Increased marketing spending, according to industry analysts, will help gaming firms achieve significant growth this IPL season.
Given the amount of attention the tournament receives, brands from all industries and categories have ensured they are not left out. However, advertising spots and sponsorships come at a premium price.
According to an interview with industry experts on the sustainability of this association, gaming firms, fantasy sports platforms, game hardware brands, and mobile gaming companies dominate the mobile-first Indian market.
While gaming firms, particularly esports brands and platforms, desire to partner with any major athletic event, the IPL is unlike any other, according to Ramsai Panchapakesan, Senior Vice President and National Head Of Integrated Media Buying at Zenith – The ROI Agency. The IPL is broadcast on television, radio, and other forms of media, and the great majority of Indians watch it. The most sure-fire strategy to bring your brand in front of the audience’s attention is to associate with team franchises and broadcasting platforms.”
Fantasy Akhada’s Founder and CMO, Amit Bhardwaj, agrees with the notion. Fantasy Akhada has done TV commercials for its #KhelTumharaAkhadaHumara campaign for the first time this year. The firm has also boosted its digital marketing budget dramatically, and the multi-media strategy has resulted in much higher conversions.
“According to our projections, we want to increase by 100% as a result of this IPL, and we’re on course to do so owing to our ad spending throughout the tournament.” “This growth will come from both new user acquisition and increasing app spending by existing users,” Bhardwaj adds.
During this season of the IPL, the social gaming site WinZO is one of the most prominent marketers. Apart from becoming the Principal Sponsors of Kolkata Knight Riders, they have appointed Mahendra Singh Dhoni as their brand ambassador. We estimate the number of users to reach 100 million or more by the conclusion of the season, representing a 25% increase. The IPL is the largest marketing platform in the Fantasy Sports industry. While big ICC games such as the T20 World Cup come close in terms of engagement, the IPL has the best advertising and marketing ROI. During the league, brands must be aware of the clutter in the environment and come up with concepts that stand out – something unique.
Mitesh Kothran, Co-Founder and CCO of White Rivers Media, points out that ROIs in gaming company campaigns vary and are dependent on the campaign’s timing and duration. He believes acquisition efforts perform best just before or at the start of the season while remarketing or revenue-generating initiatives work best in the middle. Panchapakesan reminds out that mobile gaming is popular across the country due to the varied geographies and cultures, with foreign games such as football and car racing competitions gaining a lot of popularity.
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