The Stage

Churchill dog appears in Qdos pantos in sponsorship deal first

Published Tuesday 6 October 2009 at 17:00 by Alistair Smith

Qdos Entertainment has signed a sponsorship deal with Churchill, which will see a puppet of the insurance provider’s dog appear in all 22 of Qdos’ pantomimes this Christmas.

While neither side is disclosing the precise terms of the deal, industry sources believe it to be worth in excess of £100,000. It will mark the first time that a branded character such as the Churchill dog has been included on stage as part of a commercial tie-in.

The dog, which is operated from within a box beneath the puppet, will feature alongside pantomime stars including John Barrowman, Shane Richie and Linda Lusardi and the shows’ scripts will include the character’s catchphrases from Churchill adverts - ‘Oh yes!’ and ‘Oh no!’. The deal is for one year with an option to extend.

Peter Deane, head of brand at Churchill said: “Churchill is thrilled to be involved in such an exciting partnership. Never before has a UK brand been so immersed into a theatre production to such a large audience reach - it really is taking UK brand sponsorship to a new level. This venture will bring the Churchill brand to life for the audience this Christmas, in an innovative and compelling fashion.”

The agreement follows a similar deal between First Family Entertainment - the UK’s second largest pantomime producer, after Qdos - with Robinsons. That deal also involves the brand having ‘creative input’ in all of FFE’s 12 productions.