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LOVEFiLM Launch World's First Sponsored Film Downloads

LOVEFiLM, Europe's largest online DVD rental and movie download service has today teamed with Volkswagen, to pioneer the world's first advertising sponsored movie downloads.

The model will allow LOVEFiLM members to download film for free from a collection of specially selected films, which would normally cost £2.99, in return for watching a short advertisement from the sponsor at the start of the film.

The first collection of films will be sponsored by Volkswagen, and the company's branding will appear across the LOVEFiLM site. Users will download the films for free using the LOVEFiLM 'download manager', which allows for short Volkswagen advertisements to be streamed direct to the user's desktop, whilst the film is downloading. There will also be TV quality advertisements streamed for the customer to watch, before the movie commences.

Volkswagen has a commitment to supporting independent cinema in the UK, and has chosen a collection of 'indie gems' from Tartan Video to reflect this.

Chris Bird, Head of Marketing Services for LOVEFiLM, comments:
'We're thrilled to have Volkswagen on board for our first sponsored downloads partnership. The model allows brands to deliver campaigns that combine the impact of cinema and TV advertising, but through the accountability of the web."

The sponsorship allows 100,000 copies of the selected films to be downloaded by LOVEFiLM users over a four month period.

Digital services on LOVEFiLM are enabled through sister company Arts Alliance Media.