CNN International has inked a sponsorship deal with luggage manufacturer Samsonite for its new multi-platform feature series, My City_My Life, where celebrities showcase highlights of their favourite cities. Commencing May 3, 2008, the sponsorship deal marks Samsonite’s first TV advertising campaign in four years, and its move forward from a spot-driven association with CNN International. Samsonite’s sponsorship of My City_My Life represents a new phase of its long term global communications campaign Life’s a Journey which includes a mix of brand and product advertising to extend its footprint with CNN International’s upscale audiences across Asia, Europe, Middle East, Africa, and Latin America. It will also reach international audiences via CNN.com. My City_My Life features various cities worldwide with film, music and fashion stars showcasing the lesser known attractions in the respective cities. Featured personalities include fashion designer Roberto Cavalli in Florence, and French actor/director Mathieu Kassovitz in Paris. In addition to branded billboards attached to My City_My Life TV and web programming, Samsonite will also exclusively sponsor the series’ microsite which streams the programme on-demand and offers written profiles and image galleries of the personalities and guides to the cities in the show. A user-generated content component will invite users to submit their tips to the cities featured in the show and cast ‘Quick Votes’ for the cities. A branded promotional campaign will also run across TV and web to drive viewership of the show.