IPL 2020: How first-time sponsor CRED plans to make the most of its IPL association

• This year, Indian Premier League will be held in closed stadiums and in UAE. However, that hasn't led in any decrease in excitement for both the audiences and brands.
• With many brands coming on board as sponsors for this edition of the sporting extravaganza, we will talk to some of the prominent sponsors to understand how they want to use the platform to strengthen their presence.
• In today's interview, Trupthi Shetty, Lead- Growth and Engagement, CRED tells us all that the Credit Card payment company is planning for its first stint as the official partner this year.

As we come closer to this year’s edition of the Indian Premier League, things are slowly getting heated up. More and more excitement is building with each passing day and new sponsors are coming on board to make the most out of one of the most-watched sporting events in the country.

It is obvious that things will be different in the league this year. With no audiences in the stadiums, the entire experience will be different. However, this hasn’t led to any decrease in the advertiser’s excitement around the tournament.

So we thought of reaching out to some of the prominent sponsors this year and understand how they are going to use this platform to strengthen their relationships with their consumers. In the first interview in this series, we bring to you a conversation with Trupthi Shetty, Lead- Growth and Engagement at CRED. Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has roped in CRED as the official partner for IPL 2020. The brand, that has struck a three-year deal is a first-time sponsor and has quite a few innovative plans in place to make the most out of this association.

Excerpts:

Q) This is your first year as a sponsor for IPL. What do your marketing plans look like?
We are excited to partner with one of the country’s most popular sporting events. This year, unlike others before, the pandemic has led to more of a focus on digital with events and activations being moved to virtual. This is exciting for us since CRED has focused on creating rewarding digital experiences for the community for quite a few months. Our community of affluent, high-trust members has a fan base in cricket and we want to use marketing to reach out to them and establish the narrative that credit cards are better with CRED.

There are two focus areas that all our marketing plans would be centered around. The first is to use IPL’s reach to drive messages surrounding financial and credit literacy- an integral part of our mission at CRED. The second is to leverage our position as a brand discovery platform amongst the mass affluent to partner with brands and create rewarding experiences centered around matches that are high on engagement. The digital experiences we are creating for members include exciting cashbacks, partnerships with brands and even the opportunity for members to contribute to a relevant cause. There are plenty more activations planned and we will be able to share details about these once they are finalized. Some of the experiences planned include:

• Members who pay their credit card bills on CRED during CRED Power Play - the Most Rewarding Overs will win assured cash-back with individuals standing a chance to get 100% of their credit card bill paid by CRED.

• We have partnered with GiveIndia to have CRED members raise funds for an NGO- Sports Coaching Foundation. Through CRED Causes, members will be able to use their CRED coins to sponsor cricket training of the underprivileged youth across the country.

• We have also partnered with leading premium brands such as OnePlus, Myntra, Ajio, Puma, Lalit Hotels, CROSS, Tata Cliq, JioSaavn, Audible, CureFit, Dineout, Syska, Samsung, Motorola, RBL (Reliance Brands), Hugo Boss, JioSaavn and WROGN to create and offer rewarding products, services and experiences to members.

Q) The format is different this year. So how do you think things will be different for you as a sponsor?
While the format of the IPL is slightly different this year, we don’t believe that things will be drastically different. It’s important to remember that in-stadium audiences and on-ground activations are just one part of what the IPL has to offer brands. What’s more important are the millions of Indians who tune in to watch the IPL at home from their screens. The IPL is a celebration that isn’t limited to stadiums but happens in everyone's homes. We are focused on creating rewarding experiences intertwined with each game that viewing audiences can enjoy from the comfort of their homes. Considering the fact that we have been creating these types of digital experiences for our members long before the IPL, we believe that the newfound focus on digital is an advantage that we can stand to gain from.

Q) As a sponsor, what are your expectations from IPL 2020?
With millions of Indians slated to watch the IPL this season, our partnership goes beyond the need to create awareness for the brand. Part of our mission at CRED is to educate the masses about managing their finances, more specifically, managing credit better. The association with the IPL will bring us closer to this goal, helping create widespread awareness about the importance of paying your credit card bills on time. Our target audience is primarily the first-generation wealthy, those who might be the first in their families to use products such as credit cards. Through the unique constructs and rewarding experiences we create for members, we will be able to build excitement and awareness about a product that helps people use their credit cards better. We are also looking forward to leveraging the sporting event’s reach to educate people about the plethora of products, services, and experiences they can avail as rewards on CRED for doing something as simple as paying their bills on time.

Q) How do you plan to engage more closely with consumers, considering activations won’t be allowed this year and there won't be a live audience? Will Digital and TV be your biggest bets?
At CRED, we specialize in creating unique and rewarding digital experiences for our members. During the IPL season, we will continue our focus on digital, creating engagements that audiences can access while watching the matches on their screens. These will be unique and rewarding experiences centered around the game, creating memorable experiences for members for each match that they watch. The experiences and constructs planned do not take away from the game and are rewards that members can avail while they are watching the game from their homes.