Albion handles UKTV off-air marketing

UKTV

UKTV, the digital television network, has appointed Albion to handle the off-air marketing for its channels.

Albion is understood to have pitched against Farm, Quiet Storm and Red Bee Media, which will continue to work on on-air activity for the digital broadcaster.

Karmarama, which has worked with the network previously, is believed to have been involved at an earlier stage but pulled out of the pitch last week.

Albion will be responsible for producing integrated campaigns to support the network’s new multi-platform commissioning strategy from the second quarter of this year.

Its main focus will be supporting content that is new or exclusive to the UKTV channels such as UKTV Gold’s Jim’ll Fix It Strikes Again, UKTV Style’s The Clothes Show and UKTV Food’s Market Kitchen.

The network spent £2.1m in the 12 months to October 2006 on advertising across UKTV Gold, UKTV G2 and UKTV Style, according to Nielsen Media Research.

It is understood that Albion’s focus will initially concentrate on "exclusive" network programmes, like Wogan Now & Then and Jim’ll Fix It Strikes Again.

The review was overseen by UKTV head of brand Kerry Yates. It does not affect the media account, which has been held by PHD for nine years.