Orange UK sponsors the new Christian O'Connell Breakfast Show on Virgin radio

Orange was today confirmed as the exclusive sponsor for the new Christian O'Connell Breakfast Show on Virgin Radio, in a year-long deal, brokered by Initiative.

As both Orange and Initiative's biggest-ever radio sponsorship deal, it is also the largest on-air and online brand marketing deal in the Virgin Radio Breakfast Show's history. This scale is testament to the massive appeal of multi-Sony Award winner Christian O'Connell, who starts his new national show on January 23rd, 2006.

Orange has chosen Christian O'Connell and Virgin Radio to bring its products and services to life to the largest mainstream audience available on UK commercial radio. Virgin Radio reaches more of the 16 to 34 audience than any other commercial station in the UK.

Pippa Dunn, Director of Brand Marketing for Orange said: ""Christian O'Connell is one of the most exciting talents in radio today and we plan to have fun bringing to life our products and services with his help. In a world where we have more things to say than we can possibly communicate using traditional advertising, the Christian O'Connell breakfast show gives us the perfect way to try out new ways of talking to, and getting feedback from, our customers.""

""The sponsorship deal is much more than a simple badging exercise,"" explains Initiative's Head of Radio Jonathan Barrowman. ""It combines the brand properties of strong identity and of innovation, synonymous with both Orange and Virgin Radio, to bring a new on-air and online experience to listeners. Combined with Christian O'Connell's unique and hugely successful radio personality, this is really exciting.""

Orange will feature in regular new editorial ideas on the show, as well as through branded trails, in-show credits and live reads. Bespoke online activity is also a key element in the sponsorship, allowing Orange to extend the partnership to the growing audience that listen to radio online, providing a link between the breakfast show and the Orange web-site with exclusive news, products and services. Virgin Radio has led the industry in online listening, becoming the first station in Europe to stream online in 1996 and is regularly one of the most listened to stations online in the world. Orange will also be included in the station's weekly newsletter delivered to 195,000 opt-in subscribers,

Orange and Virgin Radio are also looking at ways of extending the partnership across other channels to Orange customers. A Christian O'Connell site is due to be created on Orange World - the Orange mobile portal - giving Orange Customers access to exclusive content such as audio clips, competitions and news.

""The breakfast show is any radio station's premiere sponsorship opportunity, and we're delighted to be working with such a blue chip brand as Orange for our biggest ever brand marketing partnership,"" said Nick Hewat, Sales Director at Virgin Radio. ""We can't wait to begin developing a sponsorship that we believe we can constantly refresh through the year""

This is the latest 'radio first' in a series of new radio developments for Orange in 2005. Earlier in the year, Initiative brokered deals that saw Orange as the exclusive partner with digital station Core to make it the first commercial ad free station. Orange also sponsored digital speech station Oneword's film review show, and the brand was first to test DAB Radio data streaming.

About Orange

Orange, wirefree and any other Orange product or service referred to in this release are trademarks of Orange Personal Communications Services Ltd. In the UK, Orange provides high quality GSM coverage to 99% of the UK population, and offers roaming to pay monthly customers on 393 networks in 156 countries and to pay as you go customers on 131 networks in 67 countries. At the end of June 2005, Orange had over 14.5 million active UK customers. Across the world, Orange has 57.9 million customers. In May 2005, Orange gained the top ranking for customer satisfaction among mobile phone contract customers in the annual J.D.Power and Associates 2005 UK Mobile Telephone Customers Satisfaction Study. It is the seventh time Orange has been ranked top by the study. In October 2005, Orange won the Mobile Choice Consumer Awards - voted for by readers of Mobile Choice magazine - for Best Network Operator for the fifth year running. In the same month, Orange also won Best International Mobile Operator at the World Communications Awards. The judges said: ""Orange is so solid, you cannot expect more.""

Information about Orange can be found on the Orange website atwww.orange.co.uk and media information can be found at www.orange.com

For media enquiries, call the Orange Press Office on +44 870 373 1500.

About Initiative

Initiative is a leading world-wide marketing communications and media agency networkproviding specialist services in communications strategy, media planning & buying and consulting. Initiative delivers effective communication solutions for leading local and multi-national marketer, including in the UK: Air Miles, Bernard Matthews, Computer Associates, easyGroup, France Telecom, General Motors, ICI paints, Johnson & Johnson, Patek Philippe, Powergen, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Ricoh, Samsonite, Samsung, and Tesco.

For press enquiries please contact Hannah Chiswick, Marketing Director, on 020 7663 7273 and at hannah.chiswick@uk.initiative.com

About Virgin Radio

Virgin Radio is the UK's only commercial rock music station. It can be heard on 105.8FM in London, on 1215AM nation-wide, on any DAB Digital radio, via Sky Digital and the cable TV networks and via WorldSpace. Virgin Radio is the world's most listened to station on the internet and can be heard at www.virginradio.co.uk. Virgin Radio Classic Rock, Virgin Radio Xtreme and Virgin Radio Groove extend the brand across the internet and on DAB in London. Virgin Radio is wholly owned by SMG plc.

Simon Horne/Cat Macdonald, Virgin Radio Press Office T: 020 7432 3418/3317 E: firstname.lastname@virginradio.co.uk

Pippa Dunn,

Director of Brand Marketing for Orange said:

""Christian O'Connell is one of the most exciting talents in radio today and we plan to have fun bringing to life our products and services with his help. In a world where we have more things to say than we can possibly communicate using traditional advertising, the Christian O'Connell breakfast show gives us the perfect way to try out new ways of talking to, and getting feedback from, our customers.""