Intense, fast, and efficient, the biggest marketing extravaganza - The Indian Premier League (IPL), is back with formidable campaigns. As a highly-anticipated cricket tournament that attracts millions of viewers worldwide, the IPL offers businesses a golden opportunity to showcase their brand and reach a massive audience.

Did you know that IPL beats FIFA when it comes to global search volumes? So, if you're a marketer looking to capitalise on a massive audience, IPL is the event for you!

While big ticket brands spend on sponsorship, some smart marketing campaigns leverage the hype to create noise that engages their audience.

Cool Gai is here to spill the beans on how brands hit it out of the park during the Indian Premier League!

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FRESH GAI LOOKS AT THE LATEST IN ‘INDIA KA TYOHAAR’

Let’s begin the quest to uncover the best IPL marketing examples from the perspective of our marketing expert in everything new.

Watch IPL for free - the Jio Ecosystem

Jio has acquired the digital streaming rights of IPL from 2023 to 2027 and is offering it for free on their Jio Cinema app. With commentary in 12 Indian languages and multiple viewing angles, Jio has widened its audience base and attracted over 500 brand partnerships.

Marketers can learn from Jio's strategy of understanding their target audience's unique needs, investing in their ecosystem, targeting advertising, and offering value for free or at a discounted rate to increase their reach and customer loyalty.

Spinny - go far for your squad

Spinny has launched its first marketing campaign, "Khushiyon Ki Long Drive," featuring Sachin Tendulkar as a strategic investor. The ad emphasises Spinny's full-stack features, including online research, test drives from home, and doorstep car delivery. 

Marketers can learn from Spinny's campaign by collaborating with influencers to boost recognition, using cultural moments for campaigns, and highlighting unique product benefits to stand out from competitors.

Let's move forward to unlock the secrets of successful IPL marketing with Brainy Gai, our trusted third umpire! In the world of marketing, understanding your target audience is key, and Brainy Gai's latest commentary highlights just how crucial it is.

But that's not all - he has also spotted some top-notch campaigns by various brands, and he's here to share his insights with us.

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BRAINY GAI SHOWS US THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR IPL MARKETING

India loves two things more than anything else - cricket and food. So when IPL comes on, so will the food brands.

Zomato delivers on time

Very few brands capitalise on significant events like Zomato, so it was not surprising when it launched a marketing campaign for IPL.

Back in 2019, Zomato launched the Zomato Premier League (ZPL)... which was very well received, to say the least.

The ZPL is an exceptional gamification feature within the app that enables users to showcase their cricket expertise. With ZPL, customers have the opportunity to make predictions on the match winner, and if their prediction proves accurate, they receive a cashback.

Ever since then, Zomato has been successfully executing ZPL and yes, it’s back in 2023 and we can be sure it’s here to stay!

IPL

Small order, big heart

For many, attending an IPL match in person is not possible, so they watch it from home on TV. In 2018, Swiggy took advantage of this by introducing its IPL ad campaign slogan, "No order too small," allowing customers to order even the smallest quantity of food.

The 20-second ad relies solely on the couple's facial expressions, with no dialogue between the characters and the ongoing IPL commentary playing in the background. The advertisement's message is that Swiggy values people over their order value, which is effectively communicated. This ad campaign was successful in increasing Swiggy's new user orders by 23%.

Capitalising on these moments is what improves a brand’s awareness and engages people, it also makes your business boom.

According to a study conducted by Statista, global advertising spending on major sporting events reached around $46.1 billion in 2022. This indicates the significant potential for marketers to capitalise on big events and engage with a large audience. Additionally, big events often generate buzz and media coverage, which can help amplify a brand's message and increase its reach.

Get set to burst into laughter with Quirky Gai, our entertaining companion and a master in all facets of IPL marketing! He has carefully selected the most amusing and captivating campaigns from every IPL season and is all set to divulge his insights with us.. 

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QUIRKY GAI GIVES US A BLAST FROM THE PAST

The father of entertainment

Let's travel back in time to the year 2008, when the IPL was still an unknown commodity and needed a grand introduction to capture the audience's attention. And that's when the TVC commercial 'Manoranjan ka Baap' stepped in, and boy, did it do the job!

This memorable commercial narrated a heartwarming story of a family consisting of a mother and her twin sons named Mano and Ranjan. With all the ingredients of a typical Bollywood movie, the commercial had it all - suspense, drama, and humour. And in the climactic moment, the IPL was rightfully tagged as the 'Manoranjan ka Baap', a tagline that still holds true today.

Making you laugh without using real language

Vodafone has always been known for its funny ads. In the second season of IPL, the brand launched an ad campaign featuring fictional characters named "Zoozoos," which were cute, animated creatures. The ads were a great example of humour marketing and had a wide appeal, making them very popular among viewers.

The campaign was a massive success and ran for 7 seasons! Over 70% of IPL viewers recognised the Zoozoos, and the ads garnered over 2.5 million views on YouTube in a week. The campaign boosted Vodafone India's revenue by 17% in 2009 and won several awards, including the Cannes Gold Lion Award in 2009.

From ducks to sixers: how to create IPL marketing campaigns
that work

The Indian Premier League (IPL) has become a hotbed for brands looking to capitalise on the massive viewership and engagement generated by the tournament. IPL presents unique  ‘moment marketing’ opportunities for brands by leveraging the excitement and emotions of the games to promote their products or services. 

However, creating these moments requires a deep understanding of the audience's sentiments and a keen eye for timely and creative marketing strategies. It involves identifying key moments during the games and using them to create impactful marketing campaigns that resonate with the fans. From memes to social media trends, brands should always be on the lookout for ways to create memorable moments that will be remembered long after the tournament is over.

While moment marketing can be incredibly effective, it is essential to strike the right balance between promoting the brand and respecting the game's integrity. Brands must avoid coming across as opportunistic and focus on enhancing the overall experience of the fans rather than simply promoting their products. The key factor is generating content that offers value to the audience.