• by David Goetzl  @dgoetzl, July 10, 2008

TNT said it has signed three marketers to back "The Closer" as part of season-long sponsorships. The hit drama returns Monday. Ford, T-Mobile and Pharmavite have inked deals that include multiple platforms, while the latter two will be written into the storyline.

T-Mobile's agreement also involves TNT creating vignettes for the advertiser, including show clips with "relevancy to an overarching theme," which TNT did not cite. (T-Mobile was a sponsor last summer.)

The spots will run as quasi on-air promos for the series throughout the network's schedule. Sponsors increasingly appreciate being part of promos since viewers are less likely to tune them out than traditional ads.

Pharmavite is using the series to promote its Soyjoy line of nutrition bars. The product will find its way into a storyline as something the lead character, played by Kyra Sedgwick, turns to as a healthy option to try and break her addition to sweets.

"The Closer" launch was delayed this summer by the writers' strike; it usually premieres in June.