Vauxhall promotes fashion market links
Car marque Vauxhall is aiming to strengthen its ties with the youth and fashion markets by launching “couture” shows in cities across the UK.
Vauxhall, which is sponsoring America’s Next Top Model on Living, has also extended its sponsorship of Britain’s Next Top Model, which begins later this month. It is also launching a standalone website, www.tigrastyle.co.uk, to support its fashion properties.
The Vauxhall Tigra Couture Catwalk Shows will be held across Newcastle, London, Birmingham and Manchester, showcasing collections from young designers and be hosted by Britain’s Next Top Model presenter Lisa Snowdon. It will also host a “Face of Tigra” model competition at each event, with winners fast-tracked to a place in the final auditions for Britain’s Next Top Model 2009.
The General Motors-owned brand signed as the 12-month sponsor of Next Top Model on Virgin Media TV channel Living last year, with the deal extending across the Canadian, US and British franchises (MW April 19, 2007). It later extended its sponsorship to include repeats on VMTV sister channel Virgin1 in a deal negotiated by its media agency ACT and sales house IDS.
The partnership landed Living in trouble with media regulator Ofcom earlier this year for breaching its broadcasting code (MW.co.uk February 11). In one episode of the last British series contestants were involved in a photo shoot with the car. Ofcom said that although there was no “absolute prohibition” on references to sponsors, the Tigra featured as a result of a “deliberate, scripted and advance decision” by the programme maker and was therefore in breach of the code.
