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Read here why IPL was a digital marketing phenomenon for all the digital marketers. Understand it from digital marketing standpoint.
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New Normal During IPL 2020 • The IPL just concluded recently, and while on one hand the ‘new normal’ ensured there were no fans in the stands . • On the other it also meant people working from home were able to watch games in its entirety from the comfort of their homes, through TV and a popular OTT platform. • IPL marketing was still extensively done, especially on the internet, and it’s time we understood this phenomenon from a digital marketing standpoint.
1 ) Record viewership on OTT platforms • According to BARC, the current season of IPL registered a record number of 7 billion viewing minutes for the first 41 matches, as compared to last year where the same number was 5.5 billion. • The overall viewership was up by 28% from last year. Given these numbers, it’s a no-brainer that digital marketers would’ve got even more eyeballs than before.
2 ) Digital ad spends went up by 20% • As was predicted by the Economic Times before the tournament began, digital ad spends went up this year. • Which is a follow up to the previous point – marketers saw the opportunity and cashed in all their chips at the IPL table.
3 ) Brands stepped up their digital game • From ‘virtual’ fan cheering to tweet questions to online cashbacks – brands ensured the fans didn’t feel this year’s IPL was any different from the previous years. • For instance: members who paid their credit card bills on CRED during CRED Power Play – the most rewarding overs – won assured cashback. • Some of them were even featured on the big LED displays at the closed stadiums.
4 ) High-level influencer marketing • Brands like Stylam (partnering Kings XI Punjab) and Optimum Nutrition (partnering Royal Challengers Bangalore) made smart use of their players to promote their products subtly. • The core messaging still revolved around cricket, but they found ways for their players to promote these brands.
5 ) Engaging with fans in the local language • IPL teams have gone a step further with respect to regional content this year – it has seen an upswing in online content in the respective local languages. • These are just few ways in which IPL is a digital marketing phenomenon. As digital marketers, there are a lot of things we can learn from it. • Every year, the stakes will continue to rise, no matter what the situation. The strength and diversity of the viewership has presented a great opportunity to different brands. • While the country’s best players make a mark on the field, brands have also started intelligently leveraging the power of the IPL to create an impression across the board and among their key audiences.