Nikon named as new 'Hollyoaks' sponsor

[Perdita]

Camera manufacturer Nikon has signed a five-month deal to sponsor teen soap Hollyoaks.

The new contract takes effect from tomorrow and will see the company's branding accompanying the serial's transmissions on Channel 4, E4 and video-on-demand.

Nikon's new Coolpix S3000 camera is to be the focus of the campaign, which aims to raise awareness of the product's key features among the programme's young target audience.

Nikon's group marketing manager Jeremy Gilbert told Marketing Magazine: "Hollyoaks provides the perfect demographic to which we are able to communicate the strengths of the Coolpix S3000 camera. We are excited to be engaging with this new audience and look forward to seeing how viewers respond to the campaign."

He added: "The sponsorship is an ideal platform on which to communicate Nikon's new pan-European marketing campaign, 'I am Nikon', in that we are able to visually demonstrate the emotional side of photography and how it fits into your lifestyle."

Hollyoaks was previously sponsored by chewing gum brand Wrigley's Extra between 2005 and 2009.

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Mobile phone retailer Phones4U is to take over as the sponsor of Channel 4 soap Hollyoaks next month, it has been announced.

According to Media Week, the company has signed a six-figure deal which will see its branding accompanying the show's transmissions on Channel 4, E4 and video on-demand, as well as those of spinoff Hollyoaks Later.

It is understood that the contract will run for three months and take effect from October 1.

Caspar Nelson, Phones4U's head of brand communications, commented: "Our research has shown that Hollyoaks is the most-watched TV show by our core customers, who can relate to its youth-orientated storylines.

"We're chuffed to be sponsoring such a popular drama that, like our brand, is not afraid to be edgy and irreverent in the way it engages its audience."

Hollyoaks' current sponsor is camera manufacturer Nikon, which has been using the teen programme to promote its Coolpix S3000 product in a five-month deal. The show was previously sponsored by chewing gum brand Wrigley's Extra between 2005 and 2009.