On a new wicket: Why Indian brands are advertising in foreign leagues

Experts say almost all cricket finds takers in India, viewership is boosted by betting and emergence of fantasy league platforms

A Board of Control for Cricket in India gag curbs Indian cricketers from participating in most cricketing action offshore but Indian brands are increasingly making their presence felt in foreign leagues. But when the home turf is itself the financial nerve centre of the sport, doesn’t such a move defy business logic?

Indians brands are quite visible as the main sponsors of the ongoing Mzansi Super League (MSL) and the T10 League in Abu Dhabi, the T20 and T10 championships underway in South Africa that have nominal or no Indian presence. Earlier this year, Hero MotoCorp renewed its four-year-old title sponsorship with the Caribbean Premier League till 2022 while Amul decided to be the main sponsors for two international teams (South Africa and Afghanistan).

For some — say the likes of Hero Moto Corp that are constantly looking for global expansion besides having a long association with sports — such tie-ups with leagues in Sri Lanka, Bangladesh or the West Indies are the logical next step for visibility and growth. “Through these, we have been able to develop an affinity for the brand in our nascent and potential markets,” says Bharatendu Kabi, head, corporate communication, Hero MotoCorp. But for the likes of Vimal Pan Masala and Cycle Pure Agarbathies — brands that are primarily consumed locally and have their fingers in the Indian cricket advertising pie, be it a league or international series — it is puzzling and yet they are almost omnipresent in the MSL, from the umpire uniforms to on ground and boundary advertising. Cycle also has the third umpire branding to its credit.

While Cycle Pure Agarbathies sent a detailed reply on Business Standard’s query, it did not address whether it was exploring the overseas markets for sales too. The company’s managing director Arjun Ranga said: “Cricket is a medium where there is a high level of exposure to the audience, but there is also too much clutter. Unless you are there constantly, you will get lost. It has taken six years for people to actually see us in cricket, to associate us with cricket. You do one series, you are not going to go anywhere, it is just a waste of money.”

The others also have very good reasons. “It is purely a brand building exercise for us,” says R S Sodhi, the managing director of Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation, Ltd., (Amul) on the twin associations mentioned above. “We have some presence in Afghanistan but we do not export to South Africa. Yet, we see merit in sponsoring because whenever these teams travel to India, the brand visibility is huge and we foresee a lot of return on investment in that sense.”

Brand expert Harish Bijoor says the combination of a low entry barrier and the local Indian audience being receptive to global cricket has also led to sponsors tapping these leagues. Echoing his views is Khanyiso Tshwaku, sports writer for leading South African Sunday newspaper Sunday Times. “The brands' visibility beyond the stadiums is limited but Indian viewers consume pretty much all cricket that comes their way. Now because our league is broadcast in India, they can claim more spots than they would do during an Indian Premier League. That increased visibility makes business sense for them,” Tshwaku told Business Standard over a phone call from Johannesburg.

TRA Research CEO N Chandramouli says there is a large Indian diaspora across Africa and even the current generation of Indians is finding a lot of opportunities there because of frequent travels owing to business. “So something like incense stick is still a staple and Cycle is among the largest manufacturer in the world. What is international for us becomes local for them and gels with the Indian market leader’s goals of business growth.”

Sports PR consultant Somit Biswas who has cricket sponsors among his clientele adds another dimension: Betting — the legal variety that is. It is fairly big in India and the smartphone proliferation has only helped it become more widespread. The activity has been instutionalised by the emergence of new fantasy sports platforms such as Dream 11. “There are other players such as food delivery apps who link offers to predictions and announce awards. That means the consumer has to keep a tab and consume cricket. Lure of the game, betting dynamics and market opportunities if any (in that order) are what the brands are looking at,” says Biswas.

Away from the action are the beneficiaries who say the significance of these associations are beyond the sponsorship money. “We are excited to work with international partners in taking the sport of cricket to the international community and international cricket fans,” Cricket South Africa spokesperson Thamsanqa Mthembu told Business Standard over a call from Johannesburg.