P&O Cruises unveiled as the new sponsor of Downton Abbey

ITV Commercial has today announced that P&O Cruises will be the new sponsor of the highly-successful drama, Downton Abbey.

The fully integrated sponsorship package was negotiated by ITV Commercial and Vizeum on behalf of P&O Cruises and will include broadcast, online and mobile elements.

The idents will feature the strapline "Discovering a different world, I can't wait ..." and will be produced by The Walker Agency".

The first series of Downton Abbey premiered on ITV in the UK and on MASTERPIECE on PBS in the US to critical acclaim, collecting a number of awards including six Primetime Emmys®, a Golden Globe® and a Producers Guild Award for Outstanding Producer of Long-Form Television. The second series increased its audience by 20% in the UK.

The most recent series of Downton Abbey averaged 11.8 million viewers and a 38% share of the audience, peaking with 12.4 million viewers and a 41% share of the audience on 6th November, 2011. Downton Abbey's Christmas episode was also rated as the most-watched Christmas Day show, achieving a consolidated audience of 11.6 million viewers.

Mike Barrett, Account Sales Manager, ITV said: "Downton Abbey was the most watched drama of 2011 and has achieved a fantastic sixteen nominations for the upcoming Emmy awards.

"It is with great pleasure that we are able to announce that P&O Cruises will be the new sponsor of this drama phenomenon, and we look forward to working with them to deliver an engaging multi-platform partnership for the coming series".

P&O Cruises managing director Carol Marlow said: "We are delighted to sponsor the third series of Downton Abbey. We know that many of our passengers and potential passengers watch Downton Abbey and we are excited to bring our brand to life for this vast audience".