PlayStation 3 to sponsor Channel 5 films

Sony Computer Entertainment has agreed a deal with Channel 5 under which the PlayStation 3 brand will sponsor all primetime movies on Channel 5, Fiver and Five USA.

The agreement will cover more than 760 films to be shown by Channel 5 over the 12 months to December 31, including Hancock, Death Race, Don't Mess with the Zohan, X-Men 2 and High School Musical 3.

Sony's sponsorship campaign will launch with idents for new PS3 game LittleBigPlanet 2, featuring the Sackboy character depicted in various movie scenarios. Produced by PPC PlayStation, the short films will run before the opening credits, around the commercial breaks and after the closing credits.

The PlayStation 3 logo will also feature on all related on-air promotional trailers for Channel 5 movies, in addition to any press campaigns supporting the strand.

"We are delighted to be working with such a huge entertainment brand as PlayStation," said Katie Keenan, Channel 5's head of acquisitions.

"We continue to bring viewers the best films around and have some fantastic titles coming up on Channel 5, Fiver and Five USA in 2011."

Sony Computer Entertainment marketing director Alan Duncan added: "The sponsorship of movies on Channel 5 is a great fit for our brands.

"It provides us with a great platform to associate our blockbuster titles and the compelling entertainment offering of PlayStation 3 with the best of Hollywood."

The PlayStation deal was negotiated between Channel 5's sponsorship manager Kirsty Baker and Chris Walsh, investment director at Manning Gottlieb Media.