EA signs as sponsor of Bafta kids awards

Video games publisher Electronic Arts (EA) has signed a two-year sponsorship deal with Bafta to become headline sponsor of the Children’s Film and TV Awards.

EA managing director Keith Ramsdale says the tie-up signals the start of an “evolving relationship” between the organisations and that the new partnership will extend beyond next month’s Children’s Awards to other Bafta events.

As part of the sponsorship, EA branding will feature on the Bafta Kids’ Vote, the only award at the event voted for by the public.

Ramsdale says: “The tie-up is as a result of Bafta’s recognition of video games as a ‘third genre’, giving equal weight to games alongside film and television.”

Earlier this year, Bafta made video games the third pillar of the academy, recognising the creative development of games as an art form.

EA is on the hunt for a marketing director for its mobile games division in Europe (MW October 12) and recently signed up to in-game advertising networks IGA Worldwide, and Microsoft-owned Massive.