![](//www.4rfv.com/images/no_image.jpg)
Stream on U
Today marks the launch of UKTV's new Masterbrand U, which sees its free streaming service transition to U and its free-to-air channels become U&Dave, U&W, U&DRAMA and U&YESTERDAY.Viewers will see the changes on air and across platforms, with all assets reflecting the new brand design system.
To kick off the launch, UKTV has teamed up with legendary singer Cher for an advert that celebrates the wealth of free quality content on the U streaming service, promising its viewers they can lose themselves in what they love, whatever you want to watch, we've got U .In a creative twist, the global superstar is travelling through some of Britain's best-loved shows on U, performing a new rendition of the iconic song, I Got You Babe, which was recorded especially for the launch of U.
U's launch is supported by an extensive media campaign, created in partnership with culture-first media agency Havas Entertainment. It has been designed to deliver the most personally recommended campaign ever carried out by the broadcaster, with the aim of generating buzz and awareness for the new Masterbrand, while emphasising the depth and breadth of content available on U.
"We've taken a bold approach to our new branding"Penny Brough, UKTV's Chief Marketing Officer, said, Following ten months of research, design work and asset creation, I couldn't be more excited to see U come to life on and off air. We've taken a bold approach to our new branding, and this has been matched by our biggest ever multi-media campaign and our launch advert featuring Cher, one of the most recognisable women in the world.
Our aim was to deliver an advert that's authentic, memorable, creates talkability and feels every bit as dynamic as our new Masterbrand U. Cher's iconic song I Got You Babe perfectly aligns with our campaign tagline We've Got U , reflecting the depth and range of almost 8,500 hours of free content available on the U streaming service.
The advert starts with UKTV execs pitching their creative to Cher, who, in a vision, says she can see it now , and immediately starts singing I Got You Babe. Along the way, Cher meets EastEnders' Barry (Shaun Williamson), and together they perform karaoke in the Queen Vic, as well as meeting Orlando Bloom who's perched on the top of a rock as he tests his physical and mental strength in the self-titled, Orlando Bloom: To the Edge. The superstar also has a chance to test her own nerve as she's sat in the back of a car driven by Chris Kamara and Jeff Stelling, cheating death in Sri Lanka in World's Most Dangerous Roads.
Viewers can catch a glimpse of Cher make a surprise appearance in Secrets of the London Underground, as well as many other well-loved shows including popular series, Annika, which sees Cher perform to DI Annika Strandhed (Nicola Walker) who heads up the shows Marine Homicide Unit, as the unlikely duo don lifejackets, setting sail on the Scottish waters.
The TV commercial was developed by UKTV's in-house creative agency in partnership with HunkyDory Films, and led by Scott Russell, UKTV's Creative Director. It was directed by Christian Bevilacqua, with Leanne Farleigh as Senior Producer, Mary Claire Seiler as Head of Production and Eoin McLaughlin as Creative Consultant.
"We wanted to create an ambitious advert to launch U"Scott Russell said: We wanted to create an ambitious advert to launch U to highlight the variety of quality programming and to stand out in a hugely competitive landscape. It had to be joyful, have content at its heart, and to tell the story of whatever you love, we've got you. What's more, it needed to be memorable and have a surprise factor that was not only authentic but connected with current and new viewers. Who better to do this than mega superstar, Cher, performing a brand-new version of her iconic song, I Got You Babe, whilst meeting some new and familiar friends on the way?
The advert will be available on UKTV's social and linear channels including U&Dave, U&Drama, U&Yesterday and U&W from today, and supported by UKTV's biggest ever media spend on ITV, Channel 4 and Sky, as well as YouTube, Facebook and TikTok. To complement this, UKTV's media agency, Havas Entertainment, has secured a strategic radio takeover in partnership with Bauer on the day of launch, with the renaming of Absolute Radio to U&Absolute Radio plus activity across Magic Radio (becoming U&Magic Radio online) and Greatest Hits Radio for the day, featuring on-air endorsements from top talent and personalised U channel recommendations for callers-in, based on their music preferences.
U's 360 launch campaign will also be seen across Britain's most prominent poster sites, celebrating new and exclusive shows using a fly-poster design that helps to showcase U's range of content in a noisy and disruptive way.
Additional activations include social media takeovers, CTV UI, digital display, online videos, and a unique TV dinner pop-up restaurant.
The multi-media campaign to launch U builds on a series of successful campaigns UKTV and Havas Entertainment have developed together since 2021, with their partnership having been extended earlier this year. Recent successes include the Campaign Media Week Award-shortlisted Boxpark and Dave campaign and the Campaign Tech Award-winning Best Use of Data campaign, which drove significant growth for UKTV Play (now U).
Alex Sherr, Managing Partner, Havas Entertainment, "Its brilliant to support U during this exciting period of transformation and growth for the brand. U's commitment to fostering joy through its diverse range of shows has a deep-rooted place in our culture, which is what we're all about. We now enter our fourth year together, which we can't quite believe but have loved every second. We're exci
More from UKTV
05/09/2024
Nina Sosanya, Samantha Womack, Hugh Quarshie, Patrick Robinson and many more joi...
04/09/2024
UKTV today announces the acquisition of Hotel Portofino (2 x 6x60') for U an...
28/08/2024
London, Wednesday 28 August 2024: UKTV has commissioned another new series of Canal Boat Diaries (10x60) for leading factual channel U&YESTERDAY and free stream...
27/08/2024
UKTV today releases a selection of first look images for the upcoming U&Original series, I, Jack Wright (6x60') on specialist crime drama channel, Alibi. Th...
22/08/2024
Notorious New Orleans womens prison to open its doors for new documentary series.
TV presenter, Katie Piper returns to U&W to once again uncover life for women...
22/08/2024
UKTV is excited to announce the commission of the new series, Guy Martin's P...
19/08/2024
U&DAVE'S JOKE OF THE FRINGE 2024
10 FUNNIEST GAGS OF THE 2024 EDINBURGH FRINGE FESTIVAL REVEALED
Comedian Mark Simmons wins U&Dave's Funniest Joke of...
15/08/2024
UKTV today releases a selection of first look images for the upcoming U&Original series, Outrageous (6x60') on U and U&DRAMA. The brand-new drama, created a...
01/08/2024
UKTV's free streaming service, U, to get exclusive Bangers & Cash specials f...
31/07/2024
UKTV has commissioned popular factual label Red Sauce, part of Zinc Media Group, to make a further two seasons of its gritty factual series Special Ops: To Catc...
24/07/2024
UKTV has commissioned The Young Midwives of Essex (8x60) from Firecracker Films (Stacey Dooley Sleeps Over, Emma Willis: Delivering Babies). This brand-new docu...
23/07/2024
UKTV has commissioned brand-new Pete Wicks: For Dogs' Sake (4x60') for free-to-air entertainment channel U&W, and recently rebranded free streaming serv...
22/07/2024
Portraits of Joe Swash, Chris Kamara and Angela Barnes created using scrap car parts
Portraits of Joe Swash, Chris Kamara and Angela Barnes made entirely of sc...
22/07/2024
UKTV has commissioned The Real Midwives of Essex (8x60) from Firecracker Films (Stacey Dooley Sleeps Over, Emma Willis: Delivering Babies). This brand-new docu-...
22/07/2024
Award-winning broadcaster UKTV has today announced it has invested in the UKs fi...
22/07/2024
A Small Light, Mike, Alaska Daily, The Company You Keep, Sons of Anarchy S1-7, B...
22/07/2024
Award-winning broadcaster UKTV has today announced it has invested in the award-...
22/07/2024
Battle in the Box, Whitstable Pearl series two, Sons of Anarchy and the UK premiere of Orlando Bloom: To the Edge head up launch
Brand new original commissions...
22/07/2024
Four brand new specials for iconic hit comedy show examining modern life will air later this year
Stand-up comedian and "high priest of comedy PowerPoint" (The...
22/07/2024
UKTV has appointed Claire Hookway to the newly created role of Commissioning Executive to bolster the development of the multi-channel broadcasters growing slat...
22/07/2024
Filming has begun on the fourth series of the hugely popular BBC Studios Drama production, Sister Boniface Mysteries, a BritBox International and UKTV co-produc...
22/07/2024
Comedian Katherine Ryan will once again open the doors to her family home for At Home With Katherine Ryan (4x60') on U&W, Broadcast Digital's Entertainm...
22/07/2024
The witty story sees Cher travel through new and loved shows from U whilst perfo...
22/07/2024
Stream on U
Today marks the launch of UKTV's new Masterbrand U, which sees...
22/07/2024
TV Dinners for U' experience pairs gourmet food with
curated menu of TV shows from new free streaming service, U
New restaurant pop-up heightens the TV d...
22/07/2024
Further guest stars are now confirmed for Bookish (6x70'), a brand-new drama...
22/07/2024
Apocalypse Slough will air on Gold this Autumn and follows the success of Christ...
10/07/2024
Will Mellor and Ralf Little will bring their renowned chemistry to U and U&Dave later this year with Will & Ralf Should Know Better (4x60). Pulling back the cur...
07/07/2024
Other cast include Zo Wanamaker and Philip Glenister
Casting is now confirmed ...
04/07/2024
Each episode begins with U&Dave giving the studio audience £250,000 to share bet...
04/07/2024
Great-Ish News as Dave Gorman returns to U&Dave Four brand new specials for iconic hit comedy show examining modern life will air later this year Stand-up comed...
02/07/2024
Worlds first TV Dinners for U restaurant opens in London to mark the launch of n...
26/06/2024
The series is produced by Firebird Pictures and written by Sarah Williams
Filmi...
20/06/2024
Free-to-air channel Dave and UKTV Play to be renamed U&Dave and U, following lau...
19/06/2024
Sweetie darlings... its time to pour some champers, grab your best Gaultier and get ready for three decades of fabulous!
The nations favourite comedy channel, ...
06/06/2024
Battle in the Box, Whitstable Pearl series two, Sons of Anarchy and the UK premiere of Orlando Bloom: To the Edge head up launch
Brand new original commissions...
06/06/2024
UKTV continues its commitment to the intriguing world of true crime with Back from the Dead: Who Kidnapped Me? (3 x 60) and Lies, Deceit And Betrayal (6 x 60). ...
21/05/2024
Samantha Bond, Jo Martin, Cara Horgan and Natalie Dew return to Marlow for the s...
20/05/2024
UKTV has commissioned Masters of Reinvention (6x60) for its leading factual channel Yesterday and free streaming service UKTV Play, to be produced by Air TV.
I...
15/05/2024
12th March 2024 - Award-winning broadcaster UKTV has today announced it has inve...
07/05/2024
The nations favourite comedy channel Gold has teamed up with the maestro of the ...
29/04/2024
Further casting is now confirmed for Bookish (6x70), a brand-new drama created by Emmy Award-winning writer Mark Gatiss, for UKTVs specialist crime drama channe...
24/04/2024
UKTV today announces the commission of the brand-new series, Mudtown (6x60), for...
22/04/2024
22 April 2024 - Award-winning broadcaster UKTV has today announced it has invested in the award-winning online care marketplace, Elder, using its multi-million ...
18/04/2024
Tom Durant Pritchard (This Is Going To Hurt, The Crown) has joined the cast for ...
12/04/2024
Detective Jim Bergerac will be returning to the iconic setting of Jersey, as UKT...
10/04/2024
UKTVs catalogue of original drama continues to grow, with the commission of six-part series, Bookish (6x70) for its specialist crime drama channel Alibi. The UK...
03/04/2024
A Small Light, Mike, Alaska Daily, The Company You Keep, Sons of Anarchy S1-7, Brothers and Sisters S1-5, set to premiere this year on Alibi, Drama, Dave and UK...
27/03/2024
UKTV has commissioned a second series of Dream Car Fixers (6x60) for leading factual channel Yesterday and free streaming service . Produced by Wiser Films, th...
12/03/2024
12th March 2024 - Award-winning broadcaster UKTV has today announced it has invested in the UKs first independent funeral-planning service, Legacy of Lives, usi...