IDS sets up sales team for Virgin 1

Interactive Digital Sales (IDS) has created a specialist channel team to handle sales for Virgin 1 – the cable and Freeview channel from Virgin Media Television – ahead of its autumn debut.

The team of eight will be headed by Guy Martin and Gavin Johnson. Martin is currently IDS’s head of sponsorship and new media and Johnson is agency sales head. Both will work closely with Celia Taylor, who is the director of programmes for the channel, and the editorial team in order to maximise Virgin 1’s appeal to advertisers.

James Wildman, managing director of IDS, said: “Virgin 1 is very important to us as it is the first ever Virgin-branded channel. This is why we have put a heavyweight team on it.”

Wildman could not say what advertisers had expressed an interest, but revealed there had been lots of enthusiasm about sponsorship opportunities.
He said: “We are going to have some big sponsors on the channel, which will be announced imminently.” He added: “It’s a good sign as it shows Virgin 1 has strong properties on offer.”

The repeats channel Virgin 1+1 will increase impacts to the main channel by up to a fifth.