Broadcaster UKTV has invested in funeral-planning service Legacy of Lives via its UKTV Ventures fund.
The initial deal is said to be worth £1 million of airtime, with a mutual option to extend the deal by a further £2m once launched.
Legacy of Lives is a free, online service dedicated to making funeral planning simpler, more affordable and more personal. It provides support to individuals and families during what may be the most stressful times of their lives, helping them make informed decisions.
Founded by entrepreneur Rebecca Peach in 2019 after witnessing first-hand the pain and fragmentation of organising a funeral, it claims to be the UK’s only supportive digital funeral planner and price comparison site.
The airtime-for-equity investment sees Legacy of Lives launch its first TV advertising campaign from April on the broadcaster’s seven linear channels – Dave, W, Gold, Alibi, Drama, Yesterday and Eden.
It will increase brand awareness by introducing the brand to an estimated audience of over 25m viewers a month.
“We are delighted to collaborate with the team at UKTV and are incredibly happy to spread the word about Legacy of Lives, assisting consumers in navigating end-of-life and funeral planning,” said Peach.
“This exciting new partnership will allow us to bring our free and much-needed service into thousands more homes across the entire UK. It marks a significant step towards fulfilling our vision of becoming the go-to destination for funeral planning and support.
“With the costs of dying and funerals spiralling, there is no better time to bring our service to the masses.”
UKTV Ventures has made recent investments into online raffle company Raffolux, plastic-free shampoo bar company KinKind and social media platform WeAre8.
Brendan Kilcawley, director of UKTV Ventures, said: “We’ve been so impressed with Rebecca and the team, as well as the technology and vision they’ve crafted to support consumers freely in planning a funeral.
“We are excited by the launch of Legacy of Lives’ first TV ad campaign, which is set to significantly boost awareness of their brand and valuable service. The powerful values of the brand are certain to strike a chord with UKTV viewers throughout the network, and we’re genuinely excited to see Legacy of Lives become the go-to destination for funeral planning.”