India has a change of "Religion" and so does "Branding"..

India has a change of "Religion" and so does "Branding"..

"Cricket" as they say is or rather WAS considered a religion in India. The performance of the team has varied over a period of time and so has the fate of the "religion". The followers of the "religion" increase if the performance of the Indian Cricket Team peaks and decreases otherwise.

In a recent conversation with the media, a well-known ad-maker of India, Mr. Piyush Pandey said, "Cricket is like stock market. If the team performs well in the forthcoming ODI series, people will forget the bitter memories of the Tests". So here is the cue for marketers! Is the "religion" still followed with the same fervour as it was being followed say 10 years back? Possibly the the Indian junta is more inclined towards the victorious performances now rather than the game itself. However, the point to be noted is that inspite of all these things, India is still considered the superpower of cricket. The best proof of the increasing dominance of the Asian region can be ascertained from the fact that ICC headquarters were shifted to Dubai from London-the traditional headquarters of the ICC. Asian countries like India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh have a large following of the sport even today. But the problem for Indian marketers "are the huge swings in the followers, it completely follows the performance of the team now," a sport-journalist was quoted saying. So does it still remain a value-for-money proposition? But yes, before we go ahead with the further analysis, I think would be apt to mention that India still accounts for approximately 60-70% of the cricketing world's revenues! As said, let us have a look at a few indicators..marketing trends possibly..

A few indicators:

- By paying $612 million Nimbus Communications clinched the biggest deal in cricket history—for the TV rights to Indian cricket for four years. This was in 2005. A sign of the increasing importance of Indian cricket. This price was 11 times higher than the previous deal. The amount of the deal said it all! - Religion was expanding its roots.

- Come 2009, Nimbus Communications steals the deal with a staggering Rs. 2000 crore!

However, things changed  and that was much against the marketers' liking. The viewership dipped. The fewer spectators, both on and off the field, left the marketers in a state of worry and not to forget Nimbus Communications too. As a result of which it failed to honour the payment of Rs. 305 crores to BCCI! The result-BCCI terminated the contract with Nimbus.

Marketers takes and responses:

- Brand endorsements by the cricketers suddenly saw a decline. The last endorsement deal being heard of was the one for Gulf Oil by M S Dhoni in September last! Ain't it too long? Many would agree to be so.

- Brand experts said the recent defeat in Australia will erode  cricketers’ endorsement fees by about 20%. 

- “Companies have started reconsidering the extension and renewal of agreements for further endorsements,” said Navin Khemka, vice-president, ZenithOptimedia, an advertising and media-buying firm that manages Toshiba, a brand endorsed by Sachin Tendulkar.

- “The brands that were contemplating signing new contracts will go easy,” said Sam Balsara, chairman, Madison World, an advertising agency and brand management firm.

- Most of the companies/ brand managers are possibly shying away from the sport itself!

- Cricket, as one of the brand manager was quoted saying in a report, "has become highly dramatic. We cannot purely rely on it for consistent results."

The above statements are shocking especially keeping in mind the fact this is the country in which the said sport is considered as a "religion" having a huge fan following and is a sport that unites people with high diversity!

Do we have an option?

That is the question running in the minds of one and all. If not cricket, then? We have got a few hints already. Let's shift the gears..literally and contextually both.

Formula One - the sport for the elite?

- Airtel walked away from the Champions League Twenty20 to tie up with the inaugural Indian Formula One Grand Prix in October. Although Nokia stepped in as title sponsor, the Airtel pullout suggested the wind had changed direction; that cricket may not be seen as the end of the world by big-ticket corporate houses,” reported Hindustan Times.

- “The fan following in Bangalore is much more than at the British Grand Prix. They are not as passionate as this,” said a beaming Lewis Hamilton. Those words from the McLaren Mercedes Formula One driver summed up the fan following that he saw for the sport in India.

- The huge attendance at the Buddha International Circuit (BIC), Gurgaon for the inaugural Indian Grand Prix was the one to notice. A proof enough to say the sport is gaining popularity, not only amongst the elite, but the amongst the Great Indian Middle Class too.

One thing we can infer is that people in India have turned towards newer sports. The following for events such as F1, EPL, Grand Slams, et al is on the rise. 

Indians are on search of a new religion. The options are many and one should not forget that ONCE UPON A TIME WE HAD A RELIGION CALLED HOCKEY..THEN CAME CRICKET AND THEN..