BLOG
INDIAN PREMIER LEAGUE: WHERE MARKETING MAGIC MEETS CONSUMERIST FERVOUR
Account Executive Charles Orchard takes an in-depth look at the role marketing and branding has played in the meteoric rise of the Indian Premier League.
THE RISE OF THE IPL
AND ITS MARKETING!
INDIAN PREMIER LEAGUE
The Indian Premier League (IPL) is by far the most lucrative cricket league on the planet, attracting the world’s finest players on big-money contracts that dwarf those of other international domestic leagues. It makes for a scintillating two months of T20 cricket as 10 franchises battle it out in some of the world’s biggest and most impressive stadiums, packed to the brim with passionate – and at times hysteric – spectators and supporters.
Cricket World reported that the valuation of the IPL jumped to a whopping $11bn last year – with that figure likely to increase following the conclusion of this year’s ongoing edition. Considering the tournament was only founded in 2008, it’s a mightily impressive product the BCCI (The Board of Control for Cricket in India) has manufactured and represents an incredible accomplishment from a commercial perspective.
Apart from the quality of cricket on display, the IPL is one of the most fascinating case studies of how to reap the rewards of marketing and advertising, which are undoubtedly the components that elevate the IPL above other domestic cricket leagues in terms of wealth and influence, allowing its teams to continuously attract the best players on the biggest wages.
Below we break down the elements which make the IPL a haven for effective sponsorship, outlandish marketing, and world-class cricket.
Sponsors, sponsors and more sponsors?
For those of you who have tuned into an IPL game, you’ll have immediately noticed the ridiculous extent to which each game is sponsored.
It’s no exaggeration to say that it would take too long to list every single sponsor the commentators mention throughout the four-ish hours a fixture takes to complete, but every little thing a player does has a company brand attached to it. Batsman can’t even hit a boundary without the commentator describing it as a RuPay On-The-Go Four, or fielders take a catch without it being touted as a “contender for the Herbalife Active Catch of the Match Award”.
In Match 7️⃣0️⃣ of #TATAIPL between #RCB & #GT
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) May 21, 2023
Here are the Herbalife Active Catch, Visit Saudi Beyond the Boundaries Longest 6 & Upstox Most Valuable Asset of the match award winners.@Herbalifeindia@VisitSaudi | #VisitSaudi | #ExploreSaudi@upstox | #InvestRight with Upstox pic.twitter.com/11XxjFdR5Q
More of these examples include the Visit Saudi Beyond the Boundaries Longest Six; Upstox Most Valuable Asset; the CRED powerplay; the Dream11 GameChanger of the Match; the CEAT Tyres strategic timeout; the Aramco Orange and Purple Cap (awarded to the highest run scorer and wicket taker in the league at the time); and many, many more.
One by one, the winners of these sponsored prizes pose awkwardly with a company executive while holding an oversized cheque, in a post-game ceremony which incorporates so many different awards that most players seem to be presented with something for almost trivial contributions on the field. Whilst it may seem like over-commercialisation, this is how the IPL makes its money.
In Match 6️⃣9️⃣ of #TATAIPL between #MI & #SRH
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) May 21, 2023
Here are the RuPay On-The-Go 4s, TIAGO.ev Electric Striker & Dream11 GameChanger of the match award winners. #MIvSRH@RuPay_npci | #RuPayCreditonUPI | #BeOnTheGo@Tatamotorsev | #Tiagoev | #Goev@Dream11 | #SabKhelenge pic.twitter.com/t6pWl53dPu
Companies sponsor these awards by paying a fee to the IPL or to the individual teams, and in return, their brand will be prominently featured during the presentation of the award and commentators will be asked to promote the brand, including details of what it does and how it operates.
For example, primary IPL partner TATA decided to push awareness of its newest car model, the Punch Kaziranga, so introduced the PUNCH Super Striker of the Match, given to the player who scored the most runs in the match. The TATA Punch’s branding was conspicuously displayed during the award presentation, and the company also ran a social media campaign around the award to engage fans.
While some fans may find these sponsorships and endorsements to be intrusive or annoying, they are a crucial part of the IPL's marketing strategy, and help generate revenue for the league and its teams.
Sounds simple enough, but why is it so successful?
Why the IPL, and why India?
For those unfamiliar with cricket or the IPL, this may seem quite full-on and contrived. The sheer volume of sponsorship and marketing that is forced down your throats may be a tad excessive for some and take away from the cricket on display, as if the environment being built around the spectacle radiates artificiality or, even, tackiness.
The truth is that the IPL, and India as a consumer market in particular, holds all the components for being a perfect environment for product marketing and advertising in general.
Firstly, cricket is a deeply ingrained part of Indian culture and society, and is followed passionately – some may even say religiously – by a significant proportion of its 1.3 billion population. Immediately, you have one of the biggest human markets on the planet at your disposal.
There is also a highly emphasised culture of consumerism outside the stadium and in the streets. In India, materialism is arguably seen as a means of achieving success, and the pursuit of material success is often celebrated. This emphasis in the past few decades has led to a thriving business environment in India, with companies competing fiercely to establish themselves in the market and to gain a competitive edge.
The league's organisers are constantly looking for new ways to engage fans and attract sponsors, whether through new technologies, unique partnerships, or other marketing initiatives. This forward-thinking approach has helped the IPL stand out from other cricket leagues, and has made it a highly attractive platform for companies looking to associate themselves with a dynamic and cutting-edge brand.
The IPL’s franchise-based model, with each team representing a different city or region of India, allows for more localised sponsorships and partnerships, with companies targeting specific regions and audiences with their branding and marketing. This model can be seen to create a sense of loyalty and attachment among fans, who may then feel a strong connection to their local team and are, hopefully, more likely to engage with sponsors that are associated with their favourite side and players.
For example, credit card company CRED – who we touched on briefly as sponsoring the batting powerplay (first six overs of the innings) – introduced a scheme whereby if you sign up with the company and pay your bills during the powerplay of an IPL fixture, you can win free tickets to an IPL match:
CRED will hope this scheme is seen as a win-win for Indian consumers; the allure of free tickets to watch the cultural equivalent of rockstars in their prime, and the feeling that they are, in some way, part of the spectacle by being a consumer of one of the heavily advertised sponsors.
All these factors culminate in a sporting spectacle and business model never before witnessed on this scale in such quick time, particularly in a less economically developed country like India. The BCCI has unleashed a monster on global cricket that may end up having a detrimental effect on the game at Test level, but there’s no doubt the way the Indian Premier League has been crafted, marketed and funded represents an astonishing and unique achievement from a commercial and marketing perspective that should be championed and respected by similar-thinking entrepreneurial figures.
Sponsors, sponsors and more sponsors?
For those of you who have tuned into an IPL game, you’ll have immediately noticed the ridiculous extent to which each game is sponsored.
It’s no exaggeration to say that it would take too long to list every single sponsor the commentators mention throughout the four-ish hours a fixture takes to complete, but every little thing a player does has a company brand attached to it. Batsman can’t even hit a boundary without the commentator describing it as a RuPay On-The-Go Four, or fielders take a catch without it being touted as a “contender for the Herbalife Active Catch of the Match Award”.
In Match 7️⃣0️⃣ of #TATAIPL between #RCB & #GT
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) May 21, 2023
Here are the Herbalife Active Catch, Visit Saudi Beyond the Boundaries Longest 6 & Upstox Most Valuable Asset of the match award winners.@Herbalifeindia@VisitSaudi | #VisitSaudi | #ExploreSaudi@upstox | #InvestRight with Upstox pic.twitter.com/11XxjFdR5Q
More of these examples include the Visit Saudi Beyond the Boundaries Longest Six; Upstox Most Valuable Asset; the CRED powerplay; the Dream11 GameChanger of the Match; the CEAT Tyres strategic timeout; the Aramco Orange and Purple Cap (awarded to the highest run scorer and wicket taker in the league at the time); and many, many more.
One by one, the winners of these sponsored prizes pose awkwardly with a company executive while holding an oversized cheque, in a post-game ceremony which incorporates so many different awards that most players seem to be presented with something for almost trivial contributions on the field. Whilst it may seem like over-commercialisation, this is how the IPL makes its money.
In Match 6️⃣9️⃣ of #TATAIPL between #MI & #SRH
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) May 21, 2023
Here are the RuPay On-The-Go 4s, TIAGO.ev Electric Striker & Dream11 GameChanger of the match award winners. #MIvSRH@RuPay_npci | #RuPayCreditonUPI | #BeOnTheGo@Tatamotorsev | #Tiagoev | #Goev@Dream11 | #SabKhelenge pic.twitter.com/t6pWl53dPu
Companies sponsor these awards by paying a fee to the IPL or to the individual teams, and in return, their brand will be prominently featured during the presentation of the award and commentators will be asked to promote the brand, including details of what it does and how it operates.
For example, primary IPL partner TATA decided to push awareness of its newest car model, the Punch Kaziranga, so introduced the PUNCH Super Striker of the Match, given to the player who scored the most runs in the match. The TATA Punch’s branding was conspicuously displayed during the award presentation, and the company also ran a social media campaign around the award to engage fans.
While some fans may find these sponsorships and endorsements to be intrusive or annoying, they are a crucial part of the IPL's marketing strategy, and help generate revenue for the league and its teams.
Sounds simple enough, but why is it so successful?
Why the IPL, and why India?
For those unfamiliar with cricket or the IPL, this may seem quite full-on and contrived. The sheer volume of sponsorship and marketing that is forced down your throats may be a tad excessive for some and take away from the cricket on display, as if the environment being built around the spectacle radiates artificiality or, even, tackiness.
The truth is that the IPL, and India as a consumer market in particular, holds all the components for being a perfect environment for product marketing and advertising in general.
Firstly, cricket is a deeply ingrained part of Indian culture and society, and is followed passionately – some may even say religiously – by a significant proportion of its 1.3 billion population. Immediately, you have one of the biggest human markets on the planet at your disposal.
There is also a highly emphasised culture of consumerism outside the stadium and in the streets. In India, materialism is arguably seen as a means of achieving success, and the pursuit of material success is often celebrated. This emphasis in the past few decades has led to a thriving business environment in India, with companies competing fiercely to establish themselves in the market and to gain a competitive edge.
The league's organisers are constantly looking for new ways to engage fans and attract sponsors, whether through new technologies, unique partnerships, or other marketing initiatives. This forward-thinking approach has helped the IPL stand out from other cricket leagues, and has made it a highly attractive platform for companies looking to associate themselves with a dynamic and cutting-edge brand.
The IPL’s franchise-based model, with each team representing a different city or region of India, allows for more localised sponsorships and partnerships, with companies targeting specific regions and audiences with their branding and marketing. This model can be seen to create a sense of loyalty and attachment among fans, who may then feel a strong connection to their local team and are, hopefully, more likely to engage with sponsors that are associated with their favourite side and players.
For example, credit card company CRED – who we touched on briefly as sponsoring the batting powerplay (first six overs of the innings) – introduced a scheme whereby if you sign up with the company and pay your bills during the powerplay of an IPL fixture, you can win free tickets to an IPL match:
CRED will hope this scheme is seen as a win-win for Indian consumers; the allure of free tickets to watch the cultural equivalent of rockstars in their prime, and the feeling that they are, in some way, part of the spectacle by being a consumer of one of the heavily advertised sponsors.
All these factors culminate in a sporting spectacle and business model never before witnessed on this scale in such quick time, particularly in a less economically developed country like India. The BCCI has unleashed a monster on global cricket that may end up having a detrimental effect on the game at Test level, but there’s no doubt the way the Indian Premier League has been crafted, marketed and funded represents an astonishing and unique achievement from a commercial and marketing perspective that should be championed and respected by similar-thinking entrepreneurial figures.