IPL 2020: Vi will go all out during the new season to build awareness about its new brand proposition

• Vi recently announced it has become the co-presenting sponsor of Dream11 IPL 2020.
• We talk to Kavita Nair, Chief Digital Transformation & Brand Officer, Vodafone Idea Limited who tells us all that the brand has planned for the tournament slated to start tomorrow.

Indian Premier League (IPL) is one of the biggest sporting events in the country as we have witnessed over the past few years. This year, despite several roadblocks, the tournament is starting tomorrow and its expected to witness its highest-ever viewership.

IPL therefore becomes the perfect platform for any brand that is trying to reach out to an engaged audience and trying to catch eyeballs and raise awareness about itself. And that is exactly what Vodafone Idea’s newly launched entity Vi has in mind.

The rebranding of these two iconic brands was announced last week. To make people aware of this change, Vi has also launched a new campaign. The brand now has plans to use IPL to let people know about this transformation. Both Vodafone and Idea in the past have been closely associated with IPL and we wanted to understand how different things will be this year. And here is what Kavita Nair, Chief Digital Transformation & Brand Officer, Vodafone Idea Limited had to tell us:

Excerpts:

Q) While both Vodafone and Idea have been associated with IPL in the past, this year will be different, both in terms of the game’s format and the fact that you have just launched Vi. What do your marketing plans look like?

Vi, the young, dynamic and vibrant brand will leverage its association with the most popular sporting event IPL, in its 2020 edition, to enhance awareness, build relevance and engage with the audience.

Q) The format is different this year. So how do you think things will be different for you as a sponsor?

As a company we have had a very long association with IPL. Vodafone has been associated with IPL since the beginning of the sporting event in 2008. The partnership helped it build high brand recall and affinity with television viewers and cricket lovers in India with its unique campaigns involving the lovable ZooZoos. Brand Idea has also actively participated in the previous editions of the tournament as sponsor of many teams and created memorable brand activation campaigns.

Though IPL 2020 is going to be in a different avatar, it still resonates with the cricket fans. Every sporting fan wants to watch his/her favourite players live, have personal experiences. As a long term partner we see IPL 2020 as an opportunity to redefine sports engagement for the Indian audiences. Continuing the legacy, Vi will aim to create renewed memories and associations for the sport enthusiasts as they follow the excitement on the screens.

Q) As a sponsor, what are your expectations from IPL 2020?

Cricket is a religion in India, and Dream11 IPL as a property offers broader engagement with audience than just as a sport, over a two months’ window. I am delighted that now, with the launch of Vi, we are carrying this legacy forward. Our association with Dream11 IPL 2020 will provide Vi, instant connect with millions of viewers, and I am confident that this will not only help build awareness of Vi but also help in building relevance and customer confidence. I am sure Indians will be delighted to see us back on Dream11 IPL, albeit in a new avatar.

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?

Vi is designed to help consumers move ahead in life for a better today, and a brighter tomorrow. Digital is now pervasive, through all aspects of the customer journey - from acquisition to on- boarding and customer care. Considering the evolving consumer journey Vi is committed to provide unique digital experiences during the upcoming IPL season. Our communications is targeted towards the primary screens that consumers engage with – TV and Digital.

Q) You have recently unveiled a new identity. How will you use IPL as a platform to reinforce your rebranding and to make your presence felt?

Vi is a future-ready brand, build to dynamically serve a digital society to progress in life. The upcoming IPL season has given a reason for Indians to cheer and come together. Leveraging GIGAnet from Vi, a super-charged network, we intend to pamper our customers with some digital experiences to cherish with their family and friends.

Q) Zoozoos have been a very important part of IPL advertising in the past. How challenging will it be to match up to that level of love and the engagement that it saw in the past?

Zoozoos have been integral to our IPL campaigns and much loved icons in India. They have helped us communicate the brand’s message in an engaging and charming manner.

We believe IPL 2020 gives us an opportunity to leverage Vi’s dynamic edge and digital first approach to closely engage with our customers. IPL 2020 is a great platform to renew conventional methods in a contemporary, flexible manner.