Brand IPL – what a brand it
is, a crowd puller, a perfect mix of game & glamour, celeb cricket league
and what now. From the initial promos to after match parties – everything they
did shined out as a new piece, a page 3 article and even breaking news on some
channels who work only for TRPs.
Brand IPL became a brand for its
perfect start with an absolute mix of content, stars, players and a fabulous
marketing with a star studded launch and promotion. It was through the line, all over the media – above the line, below the
line and online.
IPL was here and with a bang. It
stole the viewership of daily soaps and reality tv. It emerged as the best
reality show.
Suddenly like every brand, IPL
had got the challenges which emerged and made their space. It had its own phase
of controversies and gimmicks before the marketers and consumers realized that
the brand is fading off. But did you ever wonder if there were any lacunae in
the Brand that was created 4 years back. Did the creators missed out on
something!! Or it is normal for any brand.
A recent survey says, Indians
prefer hard-working and ambitious brands and I thought may be this is the
reason why I personally am not watching IPL this year. But then I thought is
this the case with many. Does the brand really have a weak story or no story.
If the Brand IPL has no story – will we call it a fiasco or it has simply lost
the purpose? I thought about the reasons,
Brand Story
IPL never had a
story, if it had its format ruined the story. The characters of the stories are
not only changing but switching too. I had a preference for KKR – for SRK and
Saurav Ganguly. I was thrilled by the fact that two of my favorites are leading
KKR and it shall win. For three years I
followed KKR as a fan and finally the changes took place and Saurav Ganguly was
now the captain for Pune Warriors. Can a viewer or consumer of brand switch loyalties
without difficulty. The reasons weren’t sufficient to do so and if they were –
it is difficult to choose.
I realized the brand doesn’t have a story. I could not relate to it like a brand, it doesn’t
have the attributes. It is more like an annual fest with new editions each
year.
IPL started off
as a premier league, with healthy competition and a display of enormous talent.
The season 1 and 2 emerged with great talent discoveries, audience was enthralled
and so were the owners. Strugglers were
excited as they got a great platform to exhibit their skill and a real time
means for achieving excellence. All they wanted to do – was to perform.This year the
money became even enormous and it was felt that players started taking it as a
seasonal job, a chance to reap the riches. For players, it seemed to be
becoming a chance for making a fast buck. It seems to be losing its meaning. I felt it is the
loss of brand more than anyone else.
Ofcourse, there is
no remarkable loss in business. The endorsers are numerous, stars are there in
the stands, money is flowing, TRPs maintained but certainly the brand is losing
its equity.
7 comments:
Hi Jigyasa, when whole Cricket World is talking about IPL with much fanfare, you have given a completely different perspective towards this revolutionary event in Cricket world. Yes, IPL as a brand was recognised immediately since its launch in 2008 and getting bigger with every edition. Its brand value was estimated to be around $ 3.67 billion in fourth edition. There might be some feeling of the brand fading, but looking after its format which since its advent in 2008 has taken the full grown shape and now it is even broadcasting in non cricket playing countries also which is not only establishing its brand but garnering equity also. Though your attention on lack of story and having no significant attributes of IPL brand seems justified on loosing the sheen it is trying to create.
Well, I must say your ideation in this blog can be harbinger for change in strategies of brand establishment for IPL chief and his team. Regards
Ashish
Jigyasa,
A hard look at what started as a new event in cricketing world as till then we had only seen Test Matches or 1 Dayers or 20 - 20 between two countries. The formation of teams by inducting players of repute as well as young guns by auction was a new idea. But I feel when an overdose of anything is given it turns negative, not only the publicity but amount of money being pumped in which eventually lead to a lot of scandals of mishandling.
Take care
@ Ashish
Agree to the aspect of IPL you mentioned..I too thought about it and felt that certainly it is not living upto the Brand...ofcourse like I said...it is living upto the business!!
@ Uncle J
Totally agree and the recent developments are proving that youngsters misused this format as a quick shot to fame & money!! Very disappointing :(
I could never relate to any of the teams and none of them had an attitude that they could carry. To add to that players unfit to play International one-dayers suddenly find form in IPL! Very Mysterious and possibly mischievous!
I believe a brand has to have some attitude, while IPL as a brand may have had some of it, I saw all teams as one with no differentiation. The brand in my view was like the song 'Money for nothing' by Dire Straits!
@ Manu
Reading your comment I felt...that IPL is diluting the Brand - Cricket!
Certainly, it has no values like that of a Brand.
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