Was the IPL marketed well?

The IPL tried to penetrate the mind of the consumer using continuous bombardment of its marketing messages rather than subtly trying to get the message through. As a result, the IPL is everywhere.On the hoarding outside your office window, on your Android device as an app, on the public transport vehicle which you use to commute and even on your computers through YouTube and other portals.

If we were to form a marketing matrix for consumer reactions to cricket in general, we would find that most of the consumers would be true fans. The IPL marketing matrix can be divided into the following subgroups

a) Cricket lovers who watch any and every form of cricket

b) Cricket lovers who watch the IPL because of the lack of other alternatives

c) Non cricket lovers who watch the IPL because of its EQ (entertainment quotient)

A small survey would tell us that the majority of the consumers of the IPL brand would be youngsters (both male and female) followed by middle-aged men and women and the rest would be switchers who are indifferent towards the IPL. Furthermore the majority would be middle aged men followed by young boys.

Thus we can clearly see that the IPL consists of mostly spurious followers who would switch given a better option and, in effect, actually leads to the loss of a certain section of puritan true fans of cricket because of its overkill. The question then arises is: Is the IPL marketed well enough as a promoter of cricket?

The marketing strategy of the IPL is to subconsciously get the consumer to market the event through word-of-mouth strategies because in a culture like India, this form of communication works better than any other. Thus the IPL advertisements on national television were vocal in promoting the IPL as a festival of sorts using a sofa and a television to showcase it as a family event at times while focusing on large crowds at other times to market it as an event of mass appeal. The expectation was to strike a chord in the mind and heart of the consumer that everyone is watching the IPL and, more importantly, everyone should watch the IPL.

The IPL had something to offer for everyone. T20 had exploited the popularity of a fast, compact game previous associated with soccer and American football. The IPL explored the possibilities of the dalliance of T20 with the world of entertainment thus bringing a closure to the needs of the consumers who were bored with drawn or washed out Test matches or soggy soap operas. The result was a heady marketing cocktail to quote Business Standard. The IPL stimulated consumers across the spectrum on the parameters of innovation, excitement, action and entertainment and literally forced them into buying into its equity. It sold nationalism and other secondary alliances at premium prices on a golden platter and the sensitized audiences were quick to lap it up.

Lastly, unlike other sporting events which often follow muted marketing strategies to ensure that the sensibilities of sport lovers are not hurt, the IPL unabashedly marketed itself as an umbrella brand for its sponsors. So when a batsman succumbed to a Karbonn Kamal catch while trying to go for a DLF Maximum, it was considered to be a Citi moment of success. Probably for the first time in the history of the game advertising had crossed the hallowed altars of the commentary box. The IPL was a corporate event with the boardrooms of Fortune 500 companies serving as the pitch and the glitterati and the paparazzi as the spectators.

Yes, the IPL was extremely well marketed but not as a cricketing event. Thus, without a core competency, it might struggle to find its footing in the long run. Secondly, the aggressive marketing strategies of the IPL raise a very pertinent question. Can we term it as a best marketing practice when a popular brand expend large amounts of resources in the pursuit of larger gains and, knowingly or unknowingly, take the game beyond its right direction?

 

[Dhruv Bindhani]

The IPL tried to penetrate the mind of the consumer using continuous bombardment of its marketing messages rather than subtly trying to get the message through. As a result, the IPL is everywhere.On the hoarding outside your office window, on your Android device as an app, on the public transport vehicle which you use to commute and even on your computers through YouTube and other portals.

If we were to form a marketing matrix for consumer reactions to cricket in general, we would find that most of the consumers would be true fans. The IPL marketing matrix can be divided into the following subgroups

a) Cricket lovers who watch any and every form of cricket

b) Cricket lovers who watch the IPL because of the lack of other alternatives

c) Non cricket lovers who watch the IPL because of its EQ (entertainment quotient)

A small survey would tell us that the majority of the consumers of the IPL brand would be youngsters (both male and female) followed by middle-aged men and women and the rest would be switchers who are indifferent towards the IPL. Furthermore the majority would be middle aged men followed by young boys.

Thus we can clearly see that the IPL consists of mostly spurious followers who would switch given a better option and, in effect, actually leads to the loss of a certain section of puritan true fans of cricket because of its overkill. The question then arises is: Is the IPL marketed well enough as a promoter of cricket?

The marketing strategy of the IPL is to subconsciously get the consumer to market the event through word-of-mouth strategies because in a culture like India, this form of communication works better than any other. Thus the IPL advertisements on national television were vocal in promoting the IPL as a festival of sorts using a sofa and a television to showcase it as a family event at times while focusing on large crowds at other times to market it as an event of mass appeal. The expectation was to strike a chord in the mind and heart of the consumer that everyone is watching the IPL and, more importantly, everyone should watch the IPL.

The IPL had something to offer for everyone. T20 had exploited the popularity of a fast, compact game previous associated with soccer and American football. The IPL explored the possibilities of the dalliance of T20 with the world of entertainment thus bringing a closure to the needs of the consumers who were bored with drawn or washed out Test matches or soggy soap operas. The result was a heady marketing cocktail to quote Business Standard. The IPL stimulated consumers across the spectrum on the parameters of innovation, excitement, action and entertainment and literally forced them into buying into its equity. It sold nationalism and other secondary alliances at premium prices on a golden platter and the sensitized audiences were quick to lap it up.

Lastly, unlike other sporting events which often follow muted marketing strategies to ensure that the sensibilities of sport lovers are not hurt, the IPL unabashedly marketed itself as an umbrella brand for its sponsors. So when a batsman succumbed to a Karbonn Kamal catch while trying to go for a DLF Maximum, it was considered to be a Citi moment of success. Probably for the first time in the history of the game advertising had crossed the hallowed altars of the commentary box. The IPL was a corporate event with the boardrooms of Fortune 500 companies serving as the pitch and the glitterati and the paparazzi as the spectators.

Yes, the IPL was extremely well marketed but not as a cricketing event. Thus, without a core competency, it might struggle to find its footing in the long run. Secondly, the aggressive marketing strategies of the IPL raise a very pertinent question. Can we term it as a best marketing practice when a popular brand expend large amounts of resources in the pursuit of larger gains and, knowingly or unknowingly, take the game beyond its right direction?

The article from October 2, 2012, analyzes the marketing strategies of the Indian Premier League (IPL), concluding that while it was "extremely well marketed," it wasn't marketed effectively "as a cricketing event," which could pose long-term challenges.

Here's a breakdown of the article's insights:

• Ubiquitous Marketing Bombardment: The IPL employed a strategy of "continuous bombardment of its marketing messages," making its presence felt everywhere – from hoardings and apps to public transport and online platforms like YouTube.
• IPL Consumer Subgroups: The article categorizes IPL viewers beyond traditional cricket fans:
  
  • Cricket lovers: Those who watch all forms of cricket.
  • IPL-specific cricket lovers: Those who watch IPL due to a lack of other alternatives.
  • Non-cricket lovers: Attracted by the IPL's high "entertainment quotient (EQ)."
• Demographics and "Spurious Followers": A suggested survey would show a majority of IPL consumers are youngsters (male and female), followed by middle-aged men and women. The author argues that many IPL followers are "spurious" (would switch if a better option arose) and that the "overkill" marketing might even alienate "puritan true fans" of cricket. This raises the question of whether IPL promotes cricket effectively.
• Word-of-Mouth Strategy: The IPL's marketing relied on subconscious word-of-mouth promotion, particularly effective in Indian culture. Advertisements on national television promoted the IPL as a "festival of sorts," depicting it as a family event (sofa and television) or an event of "mass appeal" (large crowds). The aim was to create a perception that "everyone is watching the IPL and, more importantly, everyone should watch the IPL."
• "Heady Marketing Cocktail" and Broad Appeal: The IPL successfully exploited the fast-paced nature of T20 cricket, likening it to soccer and American football. It blended T20 with entertainment, catering to consumers bored with traditional cricket matches or "soggy soap operas." The article, quoting Business Standard, describes this as a "heady marketing cocktail" that stimulated consumers on parameters of "innovation, excitement, action and entertainment," effectively forcing them to buy into its "equity." It also "sold nationalism and other secondary alliances at premium prices."
• Unabashed Commercialization: Unlike other sporting events that use muted marketing to preserve sports sensibilities, the IPL "unabashedly marketed itself as an umbrella brand for its sponsors." It integrated advertising directly into the game experience (e.g., "Karbonn Kamal catch," "DLF Maximum," "Citi moment of success"), effectively allowing advertising to "cross the hallowed altars of the commentary box." The IPL is portrayed as a "corporate event" with Fortune 500 boardrooms as the pitch and celebrities as spectators.
• Conclusion on Marketing Effectiveness: The article concludes that the IPL was "extremely well marketed," but critically, "not as a cricketing event." This leads to concerns that without a "core competency" (i.e., pure cricketing appeal), it "might struggle to find its footing in the long run." It also raises an ethical question: whether aggressive marketing, even for popular brands, that expends vast resources and "knowingly or unknowingly, take the game beyond its right direction" can be termed a "best marketing practice."