Dive Brief:

• Heineken USA has signed on as the exclusive sponsor for the on-set bar of CBS' "The Late Late Show with James Corden," per a joint news release. The deal includes digital integrations, on-set signage and on-air call-outs as well as product placement through bottle displays and barware.
• The sponsorship began last Thursday with Corden and guest Benicio del Toro spoofing del Toro's most recent TV spot for Heineken, called "The Look."
• The sponsorship aims ot introduce Heineken to new audiences, Pattie Falch, director of sponsorships and events at Heineken USA, said in the release.

Dive Insight:

While Corden has only been on "The Late, Late Show" for a handful of years, he's quickly grown a strong digital presence on YouTube through recurring bits like "Carpool Karaoke," which make his program especially appealing for brands looking to get in front of a young audience not necessarily watching a lot of TV. Beyond raising Heineken's TV profile, the new partnership puts the beer brand in front of "The Late Late Show's" 10 million YouTube subscribers.

Recent research from the firm Zefr specifically cited late night TV clips and digital extensions as a driver of views on platforms like YouTube, and Heineken has a chance to integrate its brand into some of that viral content. The parody video with Del Toro shows that the brand has no qualms about poking fun at itself in a manner that fits into Corden's style of comedy. 

Corden’s audience also falls into Heineken’s target consumer demographic, since 95% of his viewers are over 21, per the release.

Heineken USA has been undergoing a shift in its marketing structure, notably in consolidating all of its digital and social media work to Omnicom's Red Urban shop in April.