Baileys hysteria on Wisteria Lane

Baileys has been announced as the key sponsor of the new series of hit TV show Desperate Housewives in the UK.

The deal will see Baileys advertising before and after the commercial breaks throughout the 23 episode season on Channel 4, which will run from today until June 2010.

Violeta Andreeva, Baileys brand manager at Diageo, said: “We’re really pleased to be working with Channel 4 and for our Baileys idents to be featuring in the sixth season of Desperate Housewives.”

She added: “Female fans look forward to their midweek escape to the world of Wisteria Lane and a glass of Baileys over ice can make the treat of watching their favourite program even more special.”

The sponsorship of Desperate Housewives, which stars Terri Hatcher and Eva Longoria, is part of a wider spring campaign by Diageo for Baileys, which is investing £1 million on an intergrated marketing drive to push the brand’s awareness throughout spring.

Parallel to the Housewives deal, Baileys will also run a new TV advertising campaign from 8 March until Easter weekend in a period which is a “proven driver of sales growth for the brand,” according to Diageo.

Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day and Easter are the season’s key targets for Baileys, which last year was the UK’s number one household spirit, worth £14 million in retail sales revenues.

Point of sale items will also be available across all channels incorporating a premium Easter feel to increase the visibility of Baileys in store and prompt purchase.

Rupert Millar 27.01.10