NBCUniversal said that Vrbo has signed up as a sponsor of Bravo’s Top Chef, which starts its 19th season Thursday.
Vrbo joins BMW of North America, Chipotle, S.Pellegrino, Talenti, Universal Pictures’ Jurassic World Dominion are returning as sponsors of the cooking program.
Sponsors get baked into the show, often as part of its Quickfire and Elimination challenges.
Vrbo becomes part of the show when the chefs are brought together to serve a VIP family at a top Vrbo destination.
NBCU said Top Chef sponsors have seen 29% lifts in brand favorability, 26% in product interest and 25% in purchase intent.
“Bravo’s highly engaged and passionate fan base tune-in to Top Chef for a captivating and flavorful viewing experience that transports them straight into the kitchen. And our trusted brand partners have always been an integral piece of the show, making those fans truly a part of the competition itself with every recipe, every cooking instrument, every personal story shared,” said Jamie Cutburth, senior VP, One Platform creative & development, advertising and partnerships, NBCUniversal.
“NBCUniversal’s Creative Partnerships team is hyper focused on creating unforgettable stories through pristine out-of-the-box creative and integrations that viewers love. And, at the same time, delivering new and unique ways for advertisers to tell their brand story to develop deep connections with their consumers,” Cutburth said.
Chipotle is bringing local and fresh ingredients to a Quickfire competition as chefs are tasked to create a Tex-Mex dish in Houston. The winner of the challenge will have a chance to win a cash prize of $10,000, sponsored by Chipotle.
Universal Pictures, part of Comcast NBCU, is promoting its upcoming film Jurassic World Dominion with a prehistoric themed Elimination challenge. The winner of the challenge will have a chance to attend the movie’s red-carpet premiere.
As the official Grand Prize sponsor. S.Pellegrino will provide the winning chef who earns the coveted title of Top Chef $250,000, a feature in Food & Wine magazine as well as an appearance at the annual Food & Wine Classic in Aspen. ■
