ITV said it will give brands and creators “unprecedented access” to its IP with a view to creating new and next-generation content under the auspices of a new label, Studio 55.
ITV Studios unveiled the newly-minted banner at the London TV Screenings today, and said the first project will be an LGBTQ+ dating podcast called It Started With a Kiss.
Studio 55 will be led by Will Scougal, ITV Studios’ newly appointed EVP of Brand & Commercial Partnerships and a former exec at Snapchat and X.
ITV Studios said its activities will be two-fold. It will match brands, marketing agencies and content creators with ITV Studios’ archive of shows to originate digital-first formats. It will also act as a hub for licensing ITV brands such as Love Island and The Voice for consumer products, fan experiences and other commercial activity.
Scougal said: “In the modern entertainment ecosystem, our ambition for Studio 55 is to help brands become a natural part of the communities fans love and even create fandoms of their own. We want to build partnerships that feel like a natural way to meet people where they are – be that on social, via a consumer product or experience.”
“We have expanded our infrastructure to allow us to broaden our range of partners to brands, agencies and creators, as well as licensees,” said Ruth Berry, President Global Partnerships and Zoo 55, ITV Studios. “It’s all driven by the desire to meet the fandoms of our franchises where they are, on every platform.”
