Hollis Sponsorship Bulletin

Toy and games company Lego is to sponsor Disney XD -the new name for boys action-adventure channel Jetix. The partnership, negotiated by agency Carat Sponsorship, will see Lego promote two new games, Creationary and Lunar Command, via a series of on-screen competitions.

The deal is an interesting development for Lego which has only recently developed into the non-digital games area. Both Creationary and Lunar Command are real-world games in which players build models using Lego to win. Creationary is available exclusively in Argos for a period of time while Lunar Command will be sold in Toys R Us.

In a separate development, Activision has professed itself very pleased with the decision to launch its DJ Hero game at the Notting Hill Carnival. As a result of that success, the company will explore other festival-based sponsorships, says Guitar Hero/DJ Hero brand manager Jon Edney: “Working with properties such as the Notting Hill Carnival is testament to where the brand now stands in terms of its profile and credibility. There will be undoubtedly be plenty more brand-defining partnerships to announce. Experiential activity has developed into a crucial element of the mix.”