Cricket’s Advertising Blitz: Boundaries Beyond the Game!
The holiday season is almost approaching. The ICC World Cup, which is going on at the moment, making this year’s displays exceptionally dazzling. After this, all eyes are on the advertising industry.
Upcoming events in the world of Sports and Cricket
Marketers are eager to leverage the cricket’s immense popularity, leading to increased competition on digital advertising platforms. Recent developments, including free streaming, innovative ad formats, and precise targeting options, have raised the bar for brand advertising during the tournaments, leaving many curious about the creative campaigns to come.
The Indian sports events market and the Cricket World Cup
Image credit- The Media Ant
The Indian Sports Events Market is anticipated to expand quickly. It is anticipated to have nearly doubled from 2021 to US $1 billion in 2023. Additionally, the market saw a 10% increase in sales in 2023, and a 4.04% CAGR is predicted through 2027. Cricket, a game that Indians love, dominates this sector. The Cricket World Cup is slated to present an unmissable opportunity for advertisers, providing front-and-center exposure to a sizable, engaged, and intensely devoted audience that exhibits a willingness to make purchases.
Cricket and Sports Marketing in India
India’s sports marketing has experienced a spectacular metamorphosis as a result of cricket’s enormous popularity. The most popular sport in the country, cricket, has significantly shaped the sports marketing scene.
The Advent of Digital Media in Sports Marketing
Digital media and streaming services have expanded sports marketing’s reach and engagement opportunities, enticing brands to invest in this lucrative field. Businesses are exploring endorsement deals, sponsorships, and innovative marketing tactics to tap into the passionate sports fanbase. Social media, streaming platforms, and fantasy sports apps offer targeted marketing options, enabling brands to reach specific demographics and boost visibility in the sports arena.
Brands can reach the appropriate audiences, at the right time, and in the right environment using programmatic advertising. Brand recall and brand visibility are two advertising KPIs that marketers can more easily attain than through more conventional media like TV and radio
Image credit- Disney+ Hotstar
Rise of Digital Advertising in Sports
As India’s digitization progresses, Indians are increasingly turning to digital channels for watching the game, such as connected TV, cricket portals, and streaming platforms. As a result, marketers have been able to connect with millions of cricket fans online via various channels, giving them access to new digital advertising opportunities. It is fantastic for advertising, but there is a problem. These digital platforms attract a variety of demographics. They may not be relevant to the target market.
Image credit- Comscore
The Power of Cricket
For Indian TV viewers, cricket is no less than a daily soap opera. It is complete with drama, predictable results, humorous anecdotes, and even some heartbreaking scenes. How can the advertising industry avoid becoming involved when one sports genre has more viewers than the majority of other sports combined? The ad firms see more and more opportunities to be linked with the game as it develops, whether it is putting the brand’s logo on a player’s bat or creating a full-fledged commercial centered on cricket.
Image credit- Statista
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Why Scoring Big on Your Branding During Cricket Matches is a Game Changer
Let’s take a brief look at how advertisers profit from running ads during the busiest time of the cricket season and in between games.
- Brand Awareness: Live streaming contributes to the expansion of the audience and the brand’s personality. Streaming sporting events aids in attracting a sizable audience.
- Interact with the brand: By using live streaming, brands may create a lasting connection with their audience. It encourages an authentic relationship that viewers can reach from their homes or anyplace else.
- Emotional connection: During any cricket match, people’s passion and emotions are at their peak. It has a significant and enduring psychological effect on the audience.
- Massive Viewership: Advertising during a cricket match provides a huge viewership pool, providing firms unrestricted ad mileage.
- ROI without interruptions: Cricket commercials give advertisers a way to support their companies’ ongoing ROI.
- Engagement: Advertising during live cricket matches provides outstanding engagement with related material, including highlights from pre- and post-live shows.
Image credit- The Media Ant
The Money Game
Making campaigns, especially for a competition, and focusing more of their promotion on the game while putting their products on hold is truly a major risk that firms take. Do they succeed, though? Brands truly began investing in cricket during the 1996 World Cup. The International Cricket Council (ICC) received 900 crores (9 billion) in advertising revenue. Additionally, during the 2011 World Cup, it grew to nearly 15 billion. The BCCI started charging 2 crores every match for title sponsorship, which has since increased to 3.8 crores per match due to the massive amount of money coming in from ads. Imagine that the BCCI will charge INR 11.4 Cr for a tri-series (3 matches), only from title sponsors, plus other sponsorships for television, goods, drinks, and more.
IPL- The advertising haven
With millions of supporters, cricket occupies a special place in Indian sports culture. The Indian Premier League (IPL) has transformed cricket and sports marketing in India. The fast-paced and exciting format enthralled the Indian audience. Since then, it has developed into a marketing phenomenon that has drawn significant investment from powerful corporations and advertisers.
According to statistics, the IPL 2022 produced over
- USD 520 million in advertising revenue.
- Over 300 million people watched the games.
In contrast, IPL 2023 received
- 1.47 billion video views on its first weekend.
- 32 million people watched the last match live on Jio Cinema.
- More than 550 million spectators.
- 61% of IPL watchers used smartphones.
Image credit- Storyboard18
Image credit- AdGully
Image credit- MediaBrief
Making advertising more effective with hand-selected audiences and measurable results
There are two different types of brands when it comes to cricket advertising-
- Includes people who think that brands are based on cricket.
- Those who believe the price is too high.
Cricket advertising provides a chance for brand recall as well as a way to assess the immediate effects on enterprises. Technology and cricket have been combined to provide data-driven insights that enable marketers to assess the immediate effects of their advertising initiatives. Advertisers can determine whether cricket has a real impact on a brand’s financial line by examining website traffic, concurrency, and conversions during certain cricket tournaments. Cricket serves as a catalyst for company success as well as a platform for brand building.
Read More: Cracking the CRED Code: A Deep Dive into its Advertising Mastery
Elevating Cricket Advertising: A New Paradigm by Adscholars’ Creative Studio
As the world eagerly anticipates the 2023 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup, brands are gearing up for an unparalleled journey. With a colossal audience of over 650 million viewers at their fingertips, brands have a rare and thrilling chance to establish strong brand awareness on the global stage.
Adscholars’ Creative Studio stands ready to redefine cricket advertising, transforming it into an art form that captivates fans worldwide. As India proudly hosts the World Cup for an unprecedented fourth time, your brand can shine on the world’s grandest sporting spectacle.
With Adscholars Creative Studio, we’re not just breaking boundaries; we are rewriting the rules of cricket advertising. Introducing our game-changing QR code innovation! Our cutting-edge rich media gamification mechanics: a thrilling cricket game that puts YOU in the driver’s seat. Imagine this: You, as the user, are tasked with scoring 22 runs in the last over of a high-stakes match! But this isn’t just a game – it’s an experience that engulfs you in the heart-pounding thrill of the game. We’ve integrated in-ground cheering noises, live commentary, and all the immersive elements to give you the REAL feel of being on the cricket field. You’ll feel the adrenaline rush like never before in our innovative game.
Click the Image to Play the Game
Scan to Play and Win
And the big question: What sets our game apart? It’s the ingenious algorithm that powers our innovation. Each playthrough will be a unique and exhilarating experience. Every shot, every move – carefully tailored to keep you on the edge of your seat. Still not sure? Dive into the action and experience it firsthand!
But hold onto your hats, because there’s more! We’re raising the stakes with an irresistible incentive: an iPhone for the ultimate winner! Your chance to be the cricket champion AND walk away with the latest tech sensation is here!
Creative Studio can help brands create visually appealing formats and compelling narratives, establishing a strong brand presence. Adscholars’ suite of products can assist brands in placing the most appropriate ads that align with user content. By leveraging geotargeting, brands can anticipate improved ROI and reach during the 2023 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup. Are you ready to take center stage in rewriting the rules of cricket advertising with Adscholars? Join the advertising revolution and let your brand shine brighter than ever before with us.
Read more: Disney+ Hotstar Amp Brand Outreach With CTV Targeting
Disney+ Hotstar Amp Brand Outreach With CTV Targeting
For South Asian nations, including India, cricket is a profound enigma. As a result, cricket enthusiasts are in for an adrenaline rush next month as the major tournaments kick off. The ODI World Cup this year will be the ideal venue for companies to partake in both festive ecstasy and cricketing enthusiasm. As the holiday season approaches and these prominent tournaments are taking place, businesses have the perfect opportunity to take advantage. Brands can now leave their imprint by engaging with consumers in creative ways thanks to Connected TV (CTV) targeting.
A CTV Recap
As a part of programmatic advertising, CTV has risen to popularity in recent years. To explain CTV in short, simple terms, it is any device that can be connected to your traditional TV set, like a Smart TV. It offers online viewing and streaming experience via the internet. These ad formats are very cost-effective, easily trackable, and safe for brands. As such, they also offer a broadcast-quality experience. In a report by Exchange4Media, and a survey by Statista, the CTV advertising market is expected to grow by $45 billion by 2025.
CTV expansion is responsible for India’s rising content consumption. As a result, Disney+ Hotstar, the largest OTT platform in the nation, leads the curve. Disney in India has revealed that users can stream the Asia Cup and the Men’s Cricket World Cup on their mobile devices for free. In a statement, the company stated, “The move to lift the paywall for mobile-only viewers is aimed at further democratizing the game of cricket and making it accessible to as many mobile users in India as possible for the duration of the season.”
How will it benefit Advertisers?
CTV offers shared viewing. During peak sports tournaments like the Men’s Cricket World Cup or the FIFA World Cup, spectator emotions are high. This results in heightened emotional responses to the ads they are subjected to at that time. Disney+ Hotstar offers a subscription video-on-demand viewing experience. During live events like these sport world cups, Disney+ Hotstar switches to a hybrid model where, during commercial breaks, they display ad campaigns from brands. Viewers are also shown ads on their screens while live streaming the sports content, however, the ad does not cover the entire screen like traditional TV. They can access the brand’s website without disrupting their streaming experience. Here’s how it will help brands in their outreach strategies with Disney+ Hotstar
Brand Reach
As CTV popularity grows in India, more brands opt for CTV advertising. Disney+ Hotstar has a wide audience base in India. As such, the platform’s track record of offering the highest CTV results, brands are excited to collaborate with them in the upcoming cricket season. By combining their first-party data with the streaming platform, they will receive perceptive insights about their target audiences while controlling ad frequency and reach. This will help them understand how and when their ads are to be displayed so they reach the right cohort.
Audience targeting
Brands will be able to efficiently identify where and how the Disney+ Hotstar audience streams with first-party data. This will help them cater their ads according to not only the audience but the location as well so that they resonate with the population better. Advertisers will also be able to measure the campaign’s efficacy.
User actions
While streaming events like cricket or other sports, audiences are not constantly inundated with commercials. Hence, there is a high chance that viewers will watch the entire ad without skipping it. For the upcoming cricket season, Disney+ Hotstar has introduced video and display billboard ads. This will work in favor of the brands as audiences are more likely to remember the brand resulting in high brand recognition and loyalty. Although viewers might not convert into customers immediately, they will have gained a worthy prospect.
Cost-Friendly
CTV advertising is cost-effective for brands. This is because CTV ad format reaches only a single individual device according to the brand’s targeting campaign. It is unlike traditional TV advertising where viewers are subjected to the same ad around the network. Brands will be able to manage their cost per impression thanks to this ad format. At the same time, advertisers will be able to produce high quality, high performance, and targeted ads. Brands will benefit from this as the audience is more likely to respond positively to better quality ads, increasing loyalty and visibility. Advertisers with niche audiences will also enjoy a better ROI while eliminating any extra costs that might otherwise occur.
Disney+ Hotstar and CTV
Disney+ Hotstar is known for its sophisticated targeting capabilities. Therefore, this cricketing season offers marketers a fantastic chance to succeed with audience involvement. They ran 47 campaigns ICC T20 World Cup in 2022. The results can be used to measure the efficacy of their CTV advertising campaign. The analysis provides insightful information on how sports advertising affects brand visibility. Here are some of the analysis’s major takeaways.
By the numbers
The campaign delivered 25% higher results than the industry benchmark
- Sponsor brands were twice as high as inventory buyers.
- Brands with investments over Rs. 5 crores saw two times more impact on awareness and favorability
- Brands with supplementary campaigns like branded cards, billboards, etc. witnessed 1.5x and 2x higher impact on awareness and favorability respectively.
With Disney+ Hotstar, a number of brands have already found success, and they are grateful for the platform’s assistance in reaching previously untapped audiences.
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