Experts say even though ad rates are higher and would stretch the brands’ budget, with the WC happening in India this year, it will pull more viewers
The much-anticipated ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup is scheduled later this year and brands and marketers have their eyes set on the huge advertising opportunity. Besides the love for the game, what makes the tournament more attractive for advertisers this year is its timing; coinciding with the festive months. However, industry experts point out that despite the cricketing extravaganza being a hot favourite among marketers (with an expected reach of over 6oo million views), being a part of it may not be easy for brands. The ad rates for the tournament, which will be telecast on Disney Star and its OTT platform Hotstar, are up by nearly 30-40% from the last tournament, with India-only matches costing up to Rs 30 lakh per 10 seconds, share sources in the industry.
“The ad rates for TV are up by a little over 12-17% over WC 2019 depending on type of buy (sponsor/spot) which is in line with the average inflation seen on cricket pricing,” says Shashank Srivastava, Senior Executive Director, Marketing and Sales, Maruti Suzuki.
“However, on Hotstar, the rates (CPMs) are up by almost 40-50% for mobile OTT over WC 2019. Further, this year CTV OTT rates are being sold separately and those are further 2- 2.5 times of mobile OTT rates,” Srivastava shares.
According to him, on an overall level, it seems to be “a mix bag for advertisers and brands’ budgets would have to be highly stretched if they want to be present on both TV + OTT.”
Sharing the sentiment, Amol Dighe, CEO, Madison Media, opines, “The climate for the World Cup is very positive this time but the challenging part is filling the inventory at these ad rates. It is to be seen if brands will be able to afford these rates.”
“It is not impossible though. Many brands are thinking about how they will leverage the World Cup. But whether they have the budget for TV and digital both, that has to be seen,” he adds.
According to an industry source, the average ad rate for the whole tournament is Rs 9-9.5 lakh per 10 seconds for all matches, but it will differ from match to match. For example, India only matches will have higher ad rates, with initial proposal being Rs 30 lakh per 10 seconds for semi-finals, final and the nine definite matches that India is playing. It could go up further for the India vs Pakistan match.
But, as Srivastava says, even though ad rates are higher and would stretch the brands’ budget, with the WC happening in India this year, it will pull cricket lovers and will hence rope in more viewers.
“Ad rates are definitely higher and would stretch budgets but then WC happening in India is a great plus for the cricket lovers. All in all, this WC seems to be a huge crowd puller and hence may help broadcasters get the desired rates and inventory sales,” he believes.
According to Jigar Rambhia, COO, Sporjo, brands will certainly be ready to pay no matter what the ad rate as ICC World Cup is a property that will deliver.
“If there is a property that delivers, they (the broadcasting platform) can ask for higher rates. Also, the World Cup is during the festive season, so the rates will be high and brands will pay. They are interested,” Rambhia told e4m.
Experts also explain though TV still delivers well for brands even when digital is picking up, brands’ inclination towards TV or digital will depend on the category and their requirement.
According to Dighe, some brands will go for TV and some for digital.
“Some could choose TV, others digital, but almost all brand categories will be interested in advertising during the World Cup… from automobile, paints, fintech, banking to FMCG brands and UPI platforms… everyone will be coming onboard,” he says.
“Ecommerce companies and electronics brands will also spend heavily this time,” he said.
According to Srivastava, picking digital or TV, will depend on the brand category and target group fitment.
“For certain categories like ecommerce/gaming etc, only digital presence may suffice, but for high involvement product categories like autos/high-end smartphones etc, both TV + OTT strategy is necessary.
“For eg. Premium TG for the auto category does a lot of appointment viewing these days and it’s important to catch them wherever they are watching the game. This premium TG coming from HD homes (70Mn) and CTV homes (15Mn) have 3X affinity for cricket. Hence, TV + OTT strategy is a must,” Srivastava said.
The ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup is scheduled to take place in India from October 5 to November 19. This is the time when GECs come up with big-ticket shows. So, will it be a fight for the ad monies?
No, say experts. “The World Cup is going to happen during the festive season and this can work very well for Star and Hotstar. There will be a great built-up for the brands and advertisers. The timing of the tournament is very good and most matches are on weekends so the rating will definitely go up,” Dighe said.
Rambhia too feels that big-ticket shows won’t affect the brands wanting to advertise with the World Cup.
“India is playing nine matches and the World Cup is a long-format event. I don’t think advertisers will have to choose between GEC shows and the World Cup. They will definitely go for the tournament which comes in four years,” he said.
Adds Srivastava, cricket WC in India is a festival in itself. It breaks gender, age and all other barriers and unifies the audience towards one cause (India lifting the WC). It is expected to generate a reach of 600 Mn and generate a TVR of 5+ with India matches generating TVR of 9+ and India Pak TVR of 15+.”
“These numbers are phenomenal and have no parallel in TV or digital universe on an all-India level. However, if India does not perform well during the initial matches, then the audience interest may taper down during later stages.”
“Overall, it should generate record eyeballs and record media ROIs,” he says.
