Cobra signs TV deal with Dave

Lager brand Cobra has signed a one-year deal to be the main prime-time sponsor on UKTV channel Dave. Under the £2m-plus deal, Cobra Beer will become the exclusive broadcast sponsor for all programmes aired from 9pm to 11.40pm on weekdays.

In January, the MA exclusively revealed Cobra's ambitious plans to increase its presence in pubs and bars. It has a £14m marketing spend for the year and hopes to increase on-trade distribution tenfold to 20,000 outlets by summer 2009.

Marketing director Will Ghali said: "As one of the UK's fastest growing UK beer brands, it is really important for Cobra to continue to find new ways of engaging with our target audience of 28 to 34-year-old men. Our sponsorship of Dave will give us exactly that opportunity."

Since it was launched as a Freeview channel in October 2007, Dave has enjoyed rapid growth. It is estimated that Cobra's sponsorship will reach nearly 30 million adults during the one-year deal.

Cobra's three-year sponsorship of films shown on ITV2, 3 and 4 is to end on 31 March. A further film sponsorship deal is due to be announced shortly.