Brands embrace Eurovision - and the spending power of its 180m viewers

Baileys has signed a three-year deal with Eurovision, and enlisted the 2014 winner, Conchita Wurst, as a brand ambassador. Photograph: Baileys

The wind machines have been tested, dance routines perfected and wardrobe malfunctions eliminated. At this stage, there is not much you can do about the singing or the song choice.

So as one pageant in Britain ends, another begins, with the Eurovision song contest semi-finals kicking off in Liverpool on Tuesday. Whether you consider it a cringeworthy affair or the World Cup of music, it is one of the most-watched shows on the planet, with 180 million people expected to tune in.