iVillage.ca launched this week with an eight-week sponsorship from P&G, the result of a new approach to advertiser relations that started while iVillage was still in its Canadian infancy, Diana Flumian, VP sales and marketing, Rogers Digital Media, tells MiC.

“Our sales strategy was to raise the bar in advertiser engagement and input with the development of the website’s integrated opportunities from the ground up,” she says. “P&G showed interest and we were able to customize elements for them that allowed us to develop a significant partnership before iVillage.ca even existed.”

Media for the deal with P&G was handled by Mediacom and includes homepage takeovers, online videos, eblasts, print ads and involvement on iVillage.ca’s Passion Project contest, which invites women to ‘share their passions for the best things in life’ and view videos of Canadian celebrities doing the same.

P&G brands being promoted on iVillage.ca include Pantene Pro-V, CoverGirl NatureLuxe, Pampers and Olay Regenerist.

The deal for Rogers Digital Media to bring iVillage to Canada was announced in February, and includes the iVillage.ca site as well as responsibilities for representing the Canadian ad inventories of the US and UK versions of the site. iVillage.ca will include content from the US and UK iVillage brands, as well as the Rogers Media women’s titles, including Flare, Chatelaine and CityLine.

iVillage.ca will be promoted through the Rogers Media print, broadcast and digital titles in the coming weeks, says Flumian.