Unilever signs largest advertising deal in UK media history

The ground-breaking four-year deal marks another step on Unilever’s Path to Growth strategy, enabling the company to concentrate its resources behind its focused portfolio of leading brands using the most powerful medium, television.

Chris Pomfret, Chairman of Unilever’s UK Marketing Executive Committee, "ITV’s unique ability to deliver mass audiences makes the broadcaster a vital component for Unilever in its drive to promote its household name brands to a large audience swiftly and effectively."

The agreement locks in trading terms for Unilever’s UK operating companies; Birds Eye Wall’s, Lever Fabergé, Unilever Bestfoods and Unilever Cosmetics International and secures a competitive advantage for them through a period which is likely to be one of continuing change for the UK’s broadcasting structure.

The deal was negotiated for Unilever by its UK Media Manager, Edwin Sharpe, with Ilker Shakir, Broadcast Director at Initiative Media, (Unilever’s UK Media Agency), Steve Platt at Carlton Sales and Graham Duff at Granada Media Sales.

Edwin Sharpe added, "Our consolidated portfolio of leading brands needs the drive and strength of television as the primary channel to achieve its communication objectives. As ITV will continue to be the major provider of commercial ‘impacts’ for some years to come, particularly given its dominance in prime time, there is a natural fit to this long-term arrangement."

Notes to editors:

Unilever’s diverse brand portfolio ranges from products such as Persil, Dove, Lynx and Sure to Flora, Hellmann’s, Knorr and PG Tips, Birds Eye Frozen Foods and Walls Ice Cream to Calvin Klein Cosmetics.