations, on billboards and will have logo placements throughout the series. EGO, a division of Chervon, will also be featured in ESPN studio programs including the SportsCenter Draft Special, NFL Live, Get Up and First Take.

“At EGO, we’ve always pushed ourselves to be the best and set the standard for battery powered yard equipment. That’s why we are honored to sponsor On The Clock,” said Joe Turoff, chief marketing officer, Chervon North America. “Our innovation, technology, and determination has made us the #1 rated brand in cordless outdoor power. We can’t wait to see these athletes push themselves to become number No. 1 as well.” 

Theresa Palmieri, VP, Disney Ad Sales, Sports, told Broadcasting+Cable that EGO was interested in the show’s concept as early as last summer.as the show was developed. Details of the sponsorship were nailed down in December.

“They stuck with us through the journey as the title was changing and as securing quarterbacks for the show was actually difficult, given the current status with NIL [college sports name, image and likeness rules],” Palmieri said. “I give credit to the EGO team. They believed in us working to figure this all out. It will be very timely and relevant and it really made for a great partnership.”

Each episode of the show will have a segment called “Powerful Moments,” in which the Mannings will recall their own draft memories. The Mannings will also put the quarterback prospect through their paces at the Manning Passing Academy.

“We have research that shows that sports fans and especially the younger generation of fans. They want to understand more about these athletes than what they see on the field,” Palmieri added. 

The NFL Draft represents a pivotal point for these athletes and a great moment for getting their back story, she said.

“This type of content allows us to serve sports fans. They want a deeper dive on these athletes and they want to feel a connection,” Palmieri said. “I think that's also what really made sense for EGO. I think they understand that the younger generation of sports fans is very tech-savvy and innovation-focused, which makes them a really great target for their brand.”

NBCUniversal’s Peacock streaming service and language-learning brand Duolingo have teamed up for an April Fools' Day prank that seems to promote a too-absurd-to-be-true reality show, but really offers discounts on Peacock and Duolingo.

Peacock and Duolingo have created a promo for Love Language, a reality show in which 10 sexy singles from around the world will share a house and look for true love. What pushes the premise over the line is that none of the bathing-suit clad singles speak the same language. Hilarity is sure to ensue.

As the ersatz show’s “sponsor,” the contestants will get daily language lessons from Duolingo. Contestants who fail their language lesson, or cannot find a match, are eliminated by Duolingo’s mascot Duo the Owl, who appears frequently in the promo around the house and by the pool.

The promo launches Thursday on the Peacock and Duolingo apps.

Given the state of the reality genre, the promo looks almost plausible. Peacock has also put together social-media posts to support the show and a press release that only hints at this being an April Fools’ joke, as opposed to an April 1 launch. ■

“At Duolingo, we make learning languages fun and entertaining. By partnering with Peacock, a leader in buzzworthy reality TV, we were able take this approach to a whole new level by bringing Duolingo’s unique, and unhinged, spin to the romantic reality series space, featuring none other than Duo the Owl,” Manu Orssaud, VP of Global Marketing, Duolingo, is quoted as saying in the press release. “On Love Language fans will have a front row seat to the chaos Duo causes all in an effort to ensure learners keep their Duolingo streaks alive and find love through the power of language learning.”

“Love Language is the perfect addition to Peacock’s fan-centric, groundbreaking reality programming,” Annie Luo, executive VP, Global Partnerships at Peacock added in the release. “Peacock has had a powerful string of recent hits featuring some of the biggest stars on TV; we’re honored that Duo the Owl joins this group and chose Peacock to call home. We are excited to pair up with Duolingo and can’t wait for audiences to see how the drama unfolds.”

The promo offers viewers one-month free access to Super Duolingo and 50% off three months of Peacock Premium–a one-time payment of $7.49.

An NBCU spokesperson confirms that the offers are for real. ■

Subway, the giant sandwich chain, has signed up as a presenting sponsor of the inaugural Pickleball Slam, according to Horizon Sports & Experience, which is producing the event.

Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

To be televised April 2 by ESPN, the Pickleball Slam features four tennis legends playing the new, fast-growing racquet port. 

Andre Agassi, John McEnroe, Andy Roddick and Michael Chang will be competing for a $1 million purse.

“With America’s appetite for pickleball growing every day, we are incredibly excited to welcome Subway as the presenting sponsor of the inaugural Pickleball Slam,” said Neal Gluckman, senior VP, head of sales at Horizon Sports & Experiences.  “Their brand elevates this experience for fans on the ground at Hard Rock Live in Florida and those watching at home on ESPN.” 

As a presenting sponsor, Subway will be prominently featured in all event promotion and have exclusive on-site branding opportunities. It will also appear in custom elements within the ESPN telecast. ■

With its season kicking off Saturday, the XFL and Disney Advertising Sales are still looking to fill their sponsorship roster.

The XFL and The Walt Disney Co., as the league’s exclusive broadcast partner, have been looking to enlist a handful of marketers as founding partners for the league. So far, only Progressive, the official auto insurance sponsor of the XFL, has been announced.

“We’re really trying to create truly 360-degree sponsors, offerings that including assets the XFL can provide like team affiliates and IP to premiere broadcast integrations and new technology that we’re bringing into the broadcast,”  Deidra Maddock, VP, sports brand solutions, told Broadcasting+Cable.

Selling those multifaceted partnerships can be complicated, and Maddock said there are conversations underway with a number of potential sponsors. 

“There's definitely a lot of interest,“ Maddock said. ”As with any 360 partnership, there’s just a lot of details to be worked out.” 

Right now the ad market is soft, which might be having some impact on sales, but “there’s just a wait-and-see mentality for new sports as they launch,“ Maddock said.

Individual spots for the season are about 80% sold out, she added.

Football has become America’s game, with NFL games dominating the list of most-watched programs in 2022.

The first XFL was a famous bust when it was launched to much fanfare in 2001 by WWE impresario Vince McMahon. The league was revived in 2020 and after a fast start its season was canceled by the pandemic. 

The bankrupt XFL was purchased by a consortium led by Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and his ex-wife Dany Garcia for $15 million.

All of the league’s games will appear on ABC, ESPN, ESPN2 or FX and stream on ESPN Plus.

“We believe that football fans are always looking for more football. And now that the saddest day of the year for football fans — the day after the Super Bowl — has passed, hot on the heels of that we’re giving them the opportunity to have more football,” Maddock said.

Progressive clearly agrees.

“The XFL’s commitment to on-field innovation and fan engagement aligns with Progressive’s forward-thinking approach and dedication to delivering value to our customers,” Jay VanAntwerp, media business leader at Progressive, said. “We’re excited to continue our support of the XFL and look forward to seeing the league return to action in 2023.”

As part of its sponsorship, Progressive will have premium, on-field brand positions located on each side of the 50-yard line at each of the 43 XFL games, gaining national marketing exposure through the XFL’s exclusive broadcast partner, Disney and ESPN. 

Progressive will also benefit from digital signage displayed across each of the XFL’s eight stadiums. In addition, Progressive has secured brand placement on the ear cup and top headband of all XFL coaches’ headsets, which will result in additional TV exposure. Progressive has also been granted access to league imagery and video content for promotional use.

Lots of Ad Options

Disney is looking to be flexible and innovative as it looks to bring in more partners, whether they want a 360-degree package like Progressive or just to explore television.

One opportunity would be sponsoring the XFL’s replay center for live game reviews of on-field calls by the official. The XFL is planning a transparent process, enabling fans to be able to see what the referees are looking at as they decide whether or not to overrule a call. 

A sponsor could say, “this fast review is brought to you by,” or a sponsor's technology could actually be used in the replay and review process.

Disney’s data and targeting capabilities are also available for XFL advertisers.

“One of the strengths that the Disney ad platform has to offer is the flexibility to do all of that,” Maddock said. “We have a lot of data solutions that really equip us to be able to work with brands who are looking for specific audience segments. But we also have the great reach and frequency for the broad reach here of the general sports fans.”

Maddock said it’s not clear how the USFL, another football league whose games will be on Fox and NBC later in the spring, is affecting the market. “The seasons are not concurrent,“ she said. “It is definitely a different proposition.

“Would we like to see more advertisers activating? We would,“ Maddock said. “We think it's a really great opportunity and a unique one.” Advertisers are often looking for a chance to get in on the ground floor with a property, she said.

“It’s the launch of a league where there’s a close partnership between the broadcaster and the league themselves, so I’m hopeful that would unlock some opportunities.” ■

Disney Advertising says the National Hockey League’s All-Star Game and the NHL All-Star Skills competition are sold out.

Disney says it has signed up 12 sponsors for the two day event.. Sponsoring the All-Star game are presenting sponsor Honda, Discover, Enterprise, Goodyear, Lexus, Navy Federal Credit Union and SAP.

Sponsors for the Skills competition. Include Chipotle, Discovery, Enterprise, Geico, Goodyear, Great Clips, Honda and Upper Deck.

About 34 other advertisers will appear over the two day event including American Express, Apple, AT&T, Biosteel, Boston Beer Company, Capital One, Chipotle, Discover, E&J Gallo Winery, Enterprise, Expedia,  Fidelity, Freshpet, Geico, Hilton, Intutit, Liberty Mutual, Live Nation, Mars, Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance, Mercedes-Benz, Navy Federal Credit Union, Priceline.com, Progressive, Signet Jewelers, Taco Bell, T-Mobile, Procter & Gamble, Toyota, Verizon,  Vivid Seats, Volkswagen, Walmart and Wendy’s. 

Some new categories have been brought into the fold this year, including accounting, electronic entertainment equipment, household cleaners, nutritional supplements and pet food.

This is Disney’s second year carrying the NHL under its current contract. Warner Bros. Discovery Sports also carries NHL games.

“We are incredibly proud of the sponsorship success we've seen around the NHL,” said Sean Hanrahan, senior VP, sports brand solutions at, Disney Advertising. “Brands continue to flock to Disney's robust coverage, and we are thrilled to continue developing opportunities for them to engage with NHL fans everywhere through our content.” 

The All-Star Skills competition will appear live on ESPN and ESPN Plus on February. 3, with Goodyear providing aerial coverage.

The All-Star Game will be played February 4 on ABC and ESPN Plus. Enterprise will sponsor The Drop, a 30-minute live digital pregame show that will stream on the ESPN app and ESPN’s YouTube, Twitter and Facebook pages. Enterprise will also have content on Instagram surrounding both the Skills challenge and the All-Star contest.■

Disney Advertising Sales said that Prudential Financial has signed up as the new presenting sponsor of the Rose Bowl Game, which will air on ESPN on January 2.

Prudential replaces last year’s sponsor Capital One.

Financial terms were not disclosed.

Also: College Bowl Season Kicks Off

"We're incredibly excited to have Prudential join our strong slate of CFP sponsors on Disney," Disney Advertising Sales senior VP Mike Denby said. "The Rose Bowl Game has long been one of college football's most storied events and we're looking forward to reaching new audiences together. Through our best-in-class content, Prudential will be able to connect and engage with fans all across the country for football's greatest New Year's tradition."

No. 8 Utah will play Penn State in this season's Rose Bowl.

Prudential joins a roster of bowl game sponsors for ESPN. The other sponsors for the Big Six Years bowl games are Allstate, Capital One, Chick-fil-A, Goodyear and Vrbo. ■

Before ABC broadcasts the ACC championship football game between Clemson and North Carolina Saturday night, Disney Advertising and conference sponsors Bojangles, Food Lion, Subway and New York Life will be engaging fans at a FanFest.

The ACC Football FanFest starts Friday and runs up to gametime on Saturday in Romare Bearden Park in Charlotte and features games, photo opportunities and product giveaways.

Disney Advertising sells official sponsorships for the conference. Participating in the FanFest is one of the benefits of being an official sponsor, Theresa Palmieri, VP, Disney Advertising Sports Brand Solutions told Broadcasting+Cable.

Disney mounted an ACC FanFest last year, but it was limited by lingering COVID concerns. Still about 12,000 fans attended.

“It’s going to be bigger and better,” Palmieri said. “This is the first year we feel like we’re back to normal where the majority of our brands are activating from an in-person standpoint.”

Disney and the sponsors collaborate on designing the FanFest activations. “They've really put a lot of thought into creating activations that are going to be additive and enhance the fans' game day experience,” she said.

Fans who download the Bojangles app will be eligible for a chance to win Bojangles gift cards throughout the weekend. Additionally, the brand will sponsor interactive activities like biscuit sampling, a vertical leap for fans to test their athleticism, and a traveling tailgate tent. There will also be a Bojangles-themed Jeep Renegade on-site for fan photo opportunities.  

Food Lion recently renewed its position as the official grocer of the ACC for another three-year term. The supermarket chain is the longest-running official sponsorship for the conference. Food Lion will sponsor a quarterback challenge, a plinko game and a 360-cam photo opportunity. The grocery distributor will also host a Food Lion Fresh Produce Stand where fans can sample fresh produce.

The FanFest main stage will house a set for onsite studio programming and ACC Chalk Talk, sponsored by Subway. The sandwich chain will be the presenting sponsor of all studio shows recorded both inside the stadium and on the main stage throughout the weekend. ESPN analysts will be receiving sub deliveries on set during the ACC Huddle ahead of the big game Saturday. Other integrations into programming over the weekend are also planned.

At this year’s event, there will be a big TV screen -- presented by New York Life -- that will let attendees watch the other conference championship games being played before the ACC contest starts at 8 p.m. on Saturday. Disney is also planning on showing the U.S. national team's game against the Netherlands in the World Cup.

On TV, Subway is the presenting sponsors of the ACC football championship game. “Their brand is going to be prominent during the ABC telecast,” Palmieri said.

The other brands will have a presence on the Disney’s ACC Network, which will be showing studio shows and other programming leading up to the game. The network will also show scenes from the FanFest.

“That studio coverage is going to take us to 8:00 p.m. That's when we'll punt it over to ABC and they'll tackle what's happening on the field, Palmieri said. ■

 TelevisaUnivision said that Bacardi and 1800 Tequila have joined the list of companies sponsoring Univision’s Latin Grammy Award telecast.

Bacardi and 1800 Tequila join returning sponsors including Bulova, Clinique, Frontera Wines, Mastercard and Walmart on the 23rd Annual Latin Grammy Awards, which will air November 17.

“We’re thrilled to welcome this year’s sponsors to the biggest night in Latin Music, each with innovative and culturally rich activations that will engage and delight our audience across platforms,” said Donna Speciale, president of U.S. advertising sales and marketing at TelevisaUnivision. “The Latin Grammys are an amazing platform for brands to connect with U.S. Hispanics – and, through our sophisticated suite of solutions, we’re delivering the creativity, precision and ROI marketers need to drive a lasting impact with consumers.”

Bacardi will be the official rum sponsor of the Grammys. The brand sponsored the nominations live stream in September and will also sponsor the Best New Artist Showcase on November 15. All nominees and presenters will be getting custom apparel, personalized bottles and signature Bacardi rum cocktails at Latin Grammy events.

1800 Tequila will be the presenting sponsor of 1800 Second with Latin Grammy Best New Artist Nominees, a digital documentary series. The brand will also sponsor the Latin Grammy Person of the Year, the Talent Gift Lounge and the official After Party. 1800 Tequila will also host branded bars and viewers will be able to see exclusive behind-the-scenes Red Carpet coverage live on 1800 Telquila’s Instagram page hosted by Ezequiel Cardenas.

Returning sponsor Bulova is the official timepiece and jewelry partner of the Latin Grammy Awards. As part of its seventh year as a sponsor, the brand is working with The Latin Recording Academy to present first-time winners with special-edition personalized watches. Bulova is partnering with TelevisaUnivision’s local stations in Los Angeles, Miami and Dallas to highlight its Millenia Latin Grammy-inspired collection.

Clinique returns to the Latin Grammys for its second year as an official digital sponsor. Viewers can virtually go behind the scenes with actress Melissa Barrera for details of her final makeup look as she makes her debut on the Latin Grammy red carpet.

Frontera Wines returns for the third consecutive year as the official wine sponsor of the Latin Grammy. The brand will be offering a series of special promotions available at various points of sale across the U.S.

Mastercard returns for the sixth year as a global sponsor and will be the official payment sponsor for the event, This year, Mastercard will also be a presenting sponsor of the Best New Artist Showcase. Mastercard will also introduce a one-of-a-kind Fellowship Program with The Latin Recording Academy where Latin Grammy-nominated artists will benefit from a financial opportunity to attend the annual Latin Grammy Awards while documenting their journey for Latin music fans and aspiring musicians to enjoy across social media.

Walmart, back for a 13th straight year, will push its Black Friday deals during the awards show. In-show integrations and shoppable content on social platforms will feature talent and items available from the retail giant.

“Our sponsors are key partners in bringing Latin Grammy Week to life, and we are grateful and honored to welcome back many leading brands and embrace first-time partners as we come together to celebrate The Biggest Night in Latin Music,” said Enrique Perez, Head of Partnerships & Client Solutions at The Latin Recording Academy. “This is an incredible moment in time for Latin music, and our brand partners are at the forefront of reaching Latin music aficionados globally with innovative programs.”

Univision has been home to the Latin Grammys for over a decade. 

The 23rd Annual Latin Grammy Awards will air live from the Michelob Ultra Arena at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas hosted by Anitta, Luis Fonsi, Laura Pausini and Thalía.

Performers include  Ángela Aguilar, Christina Aguilera, Rauw Alejandro, Marc Anthony, Banda Los Recoditos, Camilo, Elvis Costello, Chiquis, Jorge Drexler, Nicky Jam, Jesse & Joy, John Legend, Carin León, Mariachi Sol de México de José Hernández, Christian Nodal, Sin Bandera, Sebastián Yatra and the 2022 Latin Recording Academy Person of the Year, Marco Antonio Solís.

Grammy Award nominees Silvana Estrada, Gente de Zona, Aymée Nuviola, Rosalía, Carlos Vives and Nicole Zignago will also perform, along with past Latin Grammy winner Goyo and Grammy nominee iconic group Los Bukis. ■

Low-priced, family-friendly TV provider Frndly TV is launching a pop-up channel presented by Solo Stove for the holidays that is its answer to the more-traditional Yule log.

The Cozy Holiday Bonfire Presented by Solo Stove channel will feature the Solo Stove Bonfire 2.0 outdoor fire pit. The channel will feature a QR code that will enable viewers to find out more about Solo Stove outdoor fire pit products.

When the channel launches on November 8, the stove will be featured in a fall setting with outdoorsy sounds.

Also: Frndly TV Sees Growth In Q3 Viewing, Ad Sales

The channel switches gear after Thanksgiving on November 29 with holiday themes.

 “At Solo Stove we know there’s nothing like time spent outside,” Solo Stove director of brand Chris Johnson said. “We love it. This holiday season we’re excited to partner with Frndly TV to bring the relaxing sounds of the great outdoors, Bonfire-powered fire pit crackling, and cozy visuals to TVs all across the country. It's the next best thing to sitting next to our smokeless fire pits in your own backyard.”

Also: Frndly TV Adds A+E Channels to Streaming Video Service

Programming will run 24 hours a day in hour long loops coordinated with the time of day, so daytime scenes will appear in the morning and afternoon, with nightlight scenes shown from dusk into the night.

The Cozy Holiday Bonfire Presented by Solo Stove channel is scheduled to run through January 3, 2023.

“While our subscribers enjoy the traditional Yule Log during the holiday season, they also love the outdoors and we thought this would be a fun, new way to present a holiday pop-up channel,” Steve Sklar, Frndly TV’s head of advertising sales, said. “Solo Stove immediately saw the unique value in partnering with our holiday pop-up channel to reach our engaged subscriber base and worked with us to create the Cozy Holiday Bonfire Presented by Solo Stove. And we thank our national ad sales partners, Orama Advisors, who secured Solo Stove’s participation.” ■

NBCUniversal said it signed up 19 sponsors for BravoCon, the in-person event where fans get to rub elbows and spill tea with their favorite “Bravo-lebrities.”

The total number of sponsors is four times last year’s event, with Bud Light Seltzer, Lay's and State Farm among the presenting sponsors with custom activations across all platforms.

Other sponsors include Allē, Bubly, Chase Sapphire, Chevrolet, Hilton, Infiniti, Natural Diamond Council, Orbit gum, Pepsi, Pure Leaf Iced Tea, Shark Beauty, TRESemmé, Ulta Beauty, ViiV Healthcare, Wendy’s and Yoplait.

There will also be 60 brands available for purchase at the eventÆs Bravo Bazaar.

The event runs Friday through Sunday at the Javits Center and the Manhattan Center’s Hammerstein Ballroom.

“As a brand, Bravo has shattered the glass ceiling of fandom by becoming a multi-platform cultural phenomenon coveted competitively, and sought-after financially,” Laura Molen, president, advertising and partnerships, NBCUniversal, said. “It has cultivated a community that fosters high engagement and generates high-impact results for marketers, which is why 19 sponsors have trusted us and signed on as partners for this year’s BravoCon. From our on-the-ground custom content to the incredible offerings of our virtual and real-life bazaar to our turnkey streaming and digital activations, we presented full scale opportunities for our partners at every level and are incredibly proud of the outpouring of support we received.”

Presenting sponsor Bud Light Seltzer will have an activation on Saturday night with Bravocon After Dark, which will feature a performance of Vanderpump Rules star Tom Sandoval and his band playing the "Loudest Flavors Ever."

Lay's will be presenting happy hour celebrations with original menus and appearances by some of The Real Housewives.

Returning presenting sponsor State Farm is creating “The Bravohood,” an integration that allows fans to step inside a dream Bravo neighborhood inspired by the network’s programming. ■

Disney Ad Sales said sponsors will be on the road with the ACC Network's The ACC Huddle as the show travels to five college campuses this season.

Bojangles, Food Lion, Gatorade, New York Life and Subway will be able to connect with college football fans on their home turf this season. 

"We are thrilled to have The ACC Huddle back on the road and bring our sponsors along for the ride,” said Theresa Palmieri, VP, Disney Advertising Sports Brand Solutions. “This is a huge benefit to our ACC partners, and we are happy to provide them with a unique and interactive opportunity to engage with their consumers in a way that only Disney can.”

Also: DoorDash, Old Dominion Join ‘College GameDay’ Sponsors

This weekend The ACC Huddle will be in Blacksburg, Virginia, where Virginia Tech will take on Boston College. 

Brands will have a presence while the show is being televised and a chance to interact with students, fans and alumni.

Fans will have the opportunity to be part of the telecasts by participating in numerous ACC Network-themed activities, sponsor activations, giveaways. They can also watch live football games streamed on several giant screens and televisions throughout the area.

The ACC Network is owned and operated by ESPN in partnership with the Atlantic Coast Conference. ■

Two new sponsors have signed up as sponsors of College GameDay, the football pregame show that has been presented by Home Depot for 20 years.

This season, DoorDash and Old Dominion Freight Line will join Home Depot and six other returning sponsors on the program. Those returning sponsors are Aflac, AT&T, Coors Light, GEICO, Goodyear and Pizza Hut.

“While Home Depot has been the presenting sponsor and synonymous with GameDay, we’re still able to provide great value for other sponsors as well,” Sean Hanrahan, senior VP, Disney Advertising Sports Brand Solutions, told Broadcasting+Cable.

Ratings were up during the first week of the season by 15%, with more than a million viewers tuning in. This weekend another big audience is expected as Alabama travels to Texas. Naturally, GameDay will be there in Austin for the big game as well.

Hanrahan said that advertiser interest in sports and college football is strong, and the three-hour GameDay telecasts are all sold out. “College football continues to be a place where a lot of brands want to be because of the passionate audience it delivers. We’re doing very well in GameDay,” he said.

According to iSpot.tv, College GameDay generated about $16.4 million in ad revenue in 2021. The top advertisers including The Home Depot, Nissan, Allstate, AT&T Wireless, Goodyear, Pizza Hut, Dr. Pepper, Coors Light, Wendy’s and Taco Bell.

The total was down from $30.2 million in 2019, which had one additional Saturday broadcast.

The first week of the 2022 season, College Game days generated $1.24 million in ad revenue, up from $1.16 million a year ago, according to iSpot.tv 

This season, Old Dominion will sponsor a row of bleacher seats during the telecast. Those seats are front and center, in sight of the talent on the set and the show’s demo field. “Outside of the game itself, those are probably the premier seats in college football,” Hanrahan said.

As part of a two-year deal, Old Dominion will also sponsor the show’s “Best in the Game" feature.

DoorDash, which also has a two-year sponsorship agreement, will be highlighting local traditions at each college town at which Gameday stops during the season. The brand will also work with Disney’s in-house creative agency, Disney CreativeWorks to develop a branded-content social program that shows College GameDay talent using DoorDash for their game day needs.

Disney and Home Depot started this season commemorating the 20-year anniversary of the sponsorship that created College GameDay Built by The Home Depot. Home Depot CEO Edward Decker talked about the relationship during the season opener, and ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro also delivered a thank you message to the sponsor.

“There are not a lot of 20 year old sponsorships out there. It’s been a true, win-win collaborative effort,” Hanrahan said.

During the season ESPN will also be showing highlights from the 20-year sponsorship.

Aflac will continue to sponsor the Aflac Trivia Question during games and AT&T will bring fans the GameDay Checkdown, as well as the Countdown to the College Football Playoff National Championship campaign highlighting the best teams around the country. 

Coors Light is back as the sponsor of Saturday Selections. ESPN and Coors Light will curate an interactive viewing experience for fans with a QR code that enables them to pick winners. 

GEICO’s humorous You Had One Job segments, featuring the wackiest plays of the day also returns.

Goodyear will celebrate the teams, fans, and communities on the road with a Rod Test feature looking at teams facing big road games.

Pizza Hut will have a presence as the sponsor of College GameDay’s Saturday Super Dogs segment in which the hosts predict the week’s upsets.  ■ 

TelevisaUnivision says its youth award show, Premios Juventud, has been a hot ticket with marketers, selling out faster than ever before while registering a 23% increase in revenue, powered by eight new sponsors.

(Since this story was published, TelevisaUnivision said additional revenue has come in, raising the gain to 29%).

Premios Juventud will air live from Puerto Rico for the first time Thursday night on Univision..

The new brands sponsoring the award show are Doordash, Indeed, Kraft, Petsmart, Procter & Gamble’s Fabric Care and Gain products, Pfizer, Unilever and Netflix.

Coca-Cola, a sponsor for its sixth consecutive year, is doubling down on its investment around Premios Juventud. Last year it hosted a “back lot” featuring performance, food, and social media experiences. This year, with reduced COVID restrictions, Coke’s back lot experience has been expanded.

Other returning sponsors include Oreo, Sour Patch Kids, M&Ms. T-Mobile and McDonald’s.

More advertisers are seeing the value of Univision’s tentpole programming, particularly its music-focused events, Luis de la Parra, senior VP of partner solutions at TelevisaUnivision, told Broadcasting+Cable.

“Our youth award show is a big bash in the summer, the perfect time for brands to push their summer messages,” de la Parra said. That means launching movies, back-to-school, and repositioning brands in a way that’s relevant for young consumers.

Live events are particularly attractive to brands. Premios Juventud builds anticipation for weeks before it airs, compels viewers to tune in the night of the event, and resonates for weeks afterward with on demand content on Univision’s ViX streaming service and other platforms, he said. 

The event is also multiplatform. While it gets a big audience on Univision, advertisers can also reach out to target GenZ and millennial consumers via social media.

Social media ad revenue for Premios Juventud was up 31% from last year, de la Parra said.

“Brands are really looking at us as a social media opportunity,” he said. “WE create snackable content where we can engage across all the Univision distribution channels, on either Instagram, Facebook, YouTube or Twitter. Once we get into the social media world, we can be very specific on who we target and how we program that messaging.”

For Coke, its involvement with Premios Juventud and its backlot reflects its “Real Magic” summer program. Coke will be able to entertain GenZ audiences, who will be able to meet and greet some of the show’s stars in a VIP-style experience. Before the live broadcast, major stars including Mau Y Ricky, Jessi and Roberto Hernandez will be performing at  backlot stage and some of the key performances during the show will take place there.

Televisa Univision will be offering measurement from a variety of research companies in order to demonstrate the effectiveness of the event. “All of the big advertisers that do marketing in the show have some form of measurement going on throughout the entire experience, de la Parra said. “We work very closely with them to make sure that at the end of these campaigns, they can clearly understand the value that we brought to them.”  ■

Discovery Channel’s Shark Week has attracted a school of new sponsors to go along with a number of marketers returning to the toothsome annual event, according to Warner Bros. Discovery.

New Shark Week advertisers include Airbnb, Morey’s, Nautica, PNC Bank, Red Robin Gourmet Burgers and Brews and Sport Clips.

The new advertisers join returning sponsors GEICO, Gorilla Glue, Jeep brand, Wayfair and Sonic Drive-In.

This year, Shark Week offers crossplatform sponsorship opportunities such as social media campaigns across Instagram, TikTok and Twitter Amplify, as well as on-air elements that include custom vignettes, tagged tune-ins, billboards and in-program messaging. On Discovery Plus, Shark Week is offering pause ads to advertisers. 

“Shark Week’s programming keeps viewers coming back annually while providing our clients with sponsorship opportunities across linear and digital platforms that reach their target consumers wherever and whenever they view content,” Warner Bros. Discovery executive VP, ad sales Scott Kohn said. “We partner with our clients to custom create impactful advertising opportunities based on their overall marketing objectives, and that unique offering has allowed us to generate impressive interest for 2023 sponsorships ahead of the premiere Shark Week 2022.” 

Also: Shark Week to Feature ‘Impractical Jokers’ Guys

Many advertisers are offering customized promotions designed to give their Shark Week sponsorships a bigger bite.

For example, Sonic Drive-Ins will be returning with its Shark Week Slush, a big hit last year. The special concoction will be available at participating Sonic locations through July 31. 

“Sonic is thrilled to bring back our Shark Week Slush for the second summer in a row and help fans take a bigger bite — or sip —out of Shark Week,” Mackenzie Gibson, VP of culinary & menu innovation at Sonic, said. “By layering our tropical, blue coconut Slush with real, juicy strawberries and shark gummy candies, our culinary team has created a tasty and visually thrilling treat that will mentally transport guests to their favorite oceanside destination. Just be sure to look out for sharks before diving in!” 

Sonic donates a portion of its proceeds from drink sales to support local public schools through Limeades for Learning.

Jeep will be doing a Shark Week sweepstakes. The grand prize is a shark dive trip for two from Islander Charters and $20,000 cash. Fans can enter through August 12 at sharkweek.com/sweeps.

Shark Week has been a pop-culture phenomenon for 34 years. For the first time, Shark Week has a master of ceremonies, with Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson stepping into the ring.

Shark Week 2022 features 25 hours of programming that starts on July 24 and takes viewers to new locations from the Exuma Islands in the Bahamas to Papua, New Guinea.

Programming will spotlight innovative technology and research in exciting new series and specials, new species and never-before-seen footage of walking sharks and other predators captured on-camera by field teams.

With the formation of Warner Bros. Discovery, TBS, TNT, truTV, Food Network, HGTV, CNN, Cartoon Network, Adult Swim, Animal Planet, Science Channel, ID, OWN, TCM, Discovery Plus and HBO Max are all involved in Shark Week. ■

McDonald’s has returned as the sponsor of LGBTQ+-first streaming media network Revry’s House of Pride virtual event.

The burger chain is also backing Music Out Loud, Revry’s series celebrating LGBTQ+ music.

“McDonald’s fans loved celebrating with House of Pride last year so we’re very excited to bring it back,” said Elizabeth Campbell, senior director of cultural engagement marketing, McDonald’s USA. “We’ve been working to partner with more diverse owned media, and a big part of that is our expanded partnership with Revry to create fun and meaningful events that bring together the LGBTQ+ community.”

As part of its sponsorship, McDonald’s will get featured hero unit placements on Revry’s biggest channel partner platforms including Samsung TV, editorial takeovers across Revry apps and social media and an in-app hero unit offering McDonald’s products. McDonald’s will also have exposure in tune in video ads on social platforms, a 15-second tune-in trailer running across Revry networks and third-party editorial takeovers promoting Hose of Pride.

Segments and stories featuring McDonald’s will appear in Revry shows, online content and newsletters.

House of Pride Brought to You By McDonald’s USA is set to premiere June 5 on Revry. It will be hosted by Rani KoHEnur from Queen of the Universe and radio host and DJ Hannah Rad. Comedians Kia Barnes, Sampson McCormick and Isla Ebony, and musicians Frankie Simone, Keiynan Lonsdale, Madison Rose, Julian King and Mila Jam will perform.

Music Out Loud launches June 13 with a lineup of queer musicians and artists including Angelica Ross and Cassidy King.

“House of Pride streamed 600K times in its first year and this June, we are expecting millions to tune-in,” said Damian Pelliccione, CEO and co-founder of Revry. “With the support of McDonald’s, we are able to include so many of the LGBTQ voices in Pride programming that are representative and inclusive of our diverse community.”

Revry is available on Samsung TV, the Roku Channel, Vizio WatchFree, Rakuten TV, Amazon Fire, Apple TV, Comcast Xfinity and Xumo. ■

E.W. Scripps has signed up Hillshire Farm’s Snacked! Brand and the Samsung Galaxy Book 2 Series as premiere sponsors of the 2022 Scripps National Spelling Bee.

After being televised by ESPN in past years, Scripps is broadcasting the competition on its free over-the-air Ion and Bounce networks. The semi-finals air June 1 at 8 p.m and the finals air live on June 2 at 8 p.m.

Hillshire Farm will host a snack bar backstage for spellers. The brand is also creating a vending machine that will provide snacks to people correctly spelling words announced by the machine.

The machine will make appearances in New York on May 25 and in the National Harbor in Maryland next week. Good spellers get a snack pack of meat and cheese.

Samsung will sponsor the countdown clock during the competition.

The National Spelling Bee will be hosted by LeVar Burton and 234 spellers will be competing for the title.  ■

NBCUniversal said that Vrbo has signed up as a sponsor of Bravo’s Top Chef, which starts its 19th season Thursday.

Vrbo joins BMW of North America, Chipotle, S.Pellegrino, Talenti, Universal Pictures’ Jurassic World Dominion are returning as sponsors of the cooking program.

Sponsors get baked into the show, often as part of its Quickfire and Elimination challenges.

Vrbo becomes part of the show when the chefs are brought together to serve a VIP family at a top Vrbo destination.

NBCU said Top Chef sponsors have seen 29% lifts in brand favorability, 26% in product interest and 25% in purchase intent. 

“Bravo’s highly engaged and passionate fan base tune-in to Top Chef for a captivating and flavorful viewing experience that transports them straight into the kitchen. And our trusted brand partners have always been an integral piece of the show, making those fans truly a part of the competition itself with every recipe, every cooking instrument, every personal story shared,” said Jamie Cutburth, senior VP, One Platform creative & development, advertising and partnerships, NBCUniversal. 

“NBCUniversal’s Creative Partnerships team is hyper focused on creating unforgettable stories through pristine out-of-the-box creative and integrations that viewers love. And, at the same time, delivering new and unique ways for advertisers to tell their brand story to develop deep connections with their consumers,” Cutburth said.

Chipotle is bringing local and fresh ingredients to a Quickfire competition as chefs are tasked to create a Tex-Mex dish in Houston. The winner of the challenge will have a chance to win a cash prize of $10,000, sponsored by Chipotle. 

Universal Pictures, part of Comcast NBCU, is promoting its upcoming film Jurassic World Dominion with a prehistoric themed Elimination challenge. The winner of the challenge will have a chance to attend the movie’s red-carpet premiere.

As the official Grand Prize sponsor. S.Pellegrino will provide the winning chef who earns the coveted title of Top Chef $250,000, a feature in Food & Wine magazine as well as an appearance at the annual Food & Wine Classic in Aspen. ■

NBCUniversal said Peacock’s original series Bel-Air has attracted Lexus, State Farm, Unilever and parent company Comcast's Xfinity as sponsors who are doing custom spots and integrations with the show.

State Farm spots feature the show’s star, Jabari Banks, and will air across linear and digital channels to promote tune in.

“We are consistently looking for ways for State Farm to organically show up with younger audiences where they are,” said Sue Beigie, marketing director, State Farm. “With our custom Bel-Air spot, viewers get a snapshot of the main character, Will, and hear what it means to be a good neighbor, aligning with our brand ethos.”

Also: Peacock Pulls In $500 Million During Record NBCU Upfront

NBCU worked with Lexus to use the 2022 Lexus NX as a measure of the show’s main character’s ambitions.

All of the advertisers will be taking advantage of Peacock’s s Binge, Pause, and Solo Ads.

Also: Peacock Plans Less Than 5 Minutes of Ads Per Hour

"Lexus partnered closely with NBCU to take product integration to the next level for Bel-Air," said Vinay Shahani, VP of Lexus marketing. "More than just product placement, the all-new 2022 Lexus NX plays a supportive role in the reimagined show. With its bold design and intuitive technology, the NX is the perfect partner to help the ambitious, young Will carve his own path." 

The series, a drama based on the comedy Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, which NBC aired during the 1990s, premieres Super Sunday on Peacock. 

“At NBCUniversal, we are committed to reimagining what AVOD is and can be with Peacock. And, with our incredible brand partners who are at the heart of the platform, we’ve been able to deliver a pristine advertising environment paired with a vast library of great content for every viewer tuning in,” said Laura Molen, president, advertising and partnerships, NBCUniversal. “With the premiere of Bel-Air, we are excited for our audiences to be surprised and delighted as they experience brands they know and love in a whole new way bringing them into the action of this culture shaping drama.” ■

Disney Advertising Sales said Verizon has become a sponsor of the X Games Aspen.

Verizon joins returning official sponsors Monster Energy, Pacifico Beer, GEICO, Wendy’s and Jeep, the event’s exclusive auto sponsor.

Sponsors get on-site activation, custom content and the rights to use X Games marks and logos. 

St. Huberts The Stag returns as the official wine of the X Games.

Disney said that Ski-Doo, Skrewball Whiskey, Waste Connections of Colorado and Kari Traa are also supporting the event.

“Unmatched excitement surrounds this year’s X Games as fans return to the slopes and our sponsors are just as excited to be in mix of such an iconic event,” said Sean Hanrahan, senior VP, Sports Brand Solutions, at Disney Ad Sales. “We pride ourselves on delivering quality content across platforms and our sponsors help make this possible.”

The X Games will be held from January 21 to January 23. ESPN and ABC will televise a combined 13.5 hours of live X Games competition. The action will also be available via the ESPN App to authenticated subscribers. Also, more than seven hours of X Games events will be streamed on YouTube, TikTok, Facebook and Twitter. ■

When NBC opens the curtain on Annie Live! Thursday night, Fisher-Price, Walmart and Wendy’s will be ready.

The sponsors have collaborated with teams from NBCUniversal to create and produce custom content commercials that will air during the show inspired by the theme, songs and story of Annie in order to engage the audience in a unique and seamless way.

Fisher-Price, Wal-Mart and Wendy’s are also part of  pro-social holiday initiatives with NBC.

“As part of this larger holiday partnership with Fisher-Price, Walmart, and Wendy’s, we are able to both execute and spotlight initiatives that serve communities in need,” said Karen Kovacs, executive VP, client partnerships, advertising and partnerships, NBCUniversal. 

For example, Wendy’s supports finding forever families for children in foster care with in-restaurant fundraising programs that benefit the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption. Fisher-Price will emphasize the importance of play and make a donation to Today’s national toy drive. 

Walmart, along with Progressive and Xfinity are sponsoring NBCU’s “Family is Universal” campaign. The campaign will get the full Comcast Symphony treatment, with promotional backing from all of the company’s assets as it raises money for Feeding America. NBCU talent including Susan Kelechi Watson from This Is Us will be a part of the effort.

Walmart has supported Feeding America for years and is donating thousands of turkeys to food banks across the country.

As part of another holiday program, Wayfair will make a contribution to an organization supporting Dr. Giles’ work during Kelly Clarkson Presents: When Christmas Comes Around on Wednesday. 

Also: T-Mobile Enlists as Sponsor For NBCU Campaign Urging Hiring Veterans

NBCU also started a Health is Universal Initiative with the Mayo Clinic that spotlights caregivers. And NBC will air the L’Oréal Paris Women of Worth special, which honors women leaders of non-profit organizations.

“Together, with our partners, we’re leading with purpose and giving back this holiday season, and all year long,” Kovacs said.■ 

The Weather Channel said it signed a multi-year exclusive sponsorship deal with BlueTriton Brands, which markets bottled waters including Poland Spring, Arrowhead, Deer Park, Ice Mountain, Zephyrhills and Ozark.

The Weather Channel will produce custom content for BlueTriton dealing with hurricane season and getting ready for high temperatures in summer.

The network will also send its on-air meteorologists to BlueTriton springs to discuss their histories and the company’s conservation and sustainability effort. The Weather Channel’s Chris Warren visited the Poland Spring source in Maine.

The content produced will appear on Weather Channel programs such as America’s Morning Headquarters and on the company’s Weather Underground site.

Bottles of the product will be on set and distributed to communities during weather emergencies.

Financial terms were not disclosed.

“We’re honored to be working with The Weather Channel to educate consumers on the importance of being properly hydrated and prepared, especially in times of extreme weather conditions,” said Laetitia Allexant, VP of marketing at BlueTriton Brands. “Providing healthy hydration solutions in sustainable ways has always been at the core of what we do, that’s why we’re also excited to bring new sustainability and water conservation content to the TWC platform. This content will help consumers learn more about where their spring water is sourced from and how we can all partner together to help conserve our planet’s most precious resources.”

The BlueTriton Brands sponsorship will also extend to Pattrn, The Weather Channel's climate, environment and sustainability platform, which can be viewed via Local Now, Plex and Tubi, in addition to being on Pattrn.com.

“In a year of record highs and storms, making sure you have enough water on hand, in the house, or on your store shelves has never been so crucial,” said Barbara Bekkedahl, president of Weather Group, ad sales and client partnerships. “This is one of the many reasons why we’re so excited to announce this sponsorship with BlueTriton Brands, to make sure that not only is our Weather Channel family of viewers and staff staying hydrated and healthy, but we’re also showing easy, concrete steps each person can take to help be prepared for inclement weather.”■ 

Univision and The Latin Recording Academy said that Jose Cuervo Reserva de la Familia, Meta and Old Parr Whisky have signed on as first-time sponsors of the annual Latin Grammy Awards.

They join Bulova, Frontera Wines, Mastercard, McDonald’s, Verizon and Walmart as official sponsors.

Clinique and Sally Hansen join returning advertiser Ford as sponsors of digital content on Univision platforms.

“We are excited to collaborate with The Latin Recording Academy and this year’s partners to unveil unprecedented multi-platform innovations as part of the 22nd annual celebration,” said Donna Speciale, president of advertising sales and marketing at Univision Communications Inc. 

“Music is the great cultural unifier, and now, more than ever, with the tremendous growth of the Hispanic population and influence, the Latin Grammys offers a huge opportunity for brands to reach and engage with new, growing audiences in-language and in-culture. We thank this year’s sponsors for investing in our community and look forward to showcasing the latest, best-in-class activations for The Biggest Night in Latin Music,” Speciale said.

Bulova is working with The Latin Recording Academy to gift all first-time Latin Grammy winners a special edition watch to mark the milestone. Bulova will also present a digital series showcasing this year’s Best New Artist nominees, where audiences will get to know the artists through a series of interviews and performances, along with a special look at a Latin Grammy edition Bulova timepiece.

Jose Cuervo Reserva de la Familia is coming on board as the official tequila sponsor of the Biggest Night in Latin Music. The tequila will be service at the Official Latin Grammy After Party and have a presence at the Official Talent Lounge.

Meta will be the official hardware sponsor of the Latin Grammy Awards. During the telecast, the social technology company will offer fans an exclusive look into the real, authentic conversations between Grammy nominee Camilo and his family via the Portal Go.

First-time sponsor Old Parr Whisky will kick-off their partnership with the Latin Recording Academy as Presenting Sponsor of two Virtual Latin Grammy Acoustic Sessions featuring Pablo Alborán on Nov. 7 and with Michel Teló on Nov. 14. Old Parr Whisky will also be sponsoring a content series that will live on the Latin Grammy social media platforms highlighting how Latin Grammy nominees “Flip the Script” from work to play. In addition, Old Parr Whisky will host a bar at the Latin Recording Academy Person of the Year Gala, Latin Grammy Awards and Official Latin Grammy After Party featuring a signature Old Parr Whisky Latin Grammy cocktail. 

“The Latin Recording Academy takes pride in being an inclusive cultural institution that enables artists and audiences to share their heritage through music, and we are humbled to partner with brands that share similar values as our own,” said Davina Aryeh, chief business development officer at The Latin Recording Academy. “This year’s Latin Grammys are returning to Las Vegas with strong support from long standing brands and new ones, and we are thankful to our partners for supporting us as we continue to advance our mission to nurture, celebrate, honor and elevate Latin music and its creators.”

The 22nd Latin Grammy Awards will air live on Univision on Nov. 18.

Last year, Univision’s exclusive telecast of the 21st annual Latin Grammy Awards reached 5.7 million total viewers on television and delivered a record 11.8 million total social interactions. The three-hour telecast averaged 2.1 million total viewers.

Disney Advertising Sales announced its lineup of sponsors for its first season televising hockey under its new deal with the NHL.

Official league sponsors Apple, Discovery, Dunkin', EA Sports, Geico, Honda, Jagermeister, MassMutual, Navy Federal Credit Union, New Amsterdam Vodka, SAP and Verizon are on the roster for games that will appear on ABC, ESPN, ESPN PLus and Hulu.

Additional advertisers with presenting, in game or studio sponsorships include Expedia, Fidelity, Goodyear, Lexus, Progressive, Procter & Gamble, Subway and Taco Bell.

Expedia will present 25 ABC and ESPN games.

Apple, Dunkin', Honda, MassMutual, Navy Federal Credit Union, SAP and Taco Bell will be integrated into those telecasts, Disney said.

New Amsterdam Vodka is the presenting sponsor for the 75 exclusive national games that will appear on ESPN Plus and Hulu. For those games, Dunkin’, Jagermeister, Progressive, EA Sports and SAP will be integrated into features.

In all games Verizon will present the pre game and post game shows. Lexus will have the first intermission and Discovery will have the second intermission.

Procter & Gamble is the presenting sponsor of The Point, ESPN new weekly hockey show airing on ESPN2 and simulcast live and available on demand on ESPN Plus.

In The Crease, a daily hockey highlight show on ESPN Plus is being presented by Discover during this season’s conference finals and Stanley Cup Final.

Sponsors will also be engaged with ESPN social media accounts on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and SnapChat.

“As we embark on a new era in sports with the return of the NHL on Disney, our diversified and unique offerings provides greater reach for brands and our viewers, than anywhere else,” said Rita Ferro, president, Disney Advertising Sales. “We’re delivering must-watch content, across every screen and platform, reaching sports fans of all types, everywhere they are.” 

Univision and Coca-Cola will be holding in person backlot experience as part of Coke’s sponsorship of this year’s Premio Juventud.

In addition to Coke, returning sponsors of the youth awards show include Ford, Little Caesars, M&Ms, McDonald’s Mondelez International and T-Mobile.

Online education company K-12 is a new sponsor this year.

Coke has been a sponsor of the awards show for five years. Its back lot experience will feature food, cooking demonstrations and music and take place in Miami’s Wynwood district. During the show Univision and performer TINI will announce the Agent of Change award to Tanisha Clemente, an advocate for childhood education from the venue. Live shots from the venue will be shown throughout the broadcast.

“We thank this year’s sponsors for their support of Premios Juventud,” said Luis de la Parra, senior VP, Partner Solutions, at Univision. “PJ is a special platform that speaks to and empowers Hispanic youth, and with the rapid rise in Spanish-language marketing, it offers brands a unique opportunity to connect culturally through music with an audience that is growing in influence and impact. This year’s celebration will be electric, and we look forward to delivering surprise performances, world premieres, and dynamic partnerships that our fans won’t forget.”

Ford and its 2021 Bronco Sport will be featured in custom vignettes during the show. Throughout the three-hour telecast the Bronco will also appear in split-screen executions and sponsored billboards 

M&Ms is promoting its M&Ms Mix product by working with DJ and Producer CRUZ to create custom beats and rhythms inspired by the different M&M flavors. The beats will be pushed with a digital campaign on Univision’s and CRUZ’s social channel. A final M&M Mix song will debut in an on-air custom vignette airing during Premios Juventud.

Mondelez is promoting Sour Patch Kids and Oreo with 360-degree sponsorships. Sour Patch Kids will have a venue where performers can take video portraits showing off their sweet and sour side. The best will pear during the pre-show and on Premios Juventud’s Instagram. Oreo is working with nominee and performer Guaynaa. 

K-12, McDonald and T-Mobile will be featured in innovative ad formats during the main show. Little Caesars will be feature in tune-in spots leading up to the show.

Premios Juventud will emanating from Watsco Center in Miami. The broadcast kick off Thursday at 7 p.m. with the “PJ Takeover" pre-show.

Discovery has signed up a number of marketing partners to help promote Shark Week with their own Shark Week products and stunts.

In Los Angeles, fans can bring their cars to the La Cienega Car Wash and Oil Change for an immersive Shark Week car wash experience July 9th through July 11th, and Southwest Airline passengers will be able to watch a special Shark Week TV Series Channel on Southwest’s inflight entertainment portal. 

Also Read: Discovery Shares Shark Week Plans

Great Clips will have co-branded Shark Week signage in its hair salons and will have a co-branded TV commercial running on Discovery Channel starting this week.

And Georgetown Cupcake will mark the event with a Shark Week Dozen, featuring four Shark Fin Vanilla cupcakes topped with ocean blue buttercream, sparkling blue sanding sugar, and fondant shark fins, two Shark Vanilla cupcakes topped with ocean blue buttercream, sparkling blue sanding sugar, and fondant disk featuring three sharks, two  Chocolate & Sunshine Yellow Vanilla Buttercream cupcakes with shark head fondant, and four Chocolate & Vanilla Buttercream cupcakes with Shark Week logo fondant. They will be available in stores and for nationwide shipping through July 31.

Also Read: Devour, T-Mobile, Sonic, Vrbo New Shark Week Sponsors

Other partners include Beneath the Waves, Oceana, Ocean Conservancy, Wilson, Nautica, Casely, MeUndies, American Red Cross, Pooch Perks, Ubisoft and The Paley Center for Media.

“Our marketing partnerships are an integral part of our annual Shark Week celebration. They extend our reach, allow our superfans to experience the brand in new ways and most important of all, benefit sharks and ocean conservation,” said senior VP of marketing Josh Kovolenko.

This year, the first ever Shark Week blimp will be floating ominously above the East Coast. The 128-foot long airship will take off from Nashville this week and travel around through July 20.

Biossance is promoting its skincare products, which are based on squalane, a substance made from sugarcane that replaces ingredients used by other companies that is made from shark livers. The moisturizer saves more than 2 million shark from being hunted and killed each year.

Also Read: Tubi Dives Into Shark-Infested Waters with Its Own Bitefest

Wilson is creating Shark Week volleyball that will be available exclusively at wilson.com. A portion of the proceeds support Beneath the Waves, a conservation group.

Nautica is producing an interactive poll that will enable its Instagram audience ot pick their favorite shark. That shark will be featured on a Sustainably Crafted t-shirt and hat. Nautica will also match all consumer donations to Oceana via its Give Change to Make Change Round-up Program.

MeUndies will be coming out with undies and loungewear featuring a limited edition Shark Bite design. Fans using SharkWeek as a promo code will get 25% off. Followers of the company’s Instagram and Twitter handles will also find trivia, games and memes that will teach them more about sharks.

Casely, a tech accessory retailer, is creating a limited-edition shark-themed iPhone case. A portion of the profits for July will be donated to BeneathThe Waves.

Pooch Perks will have an exclusive Pampered Pooch box of dog toys, treats and accessories following the Shark Week theme. Shark Week pet items are also available for purchase on the company’s website.

Ubisoft is designing and developing a Shark Week integration within its Hungry Shark Evolution game. It is also building a Shark Week themed loading screen and tune-in messages that will run in Hungry Shark Evolution and Hungry Shark World.

The American Red Cross is running a Shark Week is in Your Blood promotion to encourage donations in July. Appointments can be made at rcblood.org/Shark.

The Paley Center for Media will have a salute to Shark Week on its website featuring top moments from Shark Week since it started in 1988.

Discovery is also working with Oceana to help protect sharks, Beneath the Waves to promote conservation of biodiversity and Ocean Conservancy to promote safe beach cleanups.

Shark Week fans can test Shark to 707070 to support Discovery’s Shark Week fund through the Pledge platform by contributing to Oceana, Beneath the Waves and Ocean Conservancy.

Zoom is making Shark Week backgrounds featuring text-to-donate links.

Shark Week will be running July 11 through July 18 on Discovery and Discovery Plus.

ESPN said that Capital One, Dove Men+Care, Blue Moon LightSky and Hotel.com will be sponsors of this year’s ESPY award broadcast on ABC July 10.

Capital One returns as presenting sponsor. The Capital One Cup will be awarded to the best men’s and women’s Division 1 college athletic programs. 

ESPN, Capital One and The Undefeated will be announcing a new partnership around Capital One’s support of the Rhoden Fellows Initiative, a training program for sports journalists from Historically Black Colleges and Universities.

Mass Mutual will be sponsoring the Pat Tillman Award for Service for a third year and Dove Men+Care is sponsoring the Muhammed Ali Sports Humanitarian Award for the fifth year.

Hotels.com spokesperson Captain Obvious will appear during the show. Hotels.com is also presenting the ESPYs Pre-Show and Post Show from the Undefeated Lounge.

Blue Moon LIghtSky will present the Best Team Ward.

Sponsors also get media inventory across ESPN, ESPN.com, the ESPN app and across social media, as well as hospitality opportunities.

Wheels Up, the private jet company, will provide air travel for talent on the show and outdoor furniture was provided by The Home Depot.

The 2021 ESPYs Presented by Capital One will be hosted by Anthony Mackie of Disney’s Marvel Cinematic Universe. The show will be broadcast live from The Rooftop at Pier 17 at the Seaport in New York.

Discovery said that Devour, T-Mobile, Sonic Drive-in and Vrbo are among the new advertisers taking a bite out of Shark Week.

Shark Week, one of Discovery networks’ biggest attractions, will run from July 11 through July 18. It will also stream on Discovery Plus.

Returning sponsors included Cooper Tires, Wayfair, Geico, The Gorilla Glue Company and The Home Depot.

“I am so proud that after more than 30 years of Shark Week, we continue to innovate and provide unique sponsorships and organic opportunities for clients to communicate to our highly engaged audience,” said Scott Kohn, executive VP, ad sales at Discovery, Inc. “We are thrilled with the creative and custom sponsorships that will seamlessly complement this year's Shark Week programming across all of our linear and digital properties, including the very first Shark Week on Discovery Plus.”

Devour Frozen Foods will introduce viewers to Trevor, a Shark Week and Devour fan, who will have a presence in custom multi-platform content throughout Shark Week. Consumers will follow Trevor throughout Shark Week and have the chance to participate in a Shark Week-themed sweepstakes.

Sonic Drive-In is sponsoring linear and digital elements including integrations in Josh Gates Tonight and the Discovery Plus mid-form series Daily Bite. Sonic is also offering a Shark Week Slush, layered with Blue Coconut Slush, real fruit strawberries and topped with two Shark gummies, from June 28 through August 1, while supplies last at participating drive-ins. 

T-Mobile has engaged shark experts Joe and Lauren Romeiro on a migration expedition. Viewers can watch on Shark Week linear, social and streaming platforms.

Vrbo will have tagged tune-ins, in-program messaging, custom billboards and a Nature Minute, on linear. It will also have Shark News offer on social platforms along with custom ads and editorial Instagram stories, as well as on Discovery Go. 

Fast food chain Wendy’s renewed its sponsorship deal with Adult Swim’s Rick & Morty.

As part of the deal, Wendy’s will be setting up a pop-up drive through restaurant--dubbed Morty’s--in Los Angeles to mark Global Rick and Morty Day on Sunday, when the animated series starts season five.

The menu will include a limited-edition Pickle Rick Pickle Frosty.

“We’re big fans of Rick and Morty and continuing another season with our partnership with entertainment powerhouse Adult Swim,” said Carl Loredo, chief marketing officer for Wendy’s. “We love finding authentic ways to connect with this passionate fanbase and are excited to extend the Rick and Morty experience into our menu, incredible content and great delivery deals all season long."

Also Read: Adult Swim Makes Deal to Renew ‘Rick and Morty’

Wendy’s will also be serving two new show themed Mello Yello soft-drink mixes--Portal Time Lemon Lime and Berry-Jerry-boree--in Coca-Cola Freestyle machines in Wendy’s locations. 

Also Read: Adult Swim Spins Off Shorts From 'Rick and Morty', Three Other Series

“Wendy’s is such a great partner, we had to continue our cosmic journey with them,” said Tricia Melton, CMO of Warner Bros. global kids, young adults and classics. “Thanks to them and Coca-Cola, fans can celebrate Rick and Morty Day with a Portal Time Lemon Lime in one hand and a Berry-Jerry-boree in the other. And to quote the wise Rick Sanchez from season four, we looked right into the bleeding jaws of capitalism and said, yes daddy please.”

Rick and Morty fans can also score free delivery from Wendy’s in-app from June 17 – July 1, no minimum purchase necessary.

The continued partnership will bring Wendy’s fans nationwide “fresh” access to Rick and Morty across a variety of touchpoints including the restaurant pop-up, in-store branding, and new custom content on linear and digital to celebrate Global Rick and Morty Day and the premiere of season five.

“Wendy’s and Adult Swim’s partnership has brought content to fans in the most authentic and creative ways beginning with our Adult Swim Festival in 2019,” said Katrina Cukaj, lead of ad sales & partnerships, WarnerMedia. “We are thrilled to continue growing our relationship with Wendy’s for a second year to reach consumers across multiple platforms in bigger and more exciting ways.”

Lowe’s has agreed to a multi-year multi-platform sponsorship that makes it the exclusive home improvement advertiser on Hogar de HGTV and the rest of Discovery’s U.S. Hispanic portfolio.

As part of the deal, Discovery will create exclusive food and home improvement content for Hispanic audiences and integrate Lowe’s into programming on Hogar de HGTV, Discovery en Espanol, Discovery Familia and Discovery websites and apps.

The companies will also get exclusive insights into Hispanic do-it-yourselfers through a research program designed with Horowitz research.

“Lowe’s can best serve our customers when we understand what inspires and engages them,” said Lisa Schoder, Lowe’s VP, integrated media and partnerships. “We’re eager to work with Hogar de HGTV and combine our expertise to create and support content that will educate, entertain and inspire.”

According to “The 2020 Hispanic Market Report,” Hispanics accounted for 58 percent of net growth in U.S. homeownership between 2009 and 2019 and are expected to drive more than 18 percent of overall home improvement marketplace spending.

The deal was negotiated by Starcom USA, Lowe’s media agency.

Discovery launched Hogar de HGTV, which features Spanish-language content from HGTV and Food Network on Cox and Charter last year. Initial advertisers included Walmart, Mondelez, Sprint, Boost, Little Caesars, Daisy and Burlington.

Over the course of 2021, Lowe’s will be integrated into Discovery U.S. Hispanic original productions.

One of the shows is Hogar Stars, in which home designers show off their skills for expert judges, with the winners getting their own Hogar de HGTV show.

Lowe’s will also appear in Diseñador En Casa, a self-show series helping families complete home remodeling projects and Fix My Fail, where experts from Hogar de HGTV rescue DIY projects gone wrong.

The home-improvement chain will also be incorporated into the digital series Living Green and Our Family.

Discovery and Lowe’s will create a website with do-it--yourself information and projects for Hispanics. Videos from the site will also be used on Lowe’s social media platforms. They will also work on merchandising and point-of-purchase displays that will promote Hogar de HGTV.

"The successful launch of Hogar de HGTV confirmed our hunch on the tremendous opportunities that exist in the U.S. Hispanic marketplace," said David Tardio, VP, advertising sales, Discovery U.S. Hispanic. "Through this long-term, multi-layered collaboration with Lowe's, we have found a partner to help build upon our existing expertise of the Hispanic consumer to more fully serve this passionate, thriving population."

Univision said that T-Mobile has returned for the ninth-straight year as presenting sponsor of its long-running music awards show Premio Lo Nuestro.

Other sponsors for this year’s broadcast, which airs Thursday night, include the Ford F-150, H&R Block, McDonald’s, State Farm and Walmart.

“Premio Lo Nuestro is one of the biggest nights on television and this year’s celebration promises to be more special than ever,” said Donna Speciale, president of advertising sales and marketing, Univision. “I’m thrilled that so many great brand partners are once again joining us as we come together to celebrate hope, resilience and the best in Latin music.”

Also Read: Univision to Debut ‘New Vision’ for Advertisers on March 24

As part of its presenting sponsorship, T-Mobile will be giving fans a virtual opportunity to accompany performer Camilio and social influencer Evaluna Montaner de Echeverry to the show. Fans will also be able to join their favorite artists on the Magenta Carpet through a 5G-powered on-site activation during the Noche de Estrellas pre-show on Univision.

State Farm will give fans a VIP experience through a three part social series The Making of PLN -- Everyone is VIP hosted by Claissa Molina, the former Miss Dominican Republic and a correspondent for Univision. 

Custom vignettes will showcase the new Ford F-150 during the show.  Ford will also be featured in split-screen and countdown ads, as well as sponsored billboards.

Premio Lo Nuestro will be hosted by Chiquinquirá Delgado, Jose Ron, and Yuri. 

Last year, Premio Lo Nuestro averaged 3.0 million total viewers on Univision.

ESPN college football analyst Lee Corso appeared during Monday night’s College Football Playoff Championship game via a hologram in commercials from sponsor AT&T.

Corso visits with ESPN college football analyst David Pollack in two spots highlighting AT&T 5G HoloVision.

In one, Pollack dons the oversize headgear Corso usually wears to indicate who he thinks will be a game’s winner. In the spot, Pollack wears a Corso head.

AT&T has been the presenting sponsor of the College Football National Championship for seven straight years. 

ESPN will be showing Alabama play Ohio State for the title using a MegaCast format incorporating 14 total presentations across ESPN Networks.

Capital One has signed up as the presenting sponsor of the 107th Rose Bowl game, which will air on ESPN as part of the College Football Playoff on Jan. 1.

Capital One replaces last year’s sponsor Northwestern Mutual. The credit card company is also the title sponsor of the Orange Bowl.

Financial terms were not disclosed.

This year’s college football season has been disrupted by COVID-19, with many games delayed or canceled. But ESPN and its sponsors are hoping most bowl games survive and that “The Granddaddy of Them All” gets played and attracts a big audience.

Also Read: ESPN Cancels Tropical Smoothie Cafe Frisco Bowl

“We’re honored to be presenting sponsor of the 107th Rose Bowl and cheer on two great teams in this highly anticipated game,” said Marc Mentry, chief brand officer at Capital One. “Being a part of the Rose Bowl, especially when it is host to a College Football Playoff semifinal game, is a special opportunity for us to connect with fans around one of America’s most storied sporting events. While this year’s game will certainly look different than most, sports continues to be a great unifier and bright spot.”

Capital One has been a college football sponsor since 2001, when it presented the Capital One Bowl. It has been the Capital One Orange Bowl sponsor since 2014.

"The Rose Bowl Game’s rich tradition makes it one of the most celebrated events of the year and one of the most-viewed games on the sports calendar,” said Rita Ferro, president, Disney Advertising Sales. “We’re excited to extend our long-standing relationship with Capital One with this year’s Rose Bowl, which promises to be even more special as host of a College Football Playoff Semifinal."

The National Basketball Association and Turner Sports said that CarMax will be the official auto retailer of the NBA and WNBA and be presenting partner of NBA Tip-Off on TNT.

CarMax replaces AutoTrader as an NBA partner and Tip-Off sponsor.

CarMax will tip off its NBA sponsorship on Dec. 22 with TNT’s NBA Tip-Off presented by CarMax. CarMax will get in-game exposure across TNT’s 66-game regular season telecasts and on NBA TV telecasts and games viewed on digital platforms.

The auto retailer will also be present for TNT’s NBA playoff games, which climax with the Eastern Conference Finals.

“CarMax has had strong partnerships with local teams in the NBA ecosystem for more than a decade and we are excited to expand our relationship and brand awareness at the league level,” said Jim Lyski, executive VP and CMO at CarMax. “The NBA, WNBA and CarMax are all innovative brands dedicated to delivering an exceptional experience for fans and customers. Like CarMax, the NBA and WNBA are passionate about giving back to our local communities and we look forward to continuing to make an impact together in the years to come.”

The league partnership expands CarMax’s history of NBA team relationships. It has been the official auto retailer sponsor of the LA Clippers, Portland Trail Blazers and Golden State Warriors.

CarMax’s upcoming Call Your Shot campaign will feature players including four-time WNBA champion Sue Bird and three-time NBA champion Stephen Curry, as well AT&T NBA Slam Dunk Contest champion Zach LaVine of the Bulls and newly acquired Golden State Warrior Kelly Oubre, Jr., for the second year of the content series. The Call Your Shot campaign highlights the parallels of players’ on-court confidence with the confidence CarMax instills in its customers. ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski is also featured in the series.

“CarMax has been woven into the fabric of the NBA for many years through successful relationships with NBA teams,” said Dan Rossomondo, NBA senior VP, media and business development. “We’re looking forward to collaborating with CarMax on a larger scale moving forward and creating unique opportunities for engagement with fans of both the NBA and WNBA.”

ESPN Events said that RoofClaim.com has signed up as title sponsor for the Boca Raton Bowl through the 2023 season.

Financial terms were not disclosed.

Cheribundi Tart Cherry sponsored the college football game from 2017 to 2019.

This year’s RoofClaim.com Boca Raton Bowl will be played Dec. 22 at FAU Stadium on the campus of Florida Atlantic University. It will be televised by ESPN.

“This year has been strenuous for college sports and businesses alike and we are extremely grateful to be able to work with ESPN to showcase and entitle the RoofClaim.com Boca Raton Bowl,” said RoofClaim.com CEO Brian Wedding. “College football is an American tradition that brings communities together and ignites a competitive spirit. At RoofClaim.com, we pride ourselves on being a part of the communities we serve and working hard to achieve success, which is why this opportunity fits well with our initiatives. We look forward to working hand-in-hand with ESPN Events on the RoofClaim.com Boca Raton Bowl.”

“We are excited to introduce RoofClaim.com as our new title sponsor,” said Doug Mosley, executive director of the bowl. “As our bowl game continues to grow and thrive, we’re eager for the opportunity to work alongside a cutting-edge company like RoofClaim.com.”

Earlier this week, ESPN announced that its Las Vegas Bowl was canceled due to local restrictions imposed because of the surge in Coronavirus cases.

The Las Vegas Bowl and the Boca Raton Bowl are among the 17 bowl games operated by ESPN Events.

Frontera Wines is joining Bulova, Ford, Google Pixel 5, McDonald’s and Walmart as sponsors of the 21st annual Latin Grammy Awards, which will air on Univision on Thursday.

The U.S. Army signed up as exclusive sponsor of a digital series Best New Artists: Diaries, put together by Univision and the Latin Recording Academy, that will be available on Univision's Instagram and Facebook.

“We are pleased to offer marketers the biggest annual music awards show,” said Steve Mandala, president of advertising sales and marketing at Univision. “It’s never been more impactful for marketers to engage our audience culturally through music and the unique connection Univision has with the Hispanic community. We applaud our sponsors’ commitment to the Hispanic community and look forward to coming together and celebrating the best and brightest artists.” 

Many of the key sponsors will be running multi-platform campaigns, custom content, social media integrations and partnership with Grammy nominated artists to amplify their connection to the event.

For example, Bulova, which is running a “History of Firsts” campaign, will give first-time Latin Grammy Award winners a special edition watch. Bulova will also be presenting a digital series showcasing this year’s Best New Artist Nominees.

Ford will air a custom vignette emphasizing the Ford Motor Company Fund’s support of Latin Grammy in the Schools. Ford’s sponsorship includes Univision ad innovations including split-screen ads, countdown placements and sponsored billboards throughout the event.

Mastercard is sponsoring events around the Latin Grammys. The credit card company sponsored the first Virtual Latin Grammy Acoustic Session with Camilio on Oct. 29 and will team up with the Latin Recording Academy as sponsor of the first Virtual Leading Ladies of Entertainment Event, which will be hosted on priceless.com.

McDonald’s, returning to the Latin Grammys for the 13th consecutive year, will incorporate QR-cord technology into a cross-platform campaign that invite fans to download the McDonald’s app, where they can be the first to access custom content that fuels Latino pride through music. 

Another longtime sponsor, Walmart, will have among other things, a virtual fan pit pre-show and a custom vignette running in the main show urging viewers to end the year together.

Last year, Univision’s telecast of the 20th annual Latin Grammy Awards was the show’s highest-rated performance among Total Viewers 2+ and Adults 18-49 since 2015. 

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the 21st Annual Latin Grammy Awards will not have a live audience or a red carpet. The Latin Recording Academy, Univision and its production teams will adhere to strictest safety guidelines and protocols. 

BetMGM will begin providing odds for boxing matches on sports streaming service Dazn in the United States.

The deal marks an expansion of Dazn’s relationship with BetMGM and will begin with the Nov. 7 WBC lightweight championship bout pitting title holder Devin “The Dream” Haney against former champ Yuriorkis Gamboa.

BetMGM will provide odds for a dozen Dazn events over the next year across Dazn’s platform and suit of channels.

“We are thrilled to go all in on sports betting and embark on an exciting new chapter with BetMGM – marking our longest-term sports betting partnership yet in the U.S.,” said Michael Mobley, VP of Media Sales in North America for Dazn. “With BetMGM in our corner as Dazn’s go-to source for betting insights, fight fans will be able to stay up to date on the latest odds and enjoy even more compelling content around boxing’s biggest events.”

BetMGM worked with Dazn last year, sponsoring a heavyweight bout between Andy Ruiz Jr. and Anthony Joshua.

The new arrangement calls for Bet MGM branding to be prominent on Dazn live streams and boxing programming, including diffusion of the latest betting odds.

During the broadcast, live BetMGM betting tickers will appear on co-produced programming featuring Dazn talent. BetMGM will be the presenting sponsor of one round of the night’s main event. That round will highlight a special over/under wager.

Dazn will be on social media, promoting BetMGM and BetMGM subscribers will receive custom promo offers from the wagering service.

Subscribers to Dazn will also receive custom promos from BetMGM.

“Dazn has been a great partner and we couldn’t be happier for BetMGM to be the exclusive odds provider for their U.S. boxing broadcasts,” Matt Prevost, chief revenue officer, BetMGM said. “Our deep integrations, like supplying live odds during boxing’s biggest matches and offering customized promotional offers to DAZN subscribers, will provide boxing fans and bettors with entertaining and exciting opportunities to get in on the action.”

Because it remains part of the real world, the Adult Swim Festival will take place as a virtual event this year on the AT&T network’s YouTube channel on Nov. 13 and 14.

The festival will feature musical performances and online meet and greets with the people who create popular Adult Swim shows. And there will be exclusive festival merch available, including face masks and water bottles.

The early lineup of musical performers include Robyn Presents Club Domo and Mastadon. 

Talent from Rick and Morty and The Eric Andre Show will appear online.

There will be a world exclusive premiere of  Run the Jewels’ X Cyberpunk 2077 music video.

And there will be sponsors, including Pringles, Miracle Seltzer, Wrangler and Wendy’s. 

Pringles will be flavor stacking chips with Nick Gibbons of As Seen on Adult Swim and offering fans a chance to win Rick and Morty Pringles; Wrangler will be offering Rick and Morty merchandise based on the Season 4 finale and Wendy’s will be giving away prizes will touting its new breakfast lineup.

Programming legend John Hendricks’ CuriosityStream has landed its second major sponsor with Toyota signing on as the exclusive automotive partner for the global streaming service.

Toyota joins Sprint as CuriosityStream’s first two premier sponsors, category-exclusive relationships that span creative, co-promotion and distribution collaborations to engage consumers with the service.

The Toyota Theater will launch on CuriosityStream in September with CuriosityStream’s Dream the Future narrated by Sigourney Weaver as the lead title.

“We have been so delighted to work with Toyota and its talented agencies, Saatchi and Saatchi and Zenith Media, in crafting a partnership plan that will enable Toyota to effectively communicate with today’s most sought-after viewers who are eager to learn more about breakthrough advancements in science and technology that will positively impact our future,” said CuriosityStream chief advisor for sponsor partnerships Joe Abruzzese in a statement.

The announcements of four more exclusive sponsors in categories such as insurance, banking and finance, aerospace, and pharmaceuticals are expected before the end of the year.   Each of those six sponsors will have a branded theater on CuriosityStream, offering original documentaries as well as branded sponsor programming. All 1,800-plus titles are streamed without commercial interruption and begin with a pre-roll sponsor message before each show. 

Toyota, the largest producer of electrified vehicles with nearly 11.5 million hybrids sold worldwide, will leverage the Toyota Theater on CuriosityStream to feature technology and science series programming, while also highlighting its portfolio of advanced-technology vehicles like the Prius, Mirai, and Prius Prime.

“Through our partnership with CuriosityStream and the Toyota Theater, we’re excited to engage with an audience of science and technology enthusiasts,” said Toyota Motor North America vice president, integrated marketing Vinay Shahani in a statement. “As Toyota shifts from a traditional automotive manufacturer to a mobility company, our culture of innovation has never been more critical, particularly in areas such as artificial intelligence, robotics, sustainability, and safety. CuriosityStream gives us a vital platform for sharing some of the most cutting-edge innovations coming from Toyota today.”

Curiosity Stream launched the new sponsor-supported platform on Aug. 2, with the Sprint Theater as the first of six anticipated brand theaters. CuriosityStream also announced distribution agreements with over 30 cable and MVPDs which collectively serve over 100 million global customers.

Related: Hendricks Sets Launch of Multi-Screen SVOD Service 

“We could not be more pleased that Toyota has joined us as our exclusive automotive partner. Given Toyota’s global leadership in technology innovation, we think they are the perfect ally in presenting incredible science, engineering, and technology content within the new Toyota Theater that will go live within 60 days on CuriosityStream,” Hendricks said in a statement.

The fourth season of Telemundo’s youth-filled singing competition show La Voz Kids kicked off April 17, with the series taking the 8 p.m. slot and DishLatino, State Farm and Walmart each on board with exclusive brand integrations.

The 360-degree sponsorships with the three brands extend the network’s desire to weave its clients into its programming. With Upfront Week set to commence May 16, the return of La Voz Kids comes as the perfect time for Telemundo’s sales teams to lock in similar commitments for the 2016-17 season.

DishLatino joins La Voz Kids for the first time as the exclusive sponsor of a new voting opportunity on the show. DishLatino is also sponsoring a special group performance and “selfie diaries” with the finalists, providing exclusive video content to fans on-air and through a custom digital hub.

As a bonus, DishLatino will also be featured in segments on Telemundo’s weekday wakeup program Un Nuevo Día and in what Telemundo calls ”a social sync campaign” via Facebook.

Meanwhile, Walmart has returned for the second consecutive year as the series’s exclusive retail sponsor, while State Farm is again the exclusive insurance sponsor — a role it has enjoyed since La Voz Kids debuted on Telemundo.

State Farm sponsors branded lounges — shown during the battle rounds and the final stage of the competition — in which interviews with the contestants are conducted right after their performances conclude. A State Farm-branded video channel gives fans access to exclusive interviews and content.

Serving as hosts for season four of La Voz Kids are Jorge Bernal and Patricia ‘Paty’ Manterola. On board as celebrity coaches are Daddy Yankee, Natalia Jimenez and Pedro Fernandez.

Separately, DishLatino and State Farm joined Domino’s, Ford, Garnier Fructis, candy bar brand Twix, Pepsi, Samsung Electronics America, Sprint, Target, Toyota and Mexican beer brand Victoria as sponsors of the 2016 Billboard Latin Music Awards. This year’s awards show aired live April 28 on Telemundo.

As part of the partnership with DishLatino, Telemundo created a video montage celebrating the night’s musical performances and highlighting how the awards show has connected Latinos in the U.S to their roots through the universal language of music.

State Farm served as the exclusive sponsor of the “Latin Rhythm Song of the Year” award, with the insurer saluting the winner with a branded congratulatory graphic.

There are two ways to look at ESPN's BattleFrog Fiesta Bowl game:

1.  It was a fluke opportunity that augurs all kinds of wacky sponsorship deals.

2.  It was a brilliant tactic for cross-promotion and visibility of a niche start-up company, focusing on its core market, and hence is a template for all kinds of future sponsorships.

The first option could lead to plenty of surreal naming rights deals. For example, if Orange S.A. (formerly France Télécom ) becomes another French company that buys U.S. companies, it might get rights to the Orange Orange Bowl or, more weirdly, the Orange Cotton Bowl. And depending on where media goes, Oculus would be a natural sponsor for some future Virtual Reality Fantasy Football Bowl.

More seriously, the BattleFrog deal -- estimated to cost less than $5 million for last week's one-shot sponsorship -- was a last-minute relationship that could pay off on many levels. Long term, it may presage new alliances between legacy media companies, such as ESPN, and fast-rising companies, either digital or simply new.

In the case of ESPN and BattleFrog,a two-year old company that organizes and operates outdoor fitness events, the deal appears to be an ideal match. Not only was the Fiesta Bowl a relative hit (earning a 6.2 rating, up 17% from the 2015 bowl game that occupied a similar early afternoon time slot on New Year's Day), it was also a decent game between two popular teams: "The Ohio State University" (as Tom Wheeler always refers to his alma mater) beat Notre Dame 44-28.

More significantly, BattleFrog already had a small relationship with ESPN, which carried three episodes of the "BattleFrog College Championship" last summer and plans to carry more BattleFrog events this year.

The "BattleFrog Fiesta Bowl" sponsorship fell into place in barely a month, when the previous sponsor, Vizio, chose not to renew its naming rights for the game, according to a detailed report in the Miami Herald, which covers the locally based BattleFrog LLC.

"It's a dream demographic for us," BattleFrog CEO Ramiro Ortiz told the newspaper, citing the bowl game audience of active affluent sports fans, many of them potential participants in future BattleFrog events. The naming rights gave BattleFrog countless branding opportunities. Its logo appeared throughout the pregame show and game as a backdrop for the ESPN commentators and on extensive signage in the Arizona stadium where the game was played -- on the 50-yard line and in the end-zones.

Although ESPN and BattleFrog officials were unavailable for comment, published reports cited the speed with which the companies put together the deal. ESPN was eager to find a sponsor amid the shifting economics of bowl game advertising (under new NCAA procedures), and it was apparently fairly easy to make a deal with a small, hungry privately-held company such as BattleFrog.

More significantly, the deal is a reminder that the new economy is bringing all kinds of unusual advertisers and marketers to the arena (or stadium). Scaled properly, this opens the door for many creative advertising alliances.

Admittedly, there's also the reality that many young companies don't last long. We remember that about a dozen of the dot-com bubble companies (such as Pets.com, e1040.com and e-Stamps.com) that bought high-priced commercials during the 2000 Super Bowl XXXIV didn't survive for more than a couple years.

Nonetheless, last week's ESPN-BattleFrog deal is a reminder that sponsorships can bubble up from unexpected, yet very synergistic, sources. Sponsorships are hardly limited to sports events. Indeed, this alliance reflects the branded relationships that are taking place in the online advertising world. Historically, they have roots in the radio and TV productions of the '30s, '40s and '50s, when a sponsor's name was often part of the title of radio soap operas and TV variety shows ("Kraft Music Hall," "Texaco Star Theater," "Bayer Aspirin's 'Young Widder Brown'" or "American Home Products' 'The Romance of Helen Trent.'")

Although I'm not expecting a "Herman Miller 'Game of Thrones'" or an "ActiveVideo 'Rizzoli & Isles'" branding relationship, the changing media platform offers countless opportunities to play out and pay off.

Just like the Fiesta Bowl.