Twelve bronzed men and women, scantily clad in a villa, with shouts of ‘I’ve got a text’ being heard between 9 and 10pm. It can only mean one thing: the return of ITV’s Love Island.

We may not be their target audience, but as a branding agency we can fully appreciate the success of Love Island, with 4.1 million viewers tuning in for 2018’s final.

ITV are promising 2019 will be even bigger, with 8 brands being selected to sponsor the show, via everything featured including supplied phones through to their outfits.

Unilever’s VO5 has also signed up, creating bespoke packaging to be sold only in Superdrug. There will also be a mirror in the villa that will take images and video content of the contestants getting ready. These shots will be used across VO5’s social media platforms.

ITV are even capitalising on the experience market, with smaller versions of the Love Island villa in Brighton and Liverpool and watch live screenings of the show.

It’s hard not to appreciate the amount of work that has obviously gone into creating brand partnerships. Claire Heys, director for brand partnerships and content at ITV, said “The nature of the show lends itself to a different commercial lens,” she said. “The villa and domestic environment gives a very natural environment to work with.

Love Island airs every night on ITV2 at 9pm.