Coronation Street’s iconic Rovers Return pub will be sold by online estate agency Purplebricks, as part of a major new product placement deal.
The storyline on the ITV soap begins next week when Rovers owner Johnny (Richard Hawley) is released from prison early and returns home to find that his wife Jenny (Sally Ann Matthews) has had an affair with Ronnie (Vinta Morgan).
Johnny decides that their marriage is over and makes the surprise decision to put the Rovers on the market.
Corrie executive producer Iain MacLeod told the press: “The upcoming story around the sale of the Rovers Return stems from something exciting that happens between Jenny and Johnny – but it also led to an exciting opportunity to team up with Purplebricks to sell the nation’s most iconic pub.
“The presence of a real Purplebricks sign outside adds a little bit of extra realism to a really relatable story between two of our best-loved characters.”
This is the latest product placement deal for the soap, which already has tie-ups with Co Op and Costa.
Mark Trinder, sales director at ITV, added: “We’ve successfully integrated product placements into our programmes for a number of years, and Coronation Street has been the most prominent example of this, bringing recognisable brands to viewers.
“This new partnership with Purplebricks gives us an opportunity to do something we’ve not done before with the agreement tying into one of our major storylines, working closely with the editorial and production teams.”
Comments (13)
Am I the only one who finds this move cringey and desperate?
A successful business wouldn’t do this.
Really? You don’t think Coca Cola pay to have actors drinking their drink in films? Or Adidas pay footballers to wear their boots?
As much as I dislike pb, this is huge.
This could be a very canny move by PB.
Imagine if they manage to sell without using RM or Z 🙂
Wonder if Johnny paid for accompanied viewings or if he will be doing it himself?
I didn’t realise PB did Commercial Agency.
“I didn’t realise PB did Estate Agency”
There you go – corrected that for you. ;o)
One fantasy world joining another !
always preferred Eastenders
Does Johnny go back inside after he confronts Weatherfield’s LPA when the pub is overpriced and fails to sell?
This is at the LPA’s home 30 miles away….
Eventually I can see the Rovers going into auction – Modern Method Auction of course – and selling to a developer who wants to use Permitted Development to turn it into a HMO….
Haha, love that!
Deliciously they might have to reshoot the product placement bits, the board man put an A board so huge it breaches Town and Country Planning act 1991 (there was a promo shot on here early door, since removed) additionally the Rovers is a Newton and Ridley tied pub so this is product placement for a service I wasn’t aware PB offer; Business transfer.
That aside I think its a great coup for Purplebricks, well done.
You have to feel sorry for Johnny life has dealt him a rough hand. Having done his bird he finds his Missus has had an affair Now makes the fatal error of appointing Bricks to sell a pub in a challenging market.
A specialised area way beyond their skillsets He will be kicking himself he didn’t use Fleurets.
Nevertheless clever marketing like the alignment with Team GB and Scottish rugby They need to do something beyond some clever marketing tricks to arrest the falling inventory
Bricks inventory has now shrunk to 8792, a stone’s throw away from Foxtons 7310. On a par with Connells 180 branches with 8486. Wasted opportunity.All that money sitting doing SFA and not being used to gain new revenue streams.
They have gone from gung ho into reverse with no apparent business drivers on the premises.Time for some changes .
Vic is invisible
You couldnt make it up .They even have the old logo on the board It must have been on before he went to jail .
The famous PB service of “Keep it on the Market Forever” package