Rogers named the new lead sponsor of TIFF

The telecom giant is stepping in after the festival and Bell ended their 28-year-long relationship.

By Kim Izzo

The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) has named Rogers as the lead sponsor of its 49th Festival and the TIFF People’s Choice Awards.

Rogers boards TIFF as its “Presenting Sponsor.” The pact will launch with a VIP event at the Four Seasons Hotel in Toronto on Sept. 3. The financial details of the sponsorship between the two entities were not disclosed.

The TIFF partnership is the latest move from the telecom behemoth as it expands its footprint across the Canadian media landscape. In June the company announced it had inked a multi-year licensing deal with NBCUniversal and Warner Bros. Discovery.

As part of its new arrangement with TIFF, Rogers customers will be able to access VIP experiences of festival screenings as part of its new national Rogers Beyond the Seat program.

This adds another perk for Rogers customers following a deal between the communications giant and Disney Entertainment to bring the ad-supported version of Disney+ to Rogers TV users at no additional fee.

For TIFF, the announcement ends speculation as to which major brand would step in to fill the void left by Bell, after the communications company and TIFF stated they mutually ended their 28-year partnership last year.

The Royal Bank of Canada and Visa will continue to serve as major sponsors for the TIFF, despite a grassroots campaign last year to end RBC’s partnership with the film festival due to the national bank’s financing history with the oil and gas industry.

Earlier this year, TIFF received an injection of financial support from the federal government to the tune of a $23 million, three-year investment to help with TIFF’s plan to launch a North American content market in 2026.

According to Judy Lung, TIFF’s VP, strategy, communications and stakeholder relations, the market includes specific plans to support the sale of Canadian content.

“Rogers is involved in all aspects of the industry and their partnership amplifies our ability to celebrate a wider range of stories. With Rogers on board, we look forward to an impactful and unforgettable experience for festival attendees as we get closer to celebrating our 50th anniversary,” said TIFF CEO Cameron Bailey in a statement.

“As Canada’s leading communications and entertainment company, we’re proud to partner with TIFF this year to showcase the best film and entertainment from Canada and around the world,” said Terrie Tweddle, Rogers’ chief brand and communications officer. “TIFF is one of the best film festivals in the world and we’re proud to support it and connect more Canadians to the best content and best experiences.”

TIFF runs from Sept. 5 to 15.

This article was originally published on PlaybackOnline, with files from Kelly Townsend.