Video: Sofaworks' Neal the Sloth appears for return of Gogglebox

Few could have predicted that a programme showing everyday people watching television would emerge as a British obsession in 2013.

Channel 4’s Gogglebox was back last week, and thanks to an exclusive sponsorship deal with Sofaworks, the opinionated stars of the show weren’t the only eccentric sofa-dwellers to feature.

Sofaworks, which rebranded from CSL last year, has joined the award-winning series in its new much-coveted Friday night 9pm slot. Its idents star the Neal the Sloth character, who is said to embody the sofa retailer’s “no hassle, no hot air, no rush” ethos.

Neal is on screen during idents at the beginning and end of the programme, and before and after the breaks, giving the retailer plenty of prominence.

Samantha Bagg, strategic planning director of iD Agency, says it’s refreshing to see a sofa retailer moving against a tide of clichés, departing from the salesperson norm and opting for a loveable brand mascot.

“From a media perspective the sponsorship with Channel 4 and Gogglebox is timely and relevant - what better way to appeal to their core target audience than to partner with a show that shares a similar brand ethos, strategically placing the sofa as the centrepiece of the home?” she says. However, she’s not sure the ad does enough to convert viewing into sales.

“The only downfall is that whilst the partnership might be great at appealing to the masses, there is nothing to actually encourage consumers to purchase,” she says. “More could be done to drive brand engagement online.”