VBS brokers airtime deal for Ella’s Kitchen

TV sales house Viacom Brand Solutions (VBS) has brokered a pioneering deal that gives a small family-run soft drinks brand on-air advertising and a distribution deal with Sainsbury’s.

Advertising for Ella’s Kitchen Smoothie Fruits, an organic children’s fruit drink, will run on children’s channel Nickelodeon. Ella’s Kitchen has guaranteed VBS some of the profits in return for the ads, which otherwise would have been too expensive for the independent label. The promise of airtime led to a 330-store deal with the supermarket.

Nick Bampton, VBS managing director, says the move underlines the sales house’s commitment to attracting new brands to the medium.

He adds: “TV advertising is sometimes seen as too expensive for small and start-ups brands. This deal shows what can be achieved if you rip up the rule book and push for change.”

The campaign comprises one 30-second commercial and two 10-second spot versions, made in collaboration with Amp and Prism Entertainment.

Amp, a division of VBS, launched last year to help advertisers enhance their existing marketing campaigns with bespoke advertising, programming and sponsorship, branded content and new media. (MW June 21, 2005).

VBS represents all of Viacom’s broadcast brands.