Panasonic exclusive Product Placement partner for C4's The Taste

6 January 2014

Channel 4 today announced a new product placement partnership with Panasonic’s kitchen appliances and Channel 4’s much anticipated UK version of new cooking series, The Taste, coming to Tuesday nights from 7th January 2014.

 

Based on the US hit format, the first UK series of The Taste will see TV cook and bestselling author, Nigella Lawson, and her fellow judges, American chef Anthony Bourdain and French chef Ludo Lefebvre, battle it out over ten weeks to find The Taste’s first British winner.

 

The product placement partnership will showcase Panasonic’s integrated induction hobs and ovens, as well as American style refrigerators throughout the ten week series.

 

Each week, the contestants will compete to please the palates of Nigella, Anthony and Ludo using Panasonic’s induction hob with new Opti-Sensor technology, Panasonic’s economic ‘A’ energy-rated built-in oven, and Panasonic’s American style ‘A++’ energy-efficient refrigerator, one of the most energy-efficient models in the industry.

 

The partnership was negotiated by Chris Holdom, Channel 4 Sales’ Partnership Account Manager, PP/AFP and Gemma Wright, Senior Manager at Vizeum UK.

 

Rob Ramsey, Partnership Leader at Channel 4 said: “Panasonic integrated appliances are the ideal product placement partner for The Taste. Combining a distinctive look and advanced functionality they fit perfectly with this format featuring top chefs and their protégées as they do battle to deliver the very best in high end haute cuisine in the most intense of environments each week.”   

 

Zeena Hill, Head of Home Appliance Marketing at Panasonic UK said: “We are delighted that Panasonic is product placement partner for The Taste as the show’s professional format will highlight the versatility and superior functionality of our kitchen appliances.”

 

The Taste was commissioned by Channel 4 Head of Formats, Dominic Bird. The UK series will be made by CPL Productions and executive produced by Murray Boland and Danielle Lux. The Taste format was acquired from Red Arrow International.

 

Ends

Notes to Editors:

• The Taste was originally commissioned by ABC in the U.S and Channel 4 have also secured the rights to air the U.S. version of the cooking competition show. Internationally The Taste has been commissioned for a second US series by ABC. Sales of “The Taste” include CTV in Canada, Australia’s Nine Network, Germany’s Sat.1 and M6 in France.
• Created by Kinetic Content, Red Arrow's US production company, “The Taste” is executive-produced by Chris Coelen, Matilda Zoltowski, Emma Conway, Anthony Bourdain and Nigella Lawson.
• Red Arrow’s CPL Productions will produce the UK version for Channel 4.

About “The Taste”:
The culinary show that goes back to basics: The Taste! Both home cooks and restaurateurs are given the opportunity of a lifetime, as they sharpen their skills and train with the best culinary experts in the business. The superstar mentors will each coach a team of cooks, who they hand pick based on their dishes alone. In each episode there are two challenges; a team challenge and an individual challenge. At the end of each show the mentors must decide together whom to eliminate.

About Panasonic:

Panasonic Corporation is a worldwide leader in the development and engineering of electronic technologies and solutions for customers in residential, non-residential, mobility and personal applications. Since its founding in 1918, the company has expanded globally and now operates over 500 consolidated companies worldwide, recording consolidated net sales of 7.30 trillion yen (68 billion euros) for the year ended March 31, 2013. Committed to pursuing new value through innovation across divisional lines, the company strives to create a better life and a better world for its customers. For more information about Panasonic, please visit the company's website at www.panasonic.com/uk