Bebo and Endemol UK add Jetstar and Procter & Gamble to The Gap Year's partner roster
 

Bebo, the youth focussed social media network, and leading entertainment producer Endemol UK, have announced that they have signed one of the world's biggest advertisers, Procter & Gamble Australia & New Zealand (P&G ANZ) and low-cost airline Jetstar as new partners for their online reality programme, The Gap Year.

As with sponsors such as Canon and Sony (PSP), P&G and Jetstar will have their products and brands featured throughout the programme, which commenced on May 21st and runs exclusively on Bebo for six months. The Gap Year follows six lucky Bebo users from the Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and United States on a dream 'gap year' travelling holiday, visiting exotic locations across the globe. Following the successful blueprint established by Bebo's original dramas KateModern and Sofia's Diary, P&G ANZ and Jetstar will be uniquely integrated into The Gap Year. The product and brand integrations are interwoven as a means of maintaining natural and seamless viewing. For example, Tourism Australia and Tourism Auckland have designed adventure packed travel trails for the globetrotters while STA is sponsoring a 'road trip' for one lucky participant. Receptive Each brand will be able to further tap into Bebo's global audience of 45 million with its own Bebo profile page, user competitions and/or various interactive web based experiences. "The combined activity works to deepen brand engagement", says Bebo, "whilst making The Gap Year the most exhilarating, interactive reality journey on the web". "P&G ANZ are very excited to be involved in this project," said Jolie Egan, Interactive Marketing Manager, Procter & Gamble Australia & New Zealand. "The Gap Year offers us a unique platform for engaging with our consumers and we see it as a great opportunity to learn more about what our consumers are interested in and what they are receptive to within the digital area."   "We have had a fantastic response from the advertising and media industry to The Gap Year," commented Francisco Cordero, Bebo's Australian and New Zealand General Manager. "We've got the track record in place now with successful productions such as KateModern, which has been viewed more than 66 million times, and other shows such as Sofia's Diary that have built substantial audiences through Bebo to provide a measurable return for sponsors. "Young people are spending less time with TV and other traditional media and more time online. Broadcast quality programing is going to continue to push the boundaries on the web, particularly as more big brand advertisers get on board to support and fund it." Cody Hogarth, Managing Director of Endemol UK's branded entertainment division, was upbeat about the new partnerships: "Jetstar and Procter and Gamble are fantastically strong additions to the list of blue chip partners supporting The Gap Year. Both are leading global brands and a perfect fit for an international project of this scale." The addition of P&G ANZ and Jetstar brings the total number of partners for The Gap Year to eleven, including Sony PSP, Trident, Canon, the Royal Air Force, Acuvue, Doritos, STA Travel, Tourism Auckland and Tourism Australia.