MUMBAI: News broadcaster CNN will launch the show My City My Life on 3 May at 6:45 pm and 10:45 pm and on 4 May at 1:45 pm.

Each month the show takes viewers on a unique journey into the heart and soul of one of the world’s greatest cities. Icons from the world of film, music and fashion reveal the hidden treasures within their chosen city.

With celebrities as CNN’s tour guides, each programme will offer viewers an exclusive and personal insight into both their personality and the destination. Viewers will discover the locations that inspire them, where they like to go and what they love to do.

The show gives the personalities creative input on how their city is portrayed as CNN cameras follow them for at least a day.

Opening the series, the programme ventures to the heart of Florence in Italy, exploring the wonderful city through the eyes of Roberto Cavalli, world-renowned fashion designer. Cavalli, grandson of impressionist painter Giuseppe Rossi, grew up surrounded by art and fashion and Florence has always been of great significance to him, being the place he unveiled his first collection in 1972. Cavalli reveals the places in Florence he loves most and shares his inspirations.

In June’s episode, French actor and director Mathieu Kassovitz, guides viewers through ‘his’ Paris, including the place where he was born; the differences between the north and south of the city and some of the locations that inspired his film, ‘La Haine’. The series will air on 7 June at 6.45 pm and 10.45 pm and 8 June at 1.45 pm.

Each intimate portrayal will provide CNN viewers with the opportunity to travel across continents, off the beaten tourist track and under the skin of the world’s most cutting-edge destinations, which include Paris, London, New York, Seattle, Los Angeles and Las Vegas among others.

CNN’s comprehensive website will allow access to all past episodes and special features via www.cnn.com/mycitymylife.

Samsonite will sponsor the show. The sponsorship takes effect from 3 May 2008 and signals the premium travel brand’s first television advertising campaign in four years and is a significant evolution of Samsonite’s traditionally spot-driven association with CNN International.

For Samsonite, its sponsorship of My City_My Life marks the next phase in its long term global communications campaign Life’s a Journey. The campaign is a compelling mix of brand and product advertising and will extend Samsonite’s brand footprint to connect with CNN International’s upscale audiences across Asia, Europe, Middle East, Africa, and Latin America. It will also reach audiences globally via CNN.com.

CNN International senior VP ad sales Rani R. Raad comments, “CNN International delivers the upscale business traveller audience that Samsonite wants to reach with their luxury high end travel products. We are excited Samsonite has chosen to cement its advertising relationship with us on this bespoke, cross-platform initiative and we look forward to delivering a powerful brand solution for them.”

Samsonite president and CEO Marcello Bottoli says, "We launched the ‘Life's a Journey’ campaign in 2005 to add a much richer, more emotional depth to our communication; to showcase the new direction for Samsonite. Being associated with a travel feature like My City My Life is an exciting next step and brings our brand philosophy to life in front of a key audience.”

In addition to branded billboards attached to ‘My City_My Life’ television and web programming, Samsonite will also exclusively sponsor the series’ online destination. The My City_My Life microsite will stream the programme on demand and include 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 own hot tips for the cities visited in the show and cast ‘Quick Votes’ for each of the cities. A branded promotional campaign across TV and web will drive viewer tune-in to the show.

Samsonite joins CNN’s roster of luxury goods clients including Rolex, Audemars Piguet, Omega and Breitling.