Advertisers can profile products and services and offer give-aways through the channel, which will run alongside the competition area on the portal.
The zone will be promoted in a mailing to about 63,000 users that will also push the site's revamped shopping channel (Revolution, 25 September, p4).
Advertisers not only get a product profile, but also data and opt-in information collected by the portal. To access the offers and freebies, users have to be iVillage UK members. The portal currently has 65,000 registered subscribers.
Other brands featured in the freebies area, which users access by clicking through to the competition section, include ebookers and Masterfoods dog food brand Pedigree.
According to iVillage UK, the competitions area, which was launched four months ago, attracts 3,500 to 7,000 entrants per competition.
Clare Swithenbank, marketing and promotions manager at iVillage UK, said: "The freebies area has worked well in the US; sponsors like it because it's advertising, but more integrated."
Separately, the portal is launching a month-long 'happiness workshop' in its relationships channel, to help users combat the winter blues.
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