Source; www.guardian.co.uk
By Mark Sweney
Published 29th August 2008
Virgin Media TV is to launch an innovative ad campaign to promote Lipstick Jungle, Sex and the City author Candace Bushnell's new show starring Brooke Shields, which includes selling branded "Lipstick lattés" in coffee shops across the UK.
Lipstick Jungle, which follows the "lives and loves of three feisty career women in New York", spearheads the autumn lineup for Virgin Media TV's entertainment channel, Living.
Shields appears alongside Kim Raver and Lindsay Price as the trio attempt to "juggle their families, sex lives, affairs, high-powered business deals and scandals while still looking fabulous".
The ad campaign, Living TV's biggest yet for a programme launch, includes cinema ads and a range of strategic partnerships to reach potential female viewers.
Living has struck a deal with Coffee Republic to launch a range of branded products that will be sold through its 67 outlets across the UK.
Coffee Republic stores will sell "Lipstick lattés" - vanilla-flavoured coffees with a chocolate kiss-shaped foam top - and "Lipstick cupcakes", with kiss-shaped icing.
Lipstick Jungle branding will run on coffee cup sleeves, tables, screensavers and posters in Coffee Republic stores from Monday.
A tie-up with magazine publisher Bauer will see a Living-branded faux back cover and three pages of advertorials in Heat to showcase Lipstick Jungle and Living's autumn schedule.
Other shows on the channel this autumn include Dirty Dancing: The Time of Your Life, hosted by Kelly Brook, America's Next Top Model, and Grey's Anatomy.
As part of a link-up with morning freesheet Metro, Lipstick Jungle branded Oyster cards will be handed out - complete with "dinky" mirrors for travellers to check out their look on the way to work.
Afternoon freesheets London Lite and the London Paper will run cover wraps to promote the show and Living's autumn schedule. A radio campaign will also run on Heart FM.
Lipstick Jungle has also joined forces with shopping website As Seen on Screen, better known as ASOS.com, to advertise on the site and in its free 429,000 copy monthly magazine.
Online customers will also be able to search the website to find products and clothing worn by the stars of the show.
The campaign to support the series and Living's autumn season breaks on Monday.
