Lynam fronts Setanta campaign

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Setanta has lined up Des Lynam to front a TV advertising campaign promoting the launch of the Irish pay-TV operator's live Premiership coverage next month.

The campaign, the biggest single marketing push ever launched by Setanta in the UK, features Lynam speaking about the virtues of the subscription TV sports service while selling pies from a caravan outside a football stadium. Big Brother's Thaila Zucchi is helping Lynam serve food.

Lynam features in all three of the Setanta ads, which break on Monday and will be supported by a national campaign using posters, radio, print press, online and direct marketing throughout the 2007-2008 football season, which kicks off on August 11.

One ad, called Sultana, plays on the fact that the Irish company is not a household name in the UK. It features one punter mistaking the name for the band Santana, a Sultana and a banana.

The campaign has been created by ad agencies Big Al's and Branded.

"This is a massive season for Setanta and a good time for everyone who loves watching great sport on TV," said Setanta's GB marketing director Tim Ryan, who joined from A O L earlier this year.

It is understood that Lynam is likely to play a role in the broadcasting of the football matches "in some way", with Setanta set to outline the details of its Premiership coverage strategy, including 46 live matches per season, on Monday.

Angus Scott will take the anchor role, while other presenters include former Premiership footballers Tim Sherwood, Les Ferdinand and Steve McManaman.

Viewers can get Setanta's football coverage for £9.99 per month on Freeview or a range of eight channels via BSkyB's digital satellite service.

Setanta is also offering a range of content through Virgin Media's cable TV and BT Vision's broadband TV service.

Source: Guardian