Mumbai: Over the years, The Indian Premier League (IPL) has become one of the biggest and most sought-after platforms to drive brand building and engagement. This year, the cricket extravaganza sees a 20 per cent jump over 2021 with 41 per cent fans saying that they will watch each and every match, according to the findings of Pre-IPL Trends Report, released by Havas Media Group India’s Hi-Cricket. The study revealed that while IPL continues to be a TV-first property, viewers on digital have higher involvement compared to TV.
The league continues to have avid viewers who are engaged with the game at all levels, says the study, with 41 per cent stating they will watch each and every match, 47 per cent following stats closely, and 55 per cent actively participating on social media with posts, comments, match analytics.
Some of the other significant pre-findings of IPL 2022 released by the study include: Over the years female viewership of the game has only increased. 36 per cent stated they will watch each and every match, while 44 per cent stated they watch matches wherein their favourite player/team is playing.
The study found that IPL is an emotion shared with family and friends, with 54 per cent stating they watch it with the entire family while 44 per cent watch it with friends and colleagues. 'Powerplay' and 'Death Overs' are the most popular segments. The study also reveals that Fantasy leagues are gaining popularity, with 31 per cent respondents having created their own team in 2021.
Havas Media Group India partnered with YouGov, a global research & analytics agency, for its annual syndicated Hi-Cricket study, that helps advertisers measure the impact of their ads during the cricket event.
The Hi-Cricket 2022 study is being conducted across key markets in India - Mumbai, Delhi NCR, Kolkata, Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Pune, Ahmedabad, Lucknow and Chandigarh. 2700+ respondents are being interviewed using a structured quantitative research questionnaire over three waves - before the event (Pre-IPL wave), during the event (first wave – 30d post start) and post the event. The sampling frame will constitute YouGov’s online panel of 200,000 active respondents encompassing top four metros and seven top tier-1 cities. The sample size is two lakhs, as per the statement.
Hi-Cricket 2022 aims to help brands to further bolster their meaningful connect with consumers and also identify the most meaningful campaigns during IPL. Over the multiple waves that were covered, there has also been a significant jump in brand recall and familiarity across various categories like auto, e-commerce, food delivery etc. Over the course of IPL, making this study an indicator of brand health.
Hi-Cricket is the flagship property of Havas Sports & Entertainment and going forward, this study will cover other sports leagues with the number of cities covered and respondent base being much larger, according to Havas Media Group India. The study is critical for the group to understand the sentiments and performance of IPL in influencing brand metrics as several of its key clients are part of the tournament through various associations.
Every year, Havas Media Group India commissions the Hi-Cricket study to understand the overall sentiments regarding the tournament and each of its elements including delivery, driving engagement for consumers, and creating unique brand experiences. This study captures all that brands are doing including on-ground sponsorships, innovations, exclusive tie-ups and so on, to understand which element drives highest engagement/ROI for them.
“The recent study tracks the impact of IPL 2022 on brand metrics in the endemic world as people have finally come out of isolation,” said Havas Media Group India head of strategy Sanchita Roy. “IPL is all about community building and enjoying the sports league with family and friends, so sentiments surrounding it are undoubtedly high. Involvement with IPL goes far beyond the actual matches as there are peripheral properties including fantasy leagues and gaming that ensure high engagement of viewers thereby making it the best choice for brands to connect with the audience. This makes Hi-Cricket a real time solution that consistently and accurately measures and monitors brand trends based on key indicators. It helps us identify the most meaningful brands and drive meaningful conversations with our clients as we help them understand the overall impact of their association with the IPL.”
This recent study comes at a time when the economy is expected to make the most robust recovery on the back of buoyant market sentiments as the Board of Control for Cricket in India’s (BCCI) IPL is all set to take the centre stage in the endemic world. The study helps establish the efficacy of IPL as a platform when it comes to influencing mind measures and also answers one of the most critical questions that advertisers have today: the role of premium buys on brand health.
“The Hi-Cricket research that YouGov India conducts annually in partnership with Havas Media Group India has become one of the most pivotal research exercises for us,” stated YouGov India general manager Deepa Bhatia. “Hi-Cricket provides an in-depth, customised look into the coveted Indian Premier League (IPL) as an advertising and sponsorship vehicle and is an invaluable tool for brands and marketers to understand how the tournament delivers on their marketing objectives. This is critical given the exponential growth in investment that’s pumped into this cricketing extravaganza by brands, which has in fact made the IPL the biggest platform to create long-term brand image and value. IPL 2022 is coming back with it’s first season in an endemic world. This study is designed to deliver valuable insights into a post-Covid world, within Havas' Meaningful Brands framework."
