McCain renews Big Brother deal as Friday Night Games returns

McCain is back for a second season of Big Brother. Its snack brand P!ckers is again the sponsor of Friday Night Games, a branded segment that Network 10 and media agency PHD brought back on Friday 6 November.

This time the deal is smaller, at two episodes instead of a season-long presence. The second and final instalment airs this Friday.

The format

Friday Night Games was a regular part of the original Big Brother run. The P!ckers version gives it a circus theme. Two teams of housemates compete in three challenges: Clown ’n’ Out, Pop Til You Drop, and Ring Leaders. The winning team goes through to a head-to-head final played in pairs, called Clowning Around.

In the first episode, Heath and Tahlia won The P!ckers Cup.

Why McCain came back

McCain is renewing at a time when the show is pulling a big audience. According to VOZ, OzTAM, and Regional TAM data, the current season has reached more than 4.6 million national Total TV viewers across broadcast, live streaming, and on demand between 26 October and 8 November.

Network 10 says catch-up viewing more than doubles the program’s audience. The Big Brother 24/7 Live Stream channel has racked up more than 87.5 million minutes of live viewing.

Olivia Dickinson, Marketing Director, ANZ, McCain, said the format’s “friendly rivalry” makes it “a playful fit for the brand”, and the company is “excited to be back in the house for a second year”.

PHD pitched the segment on nostalgia. “Friday Night Games was one of those iconic Big Brother moments that had everyone glued to the TV,” said Rachael Conway, Group Business Director, PHD. “Bringing it back with McCain and Paramount was a brilliant opportunity to tap into that nostalgia.”

Tamar Hovagimian, of Network 10, put the renewal down to “the success of last year’s collaboration”.