Dave, Drama, W and Yesterday among services that have a new look from today. Broadcaster UKTV is going full out to promote the changes.
- Singer Cher features in new advert to promote the new look channels and streaming service U, formerly known as UKTV Play.
- Streaming service launches with over 8,500 hours of free content
To kick off the launch of UKTV’s new masterbrand, it’s teamed up with legendary singer Cher for an advert that celebrates the wealth of free quality content, promising its viewers they can lose themselves in what they love, “whatever you want to watch, we’ve got U”. The ad was created in partnership with culture-first media agency Havas Entertainment.
In a creative twist, the global superstar is travelling through some of Britain’s best-loved shows on U, performing a new rendition of the iconic song, I Got You Babe, which was recorded especially for the launch of U.
Viewers can catch a glimpse of Cher make a surprise appearance in Secrets of the London Underground, as well as many other well-loved shows including popular series, Annika, which sees Cher perform to DI Annika Strandhed (Nicola Walker) who heads up the show’s Marine Homicide Unit, as the unlikely duo don lifejackets, setting sail on the Scottish waters.
The rebrand aims to bring the channels and streaming service under a single brand, something that was lost in 2007/08 when UKTV abandoned its on-screen brand to create distinct individual channels.
The ads will also appear on non-UKTV channels and be accompanied by a poster campaign across the UK.
How will this will affect viewers
Linear channels
All major platform operators have, or are about to relabel UKTV’s free-to-view channels with the new names. For example, in addition to UKTV Play becoming just ‘U’, Dave becomes U&Dave and Yesterday is now U&Yesterday. Channel numbers aren’t changing, so for most viewers it’s a case of same channel, but new name.
UKTV is yet to confirm the exact date when its premium channels including Gold and Alibi will be rebranded.
Streaming
The U streaming service, formerly UKTV Play, goes live with over 8,500 hours of free content. This includes catch-up content from Dave, Drama, W and Yesterday. The existing UKTV Play app is replaced by ‘U’. Via an internet browser, the streaming service is available via www.u.co.uk
Corporate comment
Penny Brough, UKTV’s Chief Marketing Officer, said,
“Following ten months of research, design work and asset creation, I couldn’t be more excited to see U come to life on and off air. We’ve taken a bold approach to our new branding, and this has been matched by our biggest ever multi-media campaign and our launch advert featuring Cher, one of the most recognisable women in the world.
Our aim was to deliver an advert that’s authentic, memorable, creates talkability and feels every bit as dynamic as our new Masterbrand U. Cher’s iconic song I Got You Babe perfectly aligns with our campaign tagline “We’ve Got U”, reflecting the depth and range of almost 8,500 hours of free content available on the U streaming service.”
By: Marc Thornham | Image: UKTV