UM Ireland, part of IPG Mediabrands, has brokered a number of new national TV and radio sponsorships for clients Mater Private and Zurich.
According to Alan Daly, managing director UM Ireland: “This year at UM, sponsorship has offered so much value for our clients and our investment in branded sponsorships has hugely increased this year. Our clients and their brands are leaning more and more toward sponsorships and its strengths to solve their communications challenges.”
The first of these sees the Mater Private embarking on a new one-year sponsorship of The Pat Kenny show on Newstalk FM which is broadcast Monday to Friday, 9am to 12noon.
In addition, Mater Private has renewed its sponsorship of RTE TV’s “Today with Maura and Dáithí”, Ireland’s most watched daytime show featuring lifestyle and showbusiness news that broadcasts 3.30-5.50pm, Monday to Friday.
According to Bláithín Liston, director of marketing, Mater Private Hospital: “A well-chosen sponsorship is an important part of any brand awareness and engagement campaign. Working with the team at UM, we’re very pleased to be associated with two of Ireland’s best loved shows – on TV and radio. Their signature mix of news and entertainment offer a barometer into how Ireland is thinking at any one time.”
Meanwhile Zurich has partnered with RTE Radio1’s Drivetime for the third year in a row. The sponsorship commenced with the new presenting team of Sarah McInerney and Cormac O’hEadhra who broadcast from 4.30pm daily each weekday afternoon.
According to Elaine Fitzpatrick, chief marketing officer & head of corporate communications, Zurich Life Assurance: “We’re delighted to continue our association with RTE Drivetime. As an important source of news, information and insights, it gives listeners such as our customers the opportunity to assess key information and form their own opinions on the important matters of the day.”
The deals were negotiated by UM business director Maura Ashe and her team. “We recognise as an agency that sponsorship is a powerful way of building a brand and we have aligned ourselves with properties that are largely current affairs based. These really resonate with Mater Private and Zurich consumers tuning in to hear the issues and events of the day,” says Ashe.
