Advertising on television for Indian Premier League  saw a 9 percent growth in ad volume per channel compared to IPL 2023 in the first 31 matches.

According to TAM data, in this period, the number of categories and advertisers also saw significant growth. Last year there were a total of 35 plus categories and 45 plus advertise this year in the 31 match period. The number of categories, grew to  touch 55 plus categories, while the number of advertisers stood at 65 plus. 

The top advertise for the season till date are ecom – gaming with 18 percent share of ad volumes, followed by range of food products, pan masala, cellular phones – smartphones and perfumes/deodorant.

Ecom, gaming and pan masala are the only two common categories between this year and last year. 

Moving on to advertisers, the top advertisers in this period are Parle Products, Sporta Technologies (Dream11), Playgames 24*7 (My11circle), Vishnu Packaging (Vimal Elaichi Pan Masala) and K P Pan Foods (Kamla Pasand Silver Coated Elaichi). 

Overall, there were 37 new categories and 94 new brands present in the 31 matches of IPL 2024, compared to the same number of matches in IPL 2023. 


The top five new categories were range of food products, securities/share broking organisations, ecom – financial services, internet service providers, ecom – wallets. 


The top five new brands included Parle Food Products, Groww, Fogg, Airtel, Xstream Fibre and Upstox.

E-commerce and gaming leading the show as top advertisers for IPL 2024

The top advertisers in this period are Parle Products, Sporta Technologies (Dream11), Playgames 24*7 (My11circle), Vishnu Packaging (Vimal Elaichi Pan Masala) and K P Pan Foods (Kamla Pasand Silver Coated Elaichi).

Sandeep Karwa is newly appointed leader for Flipkart Ads

Decentralising city management, funds and oversight - ways to deal with illegal ad hoardings

Three jailed for violating food safety standards in Patanjali Elaichi Soan Papdi case

Disney-Star Signs Deal with Bodhi Tree Multimedia for a New Show

Disney-Star signs deal with Bodhi Tree Multimedia for a new show

Byju's advisory board members Rajnish Kumar and Mohandas Pai to quit

Bombay High Court dismissed plea against Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan in surrogate advertising case

Representational image via Unsplash

Zee-Sony merger saga ends: Timeline of the failed merger

Why are Indian brands advertising in NYC's Times Square?

What Herman Melville’s Moby-Dick teaches us about leadership

Advertising is in the position where tobacco was: IPG's Arun Kumar 

Biz Moves: Interactive Avenues, Verve Media, Foxymoron and Grapes

There is an opportunity for building a better agency, not just a different one: Manja's Prajato Guha

Shareholders to decide on Zee CEO Punit Goenka’s reappointment

CII elects ITC's chairman and MD Sanjiv Puri as the president

IOAA supports BMC to audit and regulate hoardings in Mumbai

Meet the four HUL young leaders who joined the top table - the HUL management committee

Piyush Pandey

Adtech regulation a priority for Modi govt in third term: MoS Rajeev Chandrasekhar

Credibility of news and platforms are as important as monetisation challenges: Anurag Thakur

HUL: Meet the leaders who have emerged from "The CEO Factory"

Punit Goenka addresses Zee employees; ensures no layoffs due to failed merger

Disney's strategic sale to Viacom18 set to boost market share to 40 percent

The Leader's Edge: Storyboard18 in conversation with leaders, decision makers and disruptors

Nobody’s Perfect Retro Porsche Ad

In Conversation With Raja Rajamannar, Mastercard

Shahid Kapoor And Varun Ganjoo Speaks On PokerBaazi's Campaign

In conversation with IHCL’s Puneet Chhatwal & GroupM’s Kate Scott-Dawkins

Why are brands including e-sports in their sports marketing itinerary?

Storyboard18 x The English Nut: How to pronounce these 10 brand names

Experts' Take On Reinvention Of Ad Campaigns Through Technology

Experts Speak On Key Emerging Trends In Cannes Lions Entries

Leaders of the future have to be outstanding human beings: Nestle MD

In conversation with VMLY&R’s Hari Ramanathan

Storyboard18 presents FAST FIVE ⬇

We bring you top five news updates from the world of advertising, marketing and business of brands.

Click here to know more ?

#advertisingnews #advertisingandmarketing #Storyboard18newsletter


Shareholders to decide on Zee CEO Punit Goenka’s reappointment


Zee Entertainment’s MD and CEO Punit Goenka is nearing the end of his term in December 2024. With over 15 years at the helm, he’s the company’s longest serving CEO. However there hasn’t been any discussion with shareholders about his reappointment. At the FY 2024 Q4 earnings call on Friday May 17 Goenka said the decision on whether he continues in this role will ultimately be theirs.


Under his leadership, Zee has navigated various industry challenges and opportunities. Goenka and his father Subhash Chandra who is also the chairman emeritus of the chairman are currently under investigation by SEBI (Securities and Exchange Board of India) on allegations of financial misconduct.


<a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/brand-makers/shareholders-to-decide-on-zee-ceo-punit-goenkas-reappointment-31994.htm">Read More</a>


Three jailed for violating food safety standards in Patanjali Elaichi Soan Papdi case

The Pithoragarh Chief Judicial Magistrate's court sentenced three persons to six months imprisonment for violating food safety standards in the production and distribution of Patanjali Elaichi Soan Papdi. The court also imposed fines ranging from Rs 5,000 to Rs 25,000.

Abhishek Kumar, the assistant general manager of the company, and Leeladhar Pathak, a shopkeeper from Berinag town, were given six-month imprisonment sentence, along with fines. Ajay Joshi, the assistant manager of Kanhaji Distributors Pvt Ltd, an authorised Patanjali distributor based in Ramnagar, Nainital, also received the same jail term.

<a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/brand-marketing/three-jailed-for-violating-food-safety-standards-in-patanjali-elaichi-soan-papdi-case-31977.htm">Read More</a>

CII elects ITC's chairman and MD Sanjiv Puri as the president


ITC's chairman and managing director, Sanjiv Puri has been elected as the president of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII). Puri succeeds the chairman of TVS Supply Chain Solutions, R Dinesh. The CII announced the new elected office bearers for the year 2024-25 during the meeting of the National Council.


Rajiv Memani, who is the chairman of Ernst & Young's India branch, has been elected as the president - designate, and R Mukundan takes up the role of a vice-president of CII. Mukundan is the managing director and CEO of Tata Chemicals Limited and has a career spanning 33 years with the Tata Group.

<a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/brand-makers/cii-elects-itcs-chairman-and-md-sanjiv-puri-as-the-president-32031.htm">Read More</a>


Various civic bodies spur into action to ensure safety of ad hoardings

After the unfortunate Mumbai hoarding collapse incident that claimed 17 lives and left 75 others injured on May 13, BMC has started to inspect not only the illegal ad hoardings but also the authorised hoardings in the city, with ward offices asking the owners/ agencies to carry out a structural audit of the hoardings.

Spurring into action, the civic bodies in various other cities have also taken significant steps to curb the menace of illegal hoardings.

<a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/special-coverage/various-civic-bodies-spur-into-action-to-ensure-safety-of-ad-hoardings-32046.htm">Read More</a>

Meet the four HUL young leaders who joined the top table - the HUL management committee

Anuradha Razdan, executive diirector - HR, Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL) and CHRO, Unilever South Asia, had highlighted the one fundamental quality of Unileverites that distinguished them from the rest, and fueled their growth. She attributed it to the mindset of ‘leaders building leaders’, that bound them together, and helped HUL churn leader after leader. Shiva Krishnamurthy, Harman Dhillon, Arun Neelakantan and Vipul Mathur joined HUL's top table - the management committee, after a recent rejig of leadership. Take a look at who they are.

<a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/brand-makers/meet-the-four-hul-young-leaders-who-joined-the-top-table-the-hul-management-committee-31975.htm">Read More</a>


Stay tuned to Storyboard18's FAST FIVE from the world of advertising, marketing and business of brands.

Shareholders to decide on Zee CEO Punit Goenka’s reappointment | Three jailed for violating food safety standards in Patanjali Elaichi Soan Papdi case

Ahead of the bustling Summer Holiday Season, fuelled by a surge in demand for travel, Bata India unveils their latest 9 to 9 collection. A perfect amalgamation of Europe inspired fashion and timeless comfort that will urge consumers to visit the stores and try out the fresh styles.


Every participant will win assured prizes, lucky winners every week will get an all expense paid trip to Goa and bumper prize winners stand a chance to win an all-expense paid trip to international holiday destinations. 


Speaking on the campaign, Badri Beriwal, chief strategy and business development officer, Bata India, said, “At Bata India, we believe in bringing the best of styles to our consumers, this holiday season, we have packed our latest collection with a unique offering of ‘Try and Fly.’ We are confident that our customers are going to be delighted by the launch of the latest Europe inspired styles at our stores and on Bata.com. With this proposition, we want to give everyone a chance to fly to their dream destination.” 


Speaking on the collaboration, EaseMyTrip Spokesperson, Nishant Pitti, CEO and co-founder EaseMyTrip said, “We are excited to partner with Bata India for the ‘Try and Fly’ campaign. This partnership brings together the joy of trying on stylish footwear and the thrill of winning international trips. Travel is about experiences, and this campaign brings the joy of exploration right to the store. We are thrilled to be a part of this remarkable initiative and look forward to seeing the excitement it brings to travellers nationwide."


The ‘9 to 9’ collection features a range of fashionable and all-occasion footwear. 


The ‘Try & Fly’ campaign is live and will last until June 20th 2024 across Bata stores pan India. Customers can walk in, try on the 9 to 9 collection, and scan the QR code to enter the contest. All participants will win assured prizes from Ease My Trip, and lucky winners will stand a chance to win the bumper prize- an all-expenses-paid international trip that promises to be the journey of a lifetime, highlighted the company.


Read More: <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/brand-marketing/upstox-forays-into-insurance-distribution-launches-new-campaign-video-32054.htm">Upstox forays into insurance distribution; launches new campaign video</a>

Bata rolls out 'Try and Fly' campaign featuring 9 to 9 collection

Upstox, one of India’s wealth management platforms, announced its entry into the insurance distribution business. With this launch, the company aims to revolutionise India's insurance landscape by offering its users a simplified, transparent and customised experience of purchasing insurance in line with their needs. Currently, Upstox is offering Term Life Insurance on its platform and is also planning to roll out health, motor and travel insurance soon.


Currently, the insurance penetration in India stands at 4.2 percent with a considerable portion of the population still being dependent on traditional and agent-driven models to purchase policies. Along with that, there is a lack of awareness, overload of options, heavy paperwork and complex jargon involved in the process of buying insurance. 


Recognising this gap, Upstox has now embarked on a monumental task of streamlining Life, Health, Motor, Travel insurance for its customers. By leveraging advanced technology and industry expertise, Upstox aims to simplify the insurance process - from identifying the top plans in each category to purchasing the insurance and finally making the claim process smooth as depicted in the campaign video as well.


The video starts with a family of three speaking with an insurance agent to sort their coverage post an accident. But instead of clear guidance, the agent hits them with a barrage of confusing jargon and scripted responses (kit kit), leaving them feeling overwhelmed. 


Just as they're about to give up, a support staff member strolls in with a smartphone, showcasing the Upstox app and its user-friendly insurance buying process. The video is a hilarious twist that highlights the simplicity of securing insurance with Upstox amidst the chaos of traditional methods, highlighted the company.


<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/XnVCEPmEZM0?si=pJyhuvvHvC1QGTZB" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 
Kavitha Subramanian, co-founder, Upstox said, "We are thrilled to expand our offerings on Upstox and foray into the insurance distribution segment. We have recognized that navigating the insurance landscape is a daunting task. Customers are inundated with so many questions - which is the right plan, what should be the correct criteria to select a plan, how much insurance cover will be enough. At Upstox, we understand these challenges, and we’re dedicated to helping our customers get answers to all of these without overwhelming them. Our aim is to help customers cut through the noise and help Indians Invest Right. We are constantly working towards making our platform simple, secure, fast, and intuitive. With the launch of insurance on our platform, we will remain steadfast in our endeavour of helping our users manage their wealth effectively for a secure financial future."


In addition, insurance offerings on Upstox are very transparent. With upfront insights on claim settlement ratios for 1 and 3 years, the volume of complaints, amount settlement ratios, solvency ratios (below 1.7 are considered risky), plan features, inclusions/exclusions, and settlement timelines - Upstox aims to educate the user about what they’re purchasing. Upstox is now home to a user base of over 1.3 crore and constantly strives to help users cut through the market noise and Invest Right.


Read More: <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/brand-marketing/policybazaar-rolls-out-new-ad-campaign-on-exceptional-claims-assistance-32019.htm">Policybazaar rolls out new ad campaign on exceptional claims assistance</a>

Upstox forays into insurance distribution; launches new campaign video

Flipkart, India's homegrown e-commerce marketplace, launched its insights platform, Flipkart IRIS. The platform, which stands for Insights and Research Intelligence System (IRIS), signifies a substantial advancement in providing comprehensive intelligence about customer behavior to brands. Flipkart IRIS is designed to empower brands with actionable insights tailored to their performance on the platform, fostering growth and facilitating informed decision-making, the company said. 

"Flipkart IRIS will offer a significant leap forward in functionality and usability for brands on how Indian consumers interact with products and brands. It will serve as a magic mirror for brands, providing detailed reports to guide performance improvement across funnels," Flipkart said. In addition to industry-standard comparative analysis and user behavior insights, Flipkart IRIS offers exclusive reports which will allow brands to understand the high value actions of consumers for their products on the platform. These reports will empower all brands across their growth trajectory to gain a deeper understanding of consumer behavior and market trends, allowing them to make data-driven decisions that can significantly improve conversion rates and sales, it added. 

Given the reach of Flipkart, cutting across tiers of cities and socio economic backgrounds, these insights could help brands improve performance even in offline channels. 

Flipkart aims to provide homegrown D2C and new age brands numerous benefits from Flipkart IRIS. These include uncovering new growth opportunities, mirroring the perception of  brands, optimizing marketing campaigns, enhancing customer engagement, and measuring brand health. It also aims to leverage business intelligence and rich data, so established brands are able to deep dive into the funnel, where there is an opportunity for them to grow their business, measure their performance, stay competitive and craft strategies that meet their objectives.

Sandeep Karwa, Vice President, Flipkart Ads, said, "Flipkart IRIS represents a significant advancement in empowering brands to bolster their businesses and succeed on Flipkart. With Flipkart IRIS, we aim to provide brands with actionable insights about their business performance on Flipkart. By empowering brands to make strategic decisions backed by rich data, the platform is poised to  unlock unprecedented growth opportunities for brands on the platform. Retail media spends are only 15%–20% of digital AdEx in India, compared to 25%–30% in the US and 55%–60% in China. In the first quarter of 2024, digital AdEx in India increased to over 25–30%. Despite the rapid growth, the headroom to grow is tremendous." 

Sandeep Karwa, Vice President, Flipkart Ads, is the newly appointed leader for Flipkart Ads.  Over the past 12 years at Flipkart, he has been instrumental in shaping and scaling various business categories at Flipkart. 

Retail media is the third big wave in digital after search and social across geographies. Advertising-led monetization is growing disproportionately in India. Brands use platforms like Flipkart to get discovered, to engage, and to retain their customers. 

Ecommerce major Flipkart launches Flipkart IRIS, an insights platform for brands

Mahindra & Mahindra, India’s SUV manufacturer, has teamed up with artists Santanu Hazarika and Abhishek Paatni of Nought One to showcase a streetwear collection that draws inspiration from the design and colours of the Mahindra XUV 3XO. The collection was introduced at the XUV 3XO ‘Tech Fashion Tour’, an Exhibit Property, held in Mumbai, showcasing Mahindra's innovative approach to connecting with new-age customers. 


Design elements from the XUV 3XO, like its diamond inserts and logo, have been adapted into the apparel, linking the pieces directly to the SUV’s aesthetic. This collection is targeted to attract young consumers who appreciate both modern fashion and innovative car design, stated the company.


Pratap Bose, chief design and creative officer, Mahindra & Mahindra, said, “Today, we are excited to showcase a collection that brings together our passion for innovation across our authentic SUV range with the dynamic world of fashion. The new XUV 3XO is the latest expression of Mahindra’s HEARTCORE Design philosophy. Designed to stand out from the crowd, the XUV 3XO takes the premium compact SUV to new heights of Design, Technology, and Innovation. This collection not only reflects the bold and distinctive features of the XUV 3XO but also complementsthe lifestyle and values of our younger consumers. Through this collaboration with Santanu and Nought One, whose work is always at the cutting edge of design and fashion, we are reaching out to new audiences and exploring new forms of expression.” 


Hazarika and Paatni said, “We are thrilled to partner with Mahindra on this unique project. This collaboration with the XUV 3XO is a perfect blend of our streetwear aesthetic with the standout design of this modern SUV. It’s an exciting challenge to translate automotive innovation into fashion, and we believe our customers will appreciate the creativity and authenticity behind each piece. This partnership reflects futuristic, functional clothing which blends with the aesthetics of the new age and a progressive future.” 


Read More: <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/brand-marketing/policybazaar-rolls-out-new-ad-campaign-on-exceptional-claims-assistance-32019.htm">Policybazaar rolls out new ad campaign on exceptional claims assistance</a>

Mahindra collaborates with Santanu Hazarika and Nought One to showcase XUV 3XO inspired streetwear collection

United Breweries Limited (UBL), a part of the HEINEKEN Company, has introduced Queenfisher Beer: The Queen of Good Times, from the House of Kingfisher, in Assam and Meghalaya. The company said it is "thrilled to extend this celebration of nurturing sisterhood bonds to new
markets. 

Initially launched on March 11 in Goa, the beer garnered significant interest from the public. The launch event also unveiled the iconic calendar, now known as The Galendar captures real-life stories of women, photographed by Avani Rai. Each page includes a QR code that, when scanned, reveals unique moments of sisterhood through films directed by Kopal Naithani. The microsite, queenfisher.in, allows the public to experience the world of sisterhood as told by women and create their own personalized Galendars to share with others.

The packaging embodies inclusivity, featuring silhouettes of diverse women against a vibrant purple backdrop, with the iconic bird uplifted and crowned in homage to the queens celebrated through this campaign. Rooted in the ethos of Kingfisher, Queenfisher provides a safe space for meaningful and honest conversations, recognizing the harsher judgments women often face in society, the company said. 

Vikram Bahl, CMO, United Breweries Limited, said, “Queenfisher is our way of recognizing the unstoppable force of female friendship. We pop our cans, not just to celebrate women, but to honour the secret superpowers they wield in their everyday connections. Society in Assam and Meghalaya has always been at the forefront of celebrating inclusivity and Queenfisher is proud to be part of this culture. Here’s to the queens among us, who sparkle brighter when they shine together!”

The 500 ml Queenfisher Lager Beer will be readily available at leading outlets across Assam &
Meghalaya

United Breweries introduces Queenfisher Beer in Assam and Meghalaya

The Pithoragarh Chief Judicial Magistrate's court sentenced three persons to six months imprisonment for violating food safety standards in the production and distribution of Patanjali Elaichi Soan Papdi. The court also imposed fines ranging from Rs 5,000 to Rs 25,000. 

Abhishek Kumar, the assistant general manager of the company, and Leeladhar Pathak, a shopkeeper from Berinag town, were given six-month imprisonment sentence, along with fines. Ajay Joshi, the assistant manager of Kanhaji Distributors Pvt Ltd, an authorised Patanjali distributor based in Ramnagar, Nainital, also received the same jail term. 

The convictions were made under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. The case started when samples of Patanjali Elaichi Navratna Soan Papdi were collected from Pathak's shop in September 2019. The samples were sent to the National Laboratory in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, for testing. The lab reports indicated that the samples did not meet the food safety standards and a case was registered in 2021. 

Patanjali Foods, formerly known as Ruchi Soya Industries Limited), filed a clarification with the BSE, on the recent news in media on "Unsafe Patanjali Soan Papdi". The statement said, "Pursuant to Regulation 30 of the SEBI (Listing Obligations and Disclosure Requirements) Regulations, 2015, we may clarify that this matter pertains to the year 2019 when sampling was conducted at the premises of a distributor of Patanjali Ayurved Limited (“PAL”). A case was filed before the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Pithoragarh against the nominee of PAL and its distributor. The recent court conviction pertains solely to the nominees of PAL and its distributor who are going to challenge the conviction order." 

It added, "Kindly note that Food Business came into the fold of Patanjali Foods Limited (“the Company”) in July, 2022 only and hence the Company has no connection with this matter. The Company remains dedicated to transparency and integrity in all its operations." 


Shweta Jain has joined hospitality major The Leela Group as chief marketing and sales officer. Jain was the chief business development officer: Luxury Reserve and Craft – India and South Asia at Diageo. 

Jain who is also a member Board of Directors, Nao Spirits and Beverages Private Ltd, was with Diageo for over six years working across teams. Prior to Diageo, she was the head of marketing at William Grant & Sons. Jain has also worked in companies like ShopsClues, Pernod Ricard India, Ogilvy, McCann Worldgroup, Gillette India, Rediffusion DY&R.

Headquartered in Mumbai, the Leela brand today, is owned by a Brookfield Asset Management-sponsored private real estate fund and operates twelve award-winning properties in major cities and leisure destinations across India. These include the flagship hotel in the capital city of New Delhi, Bengaluru, Chennai, Udaipur, Jaipur, Gurugram, East Delhi, Mumbai, Gandhinagar and Kovalam and Ashtamudi in Kerala. 

The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts was voted the World’s Best Hotel Brand twice in a row by Travel + Leisure, USA, World’s Best Awards Survey, 2020 and 2021. In 2023, the brand was once again featured in the top 3 World’s Best Hotel Brands. The brand has a marketing alliance with US-based Preferred Hotels & Resorts and is a member of the Global Hotel Alliance.


Read More: <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/brand-makers/reckitt-appoints-kanika-kalra-as-regional-marketing-director-health-nutrition-31744.htm">Reckitt appoints Kanika Kalra as Regional Marketing Director – Health & Nutrition</a>

Shweta Jain joins The Leela Group as the chief marketing and sales officer

Online sales of innerwear rose by over 80 percent during FY 2024 as compared to FY 2023, as per data analysed by e-commerce enablement SaaS platform Unicommerce. This shows the growing significance of online channels for innerwear sales. The data is based on the information analysed by Unicommerce relating to the innerwear brands utilising the Unicommerce platform.

The range of products bought online includes lingerie sets, bras, panties, sleepwear, swimwear and loungewear. Other categories that have clicked higher during this period include women's sportswear, activewear and shapewear.

Unicommerce data shows buyers from more than 340 cities utilising online channels for their innerwear purchase. In addition to tier - 1 cities and metropolitans like Delhi, Gurgaon, Mumbai, Bangalore, e-commerce order volumes across tier - 2 and  tier- 3 cities rise exponentially by over 75% and 80% respectively. These include cities like Jaipur, Lucknow, Rohtak, Surat, Patna, Nagpur, and Ranchi among many others. The wider adoption of online channels indicates greater comfort for consumers across smaller towns towards making their innerwear purchases online.

Unicommerce counts leading innerwear brands like VIP Clothing, Lux Industries, Monte Carlo, PepeJeans and Bummer among others as its clients. It powers their online sales through its various solutions including multi-channel order management, warehouse & inventory management and seller-management for marketplaces.

Underscoring the growing importance of online channels, Kanishk Pathare, D2C Head at VIP Clothing Limited added, “We have witnessed a prominent shift in consumer interest from conventional, off-the-shelf buying to an online-first shopping approach. As our technology partner, Unicommerce’s platform provides the operational support to manage orders through these channels efficiently and ensures greater strength of our e-commerce supply chain”.

New-age innerwear brand Bummer is an online-first D2C company which focuses on India’s huge millennial and GenZ audience. “We have been a pure play online platform offering a myriad of options for the digitally savvy youth through our website as well as multiple marketplaces. Online channels continue to witness the growing interest of online shoppers for our products. With Unicommerce’s technology solutions, our post-purchase operations are automated for smoother order processing further enhancing our inventory visibility across channels," said Irfan Mansuri, Head of Operations at Ballr Apparels Pvt. Ltd. (Bummer).

Innerwear is about increasing users' comfort by offering them a wide selection of design, fit, fabric, size, etc, which leads to a large number of SKUs. The category has further expanded due to the increasing popularity of new products like period panties, intimatewear and maternity innerwear. Unicommerce’s technology solutions manage a large number of SKUs to meet varied user demand. Unicommerce provides a sector and size agnostic platform to meet the different industry requirements with its comprehensive offerings for end-to-end management of e-commerce and retail operations.

Commenting on the growing demand for online shopping across the innerwear segment, Kapil Makhija, MD & CEO of Unicommerce said, “Online shopping is adding newer pathways for e-commerce segments like innerwear, leading brands to tap connect more effectively with their target audience. As a technology platform, we are committed to supporting brands, retailers and marketplaces by enhancing the efficiency of their post-purchase operations.”

With a growing Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR) as of the quarter ending September 2023, Unicommerce has achieved a 750 million+ Annual Transaction run-rate, serving over 3500 customers, managing 8000+ warehouses, and processing orders from 1900+ stores through its platform.

Online sales of innerwear grows by over 80 percent in FY24: Unicommerce

Apparel Group, a global fashion and lifestyle conglomerate, has partnered with Myntra to expand the presence of Victoria's Secret in India. 

Through this strategic partnership, Victoria's Secret will bolster their presence on Myntra. 


Victoria’s Secret will cover segments like lingerie, lounge wear, personal care products, bags and wallets. 


Commenting on the partnership with Myntra, Tushar Ved, president of Apparel Group India, added “Partnerships are key to unlocking new opportunities and achieving greater success. By joining forces with Myntra, we can leverage their expertise in e-commerce and digital marketing to enhance our virtual presence in India and offer customers an unparalleled shopping experience.”


Speaking on the partnership, Venu Nair, CXO - strategic partnerships & omnichannel, Myntra, said, "We are thrilled to onboard Victoria's Secret onto our platform. This collaboration not only signifies a strategic step in expanding our brand portfolio but also highlights the synergistic alliance between Myntra and the Apparel Group. By leveraging Myntra's robust e-commerce ecosystem and digital marketing prowess, coupled with Apparel Group's commitment to global fashion, we are poised to redefine the Indian fashion landscape. This association not only strengthens our foothold in the market but also reinforces our dedication to offering our customers an unparalleled shopping experience. Together, we are committed to bringing forth a diverse array of high-quality, innovative fashion choices, ensuring that every individual can express themselves authentically through their style.”


Read More: <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/quantum-brief/amazon-vs-myntra-who-will-win-over-more-gen-z-shoppers-in-india-8247.htm">Amazon vs Myntra: Who will win over more Gen Z shoppers in India?</a>

Apparel Group partners with Myntra to expand Victoria's Secret's presence in India

Advertising on television for Indian Premier League  saw a 9 percent growth in ad volume per channel compared to IPL 2023 in the first 31 matches.

According to TAM data, in this period, the number of categories and advertisers also saw significant growth. Last year there were a total of 35 plus categories and 45 plus advertise this year in the 31 match period. The number of categories, grew to  touch 55 plus categories, while the number of advertisers stood at 65 plus. 

The top advertise for the season till date are ecom – gaming with 18 percent share of ad volumes, followed by range of food products, pan masala, cellular phones – smartphones and perfumes/deodorant.

Ecom, gaming and pan masala are the only two common categories between this year and last year. 

Moving on to advertisers, the top advertisers in this period are Parle Products, Sporta Technologies (Dream11), Playgames 24*7 (My11circle), Vishnu Packaging (Vimal Elaichi Pan Masala) and K P Pan Foods (Kamla Pasand Silver Coated Elaichi). 

Overall, there were 37 new categories and 94 new brands present in the 31 matches of IPL 2024, compared to the same number of matches in IPL 2023. 


The top five new categories were range of food products, securities/share broking organisations, ecom – financial services, internet service providers, ecom – wallets. 


The top five new brands included Parle Food Products, Groww, Fogg, Airtel, Xstream Fibre and Upstox.

PayZapp by HDFC Bank joins the cricket fever with its new ad featuring RCB players. Continuing its proposition of maximum payment choices, Wondrlab India created an ad that highlights the irony of the players being choiceless in the ad but having multiple payment choices on the app.

The film gets popular RCB players to "sell" like never before.

Talking about the campaign, Ravi Santhanam, Group Head, Chief Marketing Officer & Head - Direct to Consumer Business, HDFC Bank, says, "PayZapp's partnership with RCB is a strategic move to leverage the cricket season extravaganza. With cricket being such a popular sport in the country, the league gives PayZapp an ideal opportunity to enhance visibility and mindshare. The partnership helps us strengthen the 'Choice of Payments' brand positioning and build a better recall for PayZapp. We are proud to be the official payments partner of RCB.”

<a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/brand-makers/hdfc-bank-cmo-ravi-santhanam-on-cracking-the-ipl-ad-game-27745.htm">Read more: HDFC Bank CMO Ravi Santhanam on cracking the IPL ad game</a>

Amit Akali, the CCO and co-founder of Wondrlab India, states, “After the success of PayZapp’s launch campaign, our goal was clear: to craft an advertisement that would once again break through the clutter, particularly amidst the fervour of the cricket season. Collaborating with RCB provided the perfect platform to place the players in unconventional scenarios, while they talk about payment choices on the app.”

Gauri Gokarn, Content Director, Wondrlab India, added, “With PayZapp, we’ve always been quirky while talking about choices. And helping unleash the inner salesmen of the players was an absolute joy.”

The film is now live and can be spotted during India’s biggest cricket tournament, and on social media platforms.

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IPL Ads: Wondrlab’s new spot for PayZapp by HDFC Bank gets RCB Players to sell, literally

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) had invited owners of the 10 IPL teams for an informal meeting in Ahmedabad on April 16. However, the meeting is likely cancelled, as per a TOI report, which also states that certain franchise owners denied receiving an invitation from BCCI. 

The owners' meeting was going to take place on the sidelines of the game between Delhi Capitals and Gujarat Titans at the Narendra Modi Stadium. Over a week ago, a BCCI official had told PTI that the IPL owners had been invited for an informal meeting with "no set agenda". Adding that, "Since IPL will be into its second month, it will be a good time for all stake-holders to get together." 

Previously it was said that the discussions were likely to be around the mega auction due later this year, covering player retentions and potential increase in the auction purse which currently stands at Rs 100 crore. BCCI secretary Jay Shah, president Roger Binny and IPL chairman were to attend the meeting.

<a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/how-it-works/bcci-to-increase-retainer-fees-for-players-focusing-on-test-and-domestic-cricket-24988.htm">Read more: BCCI to increase retainer fees for players focusing on test and domestic cricket</a>

<a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/brand-marketing/bcci-secretary-jay-shah-clarifies-complete-ipl-will-happen-in-india-only-26603.htm">Read more: BCCI secretary Jay Shah clarifies, 'complete IPL will happen in India only'</a>

BCCI's April 16 meeting with franchise owners cancelled?

Travel tech platform EaseMyTrip.com has been selected as the Official Travel and Experience Partner with Royals Sports Group-owned franchise Rajasthan Royals for the ongoing 2024 season.

EaseMyTrip will provide Royals assistance in travel bookings, hospitality services and other travel requirements. As part of the tie-up, the Royals will be seen endorsing the value-add being brought to the franchise through EaseMyTrip's travel bookings services. The partnership will come to life in the form of engaging and entertaining pieces of digital content - something that the Royals are renowned for.

Sharing his thoughts on being the Official Travel and Experience Partner, Nishant Pitti, CEO & Co-founder, EaseMyTrip said, ”We are proud to announce our official partnership with Rajasthan Royals. This collaboration not only enhances the Royals' travel experience but also reinforces our commitment a strong supporter of sports across various domains. With our seamless travel solutions, we're dedicated to ensuring the Royals' away matches are stress-free, allowing them to focus on their game. Looking forward to crafting unforgettable travel experiences at the intersection of sport and adventure.”

Commenting on the Official Partnership, Alok Chitre, Chief Business Officer, Rajasthan Royals, stated, "We are pleased to partner with EaseMyTrip, a brand known for its top-class travel solutions and customer satisfaction. Through this association, we are looking forward to creating some unique travel experiences which sit at the intersection of sport and travel."

Rajasthan Royals have started the 2024 season on a positive note, with three wins in three matches, and are today traveling back to Jaipur with EaseMyTrip's assistance to face Royal Challengers Bengaluru in their #PinkPromise match on 6th April at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium.

EaseMyTrip partners with Rajasthan Royals as Official Travel and Experience Partner

Earlier this week, Cleartrip CEO Ayyappan Rajagopal announced a new captain on board on social media, keeping the identity under wraps. This strategic teaser campaign sparked curiosity and got people talking, perfectly aligning with Cleartrip's plan to generate buzz. The brand is onboarding Mahendra Singh Dhoni as their long-term brand ambassador to attract new customers and win back past users.

"We needed a celebrity who embodies trust and can say, 'This is the brand I use and endorse’ and there's no better person than MSD to do that for us,” said Rajagopal. 

In his conversation with Storyboard18, Rajagopal also discussed plans for the long-term Dhoni partnership, new product launches, upcoming campaigns, travel trends, and the growing "You Only Live Once" travel mentality across generations.



Edited excerpts


We saw your campaign teaser where you talk about onboarding a new captain and its none other than Mahendra Singh Dhoni. Why him? Tell us a little about this campaign that you are launching?




Firstly, this is a very critical campaign for us because it's the first one since onboarding hotels. We were wondering who would be the ideal celebrity to endorse our brand. ClearTrip is an OG (original) brand in the travel space and when it comes to anything related to established brands, you need someone who cuts across geographies and is a true legend. Mahendra Singh Dhoni (MSD), as we all know, is a legend and one of the very few personalities who connects with people regardless of whether they follow cricket. He cuts across demographics, ages, and geographies – every single target audience out there would say they can connect with Dhoni. Additionally, the online travel agency (OTA) space is all about trust. We needed a celebrity who embodies trust and can say, 'This is the brand I use and endorse’. There’s no better person than MSD to do that for us.




The timing of the campaign and getting MSD on board is interesting because its also the IPL season? Is this a coincidence or did you plan it this way to make the most of the craze around MSD?



It's a very interesting story for us internally. We always wanted to do this campaign but were divided on the timing. We debated whether to go for the summer season sale (typically April-May when bookings surge due to school vacations). After internal discussions, the entire campaign, from concept to execution, was completed in just one week. It was an all-in-house effort, with some help from external directors. Everything, from script to implementation, was done internally. Coming to whether it is a coincidence or a planned one on timing, yes its planned because of MSD and IPL. There is a lot of buzz about MSD right now whether its going to be his last IPL season or not, so there is going to be crazy noise in and around IPL across social media and it's very evident from the huge response we’ve gotten from the teaser.




What is the nature of your association with MSD? Is this a one time endorsement or there is a longer partnership in the picture? Also, what is the media plan around the campaign?

This is a long term association. Anything with MSD has to be long. As a brand we are here to stay and we are here with MSD with a longstanding partnership. We have a strategy in place around how we’d work with him. There are multiple campaigns planned with MSD for Cleartrip. With respect to mediums, considering we are a digital player, the over indexation will happen a lot more over digital medium starting with Insta, X, Meta and all the other platforms on digital medium. Of course there will be some amount of ATL as well but predominantly this will be a digital led campaign and considering the huge monthly active user base that social media has been garnering. This year we are hearing IPL is hitting it off the charts with respect to digital viewerships. We believe digital is the right platform and will give us enough new customers. 





Every new campaign comes with KPIs and expectations on ROI. What do you want this campaign to do for the brand?

What we have realised is that the stickiness of customers on Cleartrip is always very high. The moment customers come and book a ticket with us along with one of the flexibility constructs that we have, people know that we are here to back them through their entire booking journey. So if anything goes wrong with the booking we are here to support them and ensure they get the complete refund when they book with products like Cleartrip Flex Choice Max. So these are the products that have helped us to retain customers and hence this campaign has been designed to bring in a lot more new users which is a lot more top of the funnel for us. So people who would have never used Cleartrip in the past or have used it a long time back and not come back for whatever reason, we want them to come back to our platform. So this is about reactivation and the second metric being onboarding new users. 






What else will we be seeing from Cleartrip through the year? Walk us through our marketing strategies for 2024-2025.



In the last few quarters we have been launching several new product initiatives on both air ticket booking and also hotels booking. Our hotels catalogue is completely revamped and our ratings have become one of the best in the industry. It is completely Gen AI generated, it is not a typical manual rating and reviews system. That makes it a lot easier for consumers to understand which hotels are good for them. Even with buses the flexibility contracts we have launched is one of a kind. So all of these put together, the three critical lines of business are air, hotels and buses and there is a lot of work that has gone into these aspects. Secondly, we’ve always worked on affordability where we bring in the low cost EMI construct. These are the product led initiatives we are focussed on. 
When it comes to marketing we have always stood out with our campaigns. Our campaigns have been a lot more clutter breaking. We see ourselves as a challenger brand, and to effectively cut through the crowded marketplace, our messaging needs to be impactful. 



Every three months we will come up with something new that the market has not seen, it could be digital led campaigns, it could be social campaigns, it could be word of mouth campaigns but it will be one of a kind. That's what we’ve been focussed on and the next twelve months will not be very different from that. 




Moving on to overall market performance, can we say travel has touched pre-pandemic levels?

Travel has been one of the few categories that has been able to grow year on year in the last two years. Post covid everyone was talking about revenge travel. That definitely came up, no debate on that. We were all internally wondering whether it would be just an initial spike. However it wasn’t. The numbers have been stacking very very well. Last winter was very good. The current summer season bookings look very good and this is in spite of average prices shooting up like never before.


So the prices have gone up, the demand has gone up, the supply hasn’t gone up exactly in the same pace. So if you look at the number of aircrafts that are available both for domestic and international use, it is not the same as what it used to be pre pandemic. In Spite of that the number of flying passengers have hit the pre-pandemic numbers. It just shows that the aircrafts are running full and the prices are high but people are still travelling.



Initially it was just the GenZ who were going by the YOLO (you only live once) rule, currently we are seeing not just the GenZ but millennial and everybody out there saying YOLO, lets all travel. So overall the industry is looking very good. If supply comes up in the next few months, the numbers will look even better than what it is today. 



The government, especially our Prime Minister, has been very bullish about domestic travel. What are your observations on domestic travel?

We are very clearly seeing good upside on domestic traffic as well. And two trends are very clearly coming out. The first one being spiritual travel, which is to Ayodhya, to Puri and all these treasures across the country. The searches on Google and on the platform have all gone up. Again it's not just the senior citizens but across age groups and this trend is not going to die down anytime soon. 


The second part is about unexplored places and Instagrammable places

The number of social media creators who make content on travel is crazy. They don’t want to talk about your Agras and Jaipurs, they want to talk about hidden treasures and that has been going up tremendously. Creators are busy saying things like “Hey you know I found this hidden treasure, 80 kms from Mumbai”. 

That is what people want to talk about. Influencers finding unexplored territories is a big trend people are following. Coming back to the domestic travel bit, people have realised that there are a lot of places in the country unexplored and not just the top two or three locations that have always been in focus.

Cleartrip strategically announces Dhoni as brand ambassador during IPL season

Finding forgotten money in pockets rarely happens in an age of digital payments. Digital payments have made life more convenient, but less surprising. To resurrect this small win for a whole new generation, Talented Agency turned to Britannia Good Day - India’s favourite cookie brand, that’s all about celebrating the small wins, and asked them to put their money where their mouth is… or where their consumers’ pockets are.

Thus was born the ‘The Bank of Small Wins’ - a guerilla activation that’s entering pockets. Britannia Good Day printed their own currency (worth Rs 15 lakhs), in denominations ranging from Rs10 to Rs2000, each adorned with designs inspired by the memorable packs of Britannia Good Day and stuffed into lakhs of pockets across India.

Starting with 1 lakh random pockets across Myntra’s collection: in random jeans, trousers, pyjamas, you name it. It’s Cash on Delivery. Literally. And right after, in thousands of pockets across the clothes that arrive at India’s biggest laundry chain, U Clean & one of India’s biggest thrift stores - Bombay Closet Cleanse. 

New Pockets with Myntra. Freshly ironed pockets with U-Clean. And pre-loved pockets with Bombay Closet Cleanse. The Bank of Small Wins has been remonetising every kind of pocket out there.

<a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/brand-makers/storyboard18-visionaries-britannias-varun-berry-shares-leadership-lessons-24840.htm">Read more: Storyboard18 Visionaries: Britannia's Varun Berry shares leadership lessons</a>


And while the ‘bank’ might not be real, the value of the currency is. Every note from The Bank of Small Wins is
redeemable for actual currency (through a UPI cashback). In a tease, Britannia Good Day has also hinted at the possibility of a massive Rs50,000 note hidden in one of these pockets, somewhere!


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Each note contains bonus small wins, cleverly crafted to offer a touch of whimsy and practicality to any social situation - whether it's turning a meeting into an email or sidestepping the dreaded 'Shaadi' conversation with parents, these bonus wins add an extra layer of charm to every discovery.

<a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/quantum-brief/britannia-launches-croissant-pronunciation-expert-internship-program-offering-rs-3-lakh-stipend-for-one-day-25613.htm">Read more: Britannia launches 'Croissant Pronunciation Expert' internship program offering Rs. 3 lakh stipend for one day</a>

Some of these notes will also have random scribbles on them that make the receiver even luckier - right from secret autographs of an Indian sportstar, to a secret phone number that will award the user with 3 months of free Britannia Good Day packs!

“Cookie Dough is meeting Real Dough! To take Britannia Good Day from the Indian kitchen to the Indian wardrobe was unexpected. We hope buying pants or giving them for laundry will never feel the same again. The Bank of Small Wins is a guerilla activation, a media innovation and a cross-brand collaboration… all rolled into one, and one of the freshest interpretations of Britannia Good Day’s brand platform of Everyday Small Wins,” Amit Doshi, Chief Marketing Officer, Britannia.

<a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/brand-marketing/britannia-to-use-digital-social-product-packs-to-promote-herstore-marketplace-says-cmo-amit-doshi-26002.htm">Read more: Britannia to use digital, social, product packs to promote HerStore marketplace, says CMO Amit Doshi</a> 

“Is Britannia Good Day now a fashion brand? A Cashanova? Probably! To get fashion and cookies together to save the world’s greatest small win, is no small feat. Digital payments killed that small win, and Britannia Good Day is now resurrecting it. Through the world’s smallest media touchpoint… pockets! To think that there could be a Britannia Good Day ad hiding in your pocket was both hilarious and thrilling. Both Aww and Awe. This insight and idea is relatable to every human being on Earth - and we’ve been joking about how Britannia Good Day should go global just so every currency - Euro, Yen, Dollar - gets a taste of The Bank of Small Wins. It’s the prettiest looking currency out there!” said Sanket Audhi and Aatif Shaikh, Creatives at Talented.

"Partnering with Britannia we gave Cash on Delivery a whole new spin multiplying the delight and excitement of receiving your order. We’re hoping this makes shopping on Myntra even more exciting now. And on a lighter note, gives us more reasons for women's clothes to have pockets.” Vijay Sharma, Senior Director, Brand Marketing, Myntra.

<a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/advertising/britannia-talented-partner-with-six-athletes-to-encourage-hunger-for-sports-beyond-cricket-26547.htm">Read more: Britannia & Talented partner with six athletes to encourage hunger for sports beyond cricket</a>

Talented, Britannia Good Day and Myntra collaborate to create a 'Bank of Small Wins', putting 'money' in 1 lakh random pockets

Everything is .ai these days and Pepsi nails it with a new digital film that's topical with some of that quintessential Pepsi irreverence. Watch the film that's got even some founders reacting.
 
Piyush Shah, co-founder, InMobi group, reshared the ad and said, "Absolutely loved the new Pepsi AI campaign. AI FOMO? Founder asking you to launch something.ai ? Have some Thand.ai, or Mith.ai or just give people lots of Badha.ai :-) Happy Holi to everyone in the world of startup Tech & AI!" 

The film also features Pepsi's iconic tagline Yeh Dil Maange More which was brought back this year along with a total redesign of its logo and product packs launched globally.  

WATCH the Holi AI film here. 

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Credits Written and Directed by: Sidhant Mago; Agency: Daftar Creative Consultancy; Producer: Siddhant Malhotra; Production house: Baqsa; Editor: Ranjey Jha

Yeh Dil Maange More - Returns 

Pepsi is celebrating its 125th birthday in India, this year. In March 2024 Pepsi unveiled a new global branding in India that fuses the essence of its rich heritage with a contemporary vision. Simultaneously, Pepsi also launched its all-new campaign – Yeh Dil Maange More, featuring brand ambassador Ranveer Singh.

‘Yeh Dil Maange More’ is a timeless sentiment that is more relevant today than ever before with this generation challenging conventions; agitating the status quo by breaking age-old societal norms and redefining what success and happiness means to them, the company stated. 

Speaking on ‘Yeh Dil Maange More’, Shailja Joshi, Category Lead, Pepsi Cola, PepsiCo India, said, “Yeh Dil Maange More is more than a campaign; it's a cultural phenomenon etched in the hearts of Pepsi lovers. As we embark on this journey, Pepsi invites everyone to savor the taste of this timeless sentiment and embrace the exciting evolution that lies ahead. Ranveer Singh is the perfect ambassador to lead the charge, this iconic campaign celebrating our enduring connection with India and paying homage to the timeless pursuit of 'more'." 

Joshi added, "Through 'Yeh Dil Maange More', we aim to honor the youth of India who relentlessly strive for greater aspirations, encouraging them to heed their heart's desires and aspirations, despite the limiting voices in their heads. It’s not just about celebrating our past but creating a vibrant future for the brand. Our new global branding is a symbolic fusion of our rich legacy and a dynamic future, resonating with consumers across the globe. We are excited to share this with our consumers across generations.”

AI FOMO? Pepsi takes a dig at .ai everything trend in its latest Holi ad

Mumbai Indians continue to remain one of the most sought-after IPL franchises, achieving their most successful commercial year in the league's 17-year history. The team has added 12 new brands to their sponsorship roster, bringing the total to 26 brands, including 11 international and 15 domestic brands. This expansion reflects 20 percent increase in sponsorship value.

The new partners in 2024 include Skechers, Castrol, Goldi Solar, Cadbury Dairy Milk, Sanghvi S3 Group, Kingfisher, Kaspersky, Pokémon, NIC Ice Creams, Bugles, GK TMT and BGMI Krafton. This is in addition to the 14 existing partnerships that are being carried forward from the previous year.


“As MI continues to grow into a global brand, our partnership portfolio continues to diversify every year. Our ability to innovate and bring unique engagement opportunities to brands allows for the maximization of set objectives. The mixed-bag of portfolio allows us to enhance fan experiences while also enabling brands to make a long-lasting impression in the minds of our fans and audiences across the world. We are thrilled to be working with a lot of new age and young brands that will help us as well as the brands strike a chord with our young audiences,” said a Mumbai Indians spokesperson.


The 2024 roster of brands include go slice (Front of Jersey), DHL (Back of Jersey), IDFC First Bank (Right Chest), Jio (Lead Arm), Astral Pipes (Upper Non-Lead Arm), Skechers (Lower Non-Lead Arm), BP Castrol (Lead Leg) and Goldi Solar (Non-lead Leg) ,Usha (Lead Cap) and Garnier (Back of cap).


Official partners for the team are Jio Cinema, Dream11, Kingfisher, Cadbury Dairy Milk, Bisleri, Kaspersky, NIC Ice Creams, Sanghvi S3 Group, Pokémon, BGMI, BKT, Reliance Digital, GK TMT, Big Ant Studios and Bugles.
 

Mumbai Indians' sponsorship value soars by 20 percent in 2024 IPL season

JioCinema, the official digital streaming partner of TATA IPL (Indian Premier League)2024, has secured 18 sponsors and over 250 advertisers for the upcoming season, setting a new record in IPL.


 
JioCinema’s list of digital streaming sponsors for the 2024 TATA IPL season includes Dream11 as a co-presenting sponsor, while Tata Motors, PayZapp by HDFC Bank, SBI, Cred, AMFI, Upstox, Charged by Thums Up, Britannia, Pepsi, Parle products, Google Pixel, Haier, Jindal Steel, Vodafone, Dalmia Cements, Kamla Pasand and Rapido have joined hands as associate sponsors. 



JioCinema is also in advanced discussions with multiple other brands and more are expected to join before the first match of TATA IPL beginning on March 22.


 
With the online fantasy gaming category including the likes of Dream11, MyTeam11, and My11Circle is leading the charge again brands from the FMCG sector like Britannia, Parle products, Mars chocolates, Tata Consumer Products, and Havmor Ice Cream have also come on board as advertisers. 

 
Other advertisers in the JioCinema roster are Maruti, Apollo Tyres, Ashok Leyland, and JK tyres, PayZapp by HDFC Bank, SBI, Cred, AMFI, ICICI Mutual Fund, and LIC.
 

The year is also seeing a resurgence of the premium mobile handset category with brands like Google Pixel, Apple, Motorola, and Vivo, all poised to dialling up their marketing efforts. In the beverage category, the platform has witnessed increased spends this year with Coca-Cola taking the energy drinks category and PepsiCo locking out the cola category.
 

 
“While last year showed us digital came of age, this season of the TATA IPL is telling us a story that digital is going to be everyone’s primary choice, be it for viewing or advertising. It is beyond doubt that India now prefers watching the TATA IPL on their mobile devices and Connected TV’s and advertisers have skewed their spends towards where the consumers are,” said a Viacom18 Spokesperson. 



“The aggressive innovation that we are bringing to the TATA IPL viewing experience, coupled with the efforts we have invested in removing barriers to advertising on digital and democratising it, promises digital ad spending to only head on an upwards trajectory from here every season,” they added.


 
Mayank Shah, Vice President – Parle Products said, “TATA IPL on JioCinema is a fabulous opportunity for brands like ours to drive unprecedented awareness in India. With a significant shift that's happening towards digital consumption, and Cricket consistently staying the most engaging content in the country, this partnership will help us take our brands to consumers when they're most receptive to our message. Our strategy is to delight viewers with our creatives and embed the habit of celebrating their favourite sport with our offerings.”

 
“HDFC Bank is planning to launch an integrated campaign for its digital payments app, PayZapp in the upcoming IPL season. Cricket is a religion in India with extremely high levels of engagement with customers and JioCinema has played a key role in enhancing the reach of TATA IPL through its platform,” said Ravi Santhanam, Group Head, CMO, Head-Direct to Consumer Business – HDFC Bank.


“JioCinema offers its viewers multiple choices in the way they want to watch the IPL, be it camera angles, languages, or more and hence we feel it is an ideal match to deliver our brand promise. It does offer huge reach across handheld, web and Connected TV which along with our presence on traditional channels will ensure that we reach the consumers across multiple touchpoints in their TATA IPL followership. Together with JioCinema, we intend to deliver an innovative campaign that not only resonates with fans but also establishes PayZapp by HDFC Bank as the best payments offering in the market,” he added.


 
Sameer Nagpal, COO, Dalmia Cement (Bharat) Ltd. added, “We are thrilled to partner with JioCinema as an associate sponsor for the TATA IPL 2024. The TATA IPL is a national phenomenon, uniting millions through their love for the game. This massive platform provides us with a unique opportunity to educate crores of aspiring home owners in India, about the importance of RCF (i.e. roof, column, & foundation) in ensuring that their dream house lasts for generations to come.”


 
Sharing thoughts about their partnership with JioCinema, N S Satish, President – Haier Appliances India said, “We are delighted to return as an associate Sponsor with JioCinema for the TATA IPL in 2024.  The tournament’s unmatched viewership and energetic atmosphere provide an ideal platform to connect with cricket fans across India. We are excited to come back for the second year of our partnership, to tap the power of TATA IPL on Connected TV, a rapidly growing viewing platform. This targeted approach allows us to create a truly engaging brand experience for the fans and further strengthens our commitment to innovation in the Indian market.”


 
“As the excitement of TATA IPL electrifies the nation, Britannia is proud to be a part of this exhilarating journey. Our partnership celebrates the shared passion for excellence and enjoyment of all sports lovers,” said Amit Doshi, Chief Marketing Officer, Britannia. “Through this collaboration, we are excited to showcase our latest campaigns, like ‘Hungry For Gold’, reaching audiences far and wide on JioCinema.”


 
TATA IPL 2024 will commence on JioCinema with the southern derby as MS Dhoni’s Chennai Super Kings face off with Royal Challengers Bengaluru on March 22, 2024. Viewers will be able to catch the latest season for free in 4K across 12 languages introducing Haryanvi for the first time, multi-cam options including the much-hyped Hero Cam, and many more fan-engagement features including Jeeto Dhan Dhana Dhan.
 


JioCinema breaks records: 18 sponsors, 250+ advertisers onboard for TATA IPL 2024

In a break from the traditional pursuits of Bollywood and cricketing stars, Indian cricketer Deepak Chahar stands out as perhaps the only cricketer with a fantasy gaming app of his own. As the platform enters its second year, Chahar, along with his wife Jaya Chahar, CEO of Trade Fantasy Game (TFG), prepares for their second Indian Premier League (IPL) campaign under the theme 'Karo Level Up'.


The campaign stars Chahar himself and Hindi commentator, Aakash Chopra.

In an interaction with Storyboard18, Chahar talks about the campaign, pushing marketing budget, impact of GST and more.


Edited excerpts



Can you provide insights into the upcoming 'Karo Level Up' campaign for TFG. How do you anticipate the campaign contributing to the brand's overall growth and market presence?


The Indian cricket team's stellar performance last year left fans wanting more, and this year promises to be even bigger. The exciting IPL season is upon us, followed by the much-anticipated T20 World Cup. TFG is also levelling up to match the cricketing action with a complete app revamp.

 
Our new look and feel, along with features like private contests and massive 5 crore prize pools, will keep you entertained and right in the heart of the action.  'Karo Level Up' perfectly captures this spirit - of cricket reaching new heights and TFG offering an amazing experience for all.

 
Could you share which agency is behind the development and execution of the 'Karo Level Up' campaign?


While we've collaborated with agencies in the past, we've recently brought all creative work in-house. This allows us to perfectly tailor campaigns to our vision. In fact, the 'Karo Level Up' tagline we're launching with has been in development for months. We knew it was the perfect phrase to capture the essence of TFG's growth and the upcoming cricket season, and our talented marketing team has brought it to life with exceptional creative execution.



 
In terms of marketing expenditures, how does the budget for the current IPL campaign compare to that of 2023?


We hit the ground running last year, launching our app in February 2023 to cover the exciting Women's IPL and subsequent Men's IPL season. Our debut campaigns, ‘Swag Wala Six’ and ‘Tukka Nahi Chakka Maaro,’ along with 6 DVCs, grabbed attention and set the stage for our growth.
 

This year, we're taking things to the next level with a relatable approach embodied by our ‘Karo Level Up’ tagline. To amplify the campaign, we've partnered with cricket legend Akash Chopra, a top Hindi commentator, alongside prominent YouTubers and influencers. By doubling our budget and leveraging diverse digital channels, we aim to achieve a 5X increase in reach compared to last year.


 
Can you provide insights into the current user base of Trade Fantasy Game (TFG) and the projected growth you aim to achieve this year?

Our app already boasts a strong foundation with 2 lakh downloads. But with this revamped version, packed with exciting new features, mega prizes, and a focus on maximising user rewards and entertainment, we're confident TFG will become the go-to fantasy cricket platform this season.



 
How has the implementation of the new GST regime impacted your platform on the ground, and what adjustments have been made to address any challenges?

The recent GST implementation has presented challenges for the industry. However, we're happy to report that it hasn't impacted our user growth. In fact, our user base continues to expand!
 
We understand the potential concern about GST, and that's why TFG offers a unique rewards program. Users can earn up to 15 percent extra cash back depending on their in-app card level. Plus, using the same players consistently unlocks additional rewards. This innovative approach effectively doubles the user's potential rewards compared to the GST impact.
 
It's still early to determine the full long-term effect of GST, but we're confident that our focus on user experience and rewards will continue to drive growth.


 
What are the key focus areas that TFG will prioritise this year, considering the evolving landscape and market dynamics?


From the start, TFG has been laser-focused on creating an exceptional user experience. We differentiate ourselves in the market with several innovative features: 6-player team creation, a dynamic wildcard option, engaging level-up opportunities, and even the ability to use DFS game assets in other games.

 
Our commitment to innovation is unwavering. We'll continuously explore new game concepts and user engagement strategies to ensure TFG remains the most unique and entertaining fantasy cricket platform available.

E-commerce and gaming leading the show as top advertisers for IPL 2024

The top advertisers in this period are Parle Products, Sporta Technologies (Dream11), Playgames 24*7 (My11circle), Vishnu Packaging (Vimal Elaichi Pan Masala) and K P Pan Foods (Kamla Pasand Silver Coated Elaichi).

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