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IPL (Consumer Behaviour)

The document discusses the Indian Premier League (IPL) and whether it has been a marketing success or failure. It argues that IPL has been very successful in developing cricket into a marketable product and experience through strategic marketing techniques. IPL packaged cricket attractively to appeal to consumers' desires through entertainment like cheerleaders, celebrities, and fast-paced games. It created an emotional connection for fans through regional teams. While controversies remain, IPL's franchising model, audience involvement strategies, and merchandise have contributed greatly to its success in transforming cricket into "cricketainment."

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Anand Devarmani
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98 views

IPL (Consumer Behaviour)

The document discusses the Indian Premier League (IPL) and whether it has been a marketing success or failure. It argues that IPL has been very successful in developing cricket into a marketable product and experience through strategic marketing techniques. IPL packaged cricket attractively to appeal to consumers' desires through entertainment like cheerleaders, celebrities, and fast-paced games. It created an emotional connection for fans through regional teams. While controversies remain, IPL's franchising model, audience involvement strategies, and merchandise have contributed greatly to its success in transforming cricket into "cricketainment."

Uploaded by

Anand Devarmani
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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IPL, A MARKETING SUCCESS OR FAILURE

Anand Sanjay Devarmani (DM20107)

The Indian Premier League is mostly about two things: Cricket and Advertising.
Last year, 20,000 ads were aired on TV during the IPL alone.

“It wasn’t all about entertainment, it was an experience.”


The first level of argument would have it that IPL carries with it all the things that
accompanies marketing the ads, the celebrities, the cheerleaders (in their now-you-
see-me-now-you-don’t costumes), the assorted brands (teams, stars, cricketers,
sponsors, etc.) and that is the primary cause for its success. There is certainty in
this, but this is not the whole picture. These strategies have helped but more by
way of generating the right atmospherics around the whole event.

What makes IPL all around marketing is the concept itself. It begins not with
cricket but with what the consumer wants of the cricket game. IPL as a product is
nothing but an intensification of all that is pleasurable about it. An idea or an
object becomes a product when its existence turns into all about becoming
desirable for consumption.

In developing something into a marketable product we make it easily available, we


deliver together all the bits that consumers really like and we pack it attractively so
as to seduce the senses. With IPL, cricket is no more a sport, but now it officially
belongs to people who can pay the sponsors, the owners, the viewers and the
spectators.

Strategic marketing is necessary but not sufficient element for success. A


successful product has various other things that play a part. Marketing can only
quicken the success of a good product. A lot of thoughtful research has gone into
the making of IPL.

The franchisee ownership model, composition of teams, tender process, the auction
process, etc. Each of it has been sensibly thought through. And to call IPL a
marketing success would be a little low in thinking.
A sport which was believed as a religion in India was taken to an complete new
level and unbelievable amount of money and marketing was involved. From
strategic timeouts to merchandising everything was sponsored by someone, and the
consumers were in the middle of it. To attract spectators and make them watch
matches Prime_Time slot was used, which is the Summer Vacations. The whole
family watches the match together. It is indeed a pleasurable experience. The
experience was not just cricket, but it was an emotional connect towards their
regional teams.

Designing of IPL to make it an memorable experiences has the following key


strategies:

 Making it an experience: IPL was the great Indian ‘Cricketainment’. The


perfect match of sport, bollywood, business and glamour. It was a complete
platter for the consumers to enjoy. Cheerleaders in the stadium, fast forward
cricket and celebrity brand endorsements were all there and audience loved
all of them. I would say it wasn’t just the sport cricket, but it was something
way beyond it.
_
 Audiece involvement Lots of money involvement forced the players play
better and astonishing cricket was played. Great players from all around the
world played and audience were very well involved in various forms by
conducting contests etc. The overall impression of the event was well
publicised and marketed.
_
 Negative cues and controversies: This is one facet which the IPL hasn’t
really succeeded to eliminate. From match fixing to illegal practices, from
management conflicts to rave parties, IPL has been around it all. _
_
 Merchandising: Team based merchandising was introduced and it was an
instant hit factor. A Bangalore fan would go to the match wearing a red
Adidas RCB Jersey and a Mumbai Fan would wear a blue Mumbai Indians
Jersey. They also had caps, bands, flags, badges, bandanas and list doesn’t
end. This was one of the main aspects of IPL’s success.
_
Consumer Behaviour aspects:

 Cricket as a sport was very boring for those who didn’t like it. Matches were
very lengthy, and it was very boring to watch the same thing for hours or
maybe even days. IPL hacked into introducing only the T-20 model which
made it not very boring for those who didn’t like the sport.

 IPL was very well strategized also for those who followed the sport very
much and were very much involved. These personalities admire the sport
rather than just a particular team or country. So by bringing in the best
players from across the world, IPL made the game interesting for them too.

 Publicity of the event on social media, advertisements, print media, etc.


forced those were not interested in the game, but for social norms they had
to started following the game. This is from where IPL got majority of its
audience.

 Introducing of Bollywood stars into a sport was a big game changer. And
also highlighting of some cricket players like, M S Dhoni, Virat Kohli,
Sachin Tendulkar, etc added to it. People who liked Shahrukh Khan would
watch KKR matches because he owned that team. People who like Deepika
Padukone would watch RCB matches, because she was the brand
ambassador of RCB. Although there nothing to do with Shahrukh or
Deepika and Cricket as a sport. But the irrarational behavior of consumers
forced them to watch IPL. And also, people across the country and not only
from Tamil Nadu support CSK team, because they admire M S Dhoni.
People would buy thousands worth of merchandise just to show their
support to their favorite teams. And although they didn’t like CSK, but for
their love for M S Dhoni, they would support CSK team, which is cognitive
dissonance.

What next for IPL


Although the growth of IPL hasn’t slowed down any year till now, but something
like that can be seen in the upcoming years. Because there are many other sports
also that are budding up like IPL, for example the PRO-Kabaddi League. Adding
to this, many other countries has also started coming up with events like IPL. And
the involvement of too many controversies, Scandals like match fixing etc., which
IPL has not been able to eliminate are a big threat to the event. Therefore
something new has to come up to keep up this event to be consumed as an
entertainment before it turns back to a normal sport.

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