Britain's biggest grocer said on Friday the "Tesco Finest" range, which consists of over 1,400 products from ready meals to wine, would sponsor Downton Abbey in the first TV sponsorship deal by the range.
In June Tesco posted a drop in quarterly underlying sales in Britain, resuming a trend seen for most of the past three years and raising doubts about its 1 billion pounds ($1.56 billion) turnaround plan despite a host of new initiatives.
The TV sponsorship deal, negotiated by global communications network Initiative on behalf of Tesco and television network ITV (ITV.L), will run throughout Downton Abbey's fourth series which starts in October and involves a sponsorship package across broadcast, mobile and online platforms.
"Downton Abbey is a great brand fit for Tesco Finest," said David Wood, Tesco's UK marketing director.
Financial details of the deal were not disclosed.
The third series of the show, which climaxed with the car crash death of the heir to the Downton estate Matthew Crawley, drew in 12 million viewers and a 40 percent share of Britain's TV audience.
Last month Marks & Spencer (MKS.L) launched a Downton Abbey range of toiletries, sold in traditional post-Edwardian packaging.
