Award-winning broadcaster UKTV has today announced it has invested in online start-up easyGuide, using its multi-million pound investment fund, UKTV Ventures.
Ecommerce booking site easyGuide offers over 25,000 products globally, from attractions, experiences, tours and shows, with new activities continuously added to the platform. The site enables tourists and locals to discover what's available in their area and instantly book tickets to exciting activities and experiences around the world. easyGuide operates as a standalone commercial entity under the 'easy' family of brands.
Live from July 1st, UKTV Ventures' £1 million investment comprises of an "airtime-for-equity" agreement which will see easyGuide launch its first ever TV advertising campaign across UKTV's seven linear channels - Dave, W, Gold, Alibi, Drama, Yesterday, Eden. This will provide easyGuide with access to an audience of over 26 million viewers a month and in return, UKTV will gain an equity stake in the business.
Blake Anthony Reddy, CEO easyGuide, said: "We are really pleased to be partnering with UKTV Ventures for an airtime-for-equity deal at such an exciting time for easyGuide. With travel well and truly back post-lockdown, people are more eager than ever to find the best and most unique activities and experiences while travelling and in their local area. The huge reach that the UKTV network provides is the perfect way of building our brand recognition with a whole new audience."
Brendan Kilcawley, Head of Commercial UKTV Ventures, said: "The sizeable activities and experience sector of the travel and tourism market is continuing an upward trend, so it is an exciting time to partner with the ambitious easyGuide team."
UKTV Ventures is committed to helping companies new to TV advertising build their brand and scale up by benefiting from the wide reach, trust and recognition only achieved through TV advertising. Similar to venture capital, UKTV Ventures is a funding model which invests airtime, instead of cash, in burgeoning high-growth companies looking to accelerate their growth. UKTV Ventures' deal with easyGuide follows their recent investment in social media platform, WeAre8.
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About UKTV Ventures
UKTV Ventures is UKTV's multi-million pound investment fund which offers high-growth start-ups an opportunity to enter the TV advertising market in exchange for a minority stake in their company. This is described as airtime-for-equity.
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About UKTV
UKTV has been at the forefront of branded television for over 25 years, entertaining the nation with programmes they love. Its leading brands - Dave, Gold, W, Drama, Alibi, Eden and Yesterday - span comedy, entertainment, natural history, factual and drama, and are delivered to audiences through UKTV Play, Freeview, Sky, Virgin Media, BT, TalkTalk, YouView, Freesat and Amazon Fire. The broadcaster is a significant investor in British creativity and is committed to working with new and established writers, directors and programme-makers.
UKTV is part of BBC Studios, the UK's most-awarded production company, a world-class distributor with international branded services, and a commercial subsidiary of the world's leading public service broadcaster, the BBC.
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