Corrie says goodbye to Costa, hello EE

Costa Coffee has closed down, however, Weatherfield isn’t one for empty shops, and a new resident has taken over the outlet…

“The shopfronts in Coronation Street are the pinnacle of Product Placement on British TV and I’m thrilled to have EE’s newest retail store on the cobbles. While we can’t see the full shopfront on-screen just yet, the team are working hard to build it for the ‘opening’ later this year.” – Mark Trinder, Director of Commercial Sales and Partnerships, ITV

ITV and EE have revealed the latest Coronation Street product placement partnership, with plans unveiled for EE’s latest store opening in Weatherfield. EE is set to become the connectivity partner of Weatherfield, which will also see EE employees and shopping bags integrated into episodes of the six-episode a week saga.

The shop facade will initially be hidden behind an EE branded hoarding from 20th September as the new shopfront is fitted out, with the EE storefront unveiled later this year. The Weatherfield store joins over 550 EE stores.

First broadcast in 1960, Coronation Street is the longest-running soap on British TV and the most-watched soap in the country. Product placement (PP) was introduced in the UK in 2011 and ITV led the way with the very first PP on British screens. This has seen, in recent years, with the deal with the coffee chain and supermarket an influx of COOP bags around the sets as well as Costa Coffee paper cups on the sets and in the hands of performers in conjunction with scenes taking place with the shopfronts as the backdrop.

“Our retail stores are recognisable on high streets and in communities across the country, offering personal, local service and the best possible customer experience. In fact, 95 per cent of the population is within a 20-minute drive of an EE store. So, it’s with great pleasure that we announce our latest store opening, this time at the heart of one of the most iconic communities on TV – Coronation Street.” – Pete Jeavons, Marketing Communications Director at EE

EE’s relationship with Corrie in the UK goes back to the network’s launch ad spot, which saw Kevin Bacon name check the Rover’s Return and it’s regular, Ken Barlow in 2011. EE is part of BT’s Consumer business unit which provides products and services to all of BT’s consumer customers in the UK.