April 9th 2009 – In a powerful expression of confidence in the Discovery Channel, Altech Netstar has flouted the economic recession by signing an impressive sponsorship deal for the brand new season of Ultimate Survival.

Altech Netstar, the country’s leader in stolen vehicle tracking and recovery, drew confidence from Ultimate Survival’s status as the world’s leading survival programme, and by doing so is taking advantage of Discovery Channel’s extensive reach into the upscale young male market.

“Sixty percent of Discovery Channel’s audience is male with the majority of it viewers aged between 25-44. They are of a high socio-economic status and therefore a valuable market for a product such Altech Netstar, ” says Amanda Turnbull, Director of Advertising Sales for Eastern and Southern Europe, Middle East and Africa, Discovery Networks EMEA.

She continues..”Discovery Channel is proud to have partnered with such a well- known and pioneering South African brand. Altech Netstar has become a market leader in the stolen vehicle and recovery industry and through our unique programming can achieve a stronger affinity with its core target market.”

Ethy Kieser, Marketing Manager of Altech Netstar says “the sponsorship will allow for a great opportunity to promote our Guardian™ personal tracking device. This newly launched product designed for people and not vehicles allows you to alert our tracking response teams by the press of a button should you be in trouble. You can also track the whereabouts of your loved ones over the internet, send emergency sms messages, and make emergency phone calls to and from the small hand-held unit”. Our billboards and stings are promoting the Guardian™ theme of wherever you are we will find you and bring you back."

“Discovery Channel is known for its ground-breaking, high-quality programming based on extraordinary people and extraordinary stories. It’s about sharing knowledge in a seriously fun way that inspires people to expand their world and live life large. It is therefore the perfect exposure platform for personal technology products like the Guardian” continues Turnbull.

In the current economic climate this sponsorship is an indication of the strength of Discovery Channel brand, as most advertisers tend to revert to tactical price-related promotions during tough economic conditions.

The sponsorship investment includes opening and closing billboards for each show, two ad bumps, a 30” commercial during each show and 12 weeks worth of promos. The campaign runs from from 30 March to 15 June 2009.