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With the cricket World Cup all set to explode with the opening
ceremony tonight, indiantelevision.com has done a quick wrap up
of the plans channels from different genres have up their sleeves
for the biggest cricket event of the year.
As far as TV advertising is concerned, media buyers say that Sony
has managed committed advertising of Rs 2.1 billion at this point
whereas Nimbus has about Rs 1.3 billion.
As far as what the channels themselves are claiming, while Sony
does not discuss figures, Nimbus has gone on record to say its has
bagged between Rs 1.5 and Rs 1.6 billion.
All that remains is for spot buy inventories to fill up now, which
is where the performance of the Indian team becomes crucial. The
better they perform the, higher will be the monies flowing into
both the channels.
Sports and general channels
MAX and Sony
Kunal Dasgupta |
Let's start with Sony Entertainment
Television (SET) as this mega-event is being billed as a make
or break phase for Kunal
Dasgupta and company.
MAX and Sony will telecast live 51 matches out of the total of
54 matches being held in primarily in South Africa. MAX will air
36 matches and the balance 18 matches will air on SET.
Kapil on
MAX |
MAX used the services of its brand ambassador Kapil Dev extensively
with its promotions along with its shows Gully Cricket and
Kapil Dil Se.
Sony has appointed World
Sport Nimbus (WSN) to handle production on Extraaa Innings
- the two-hour pre-match and one-hour post-match programming that
MAX has developed for the upcoming cricket World Cup in South Africa.
Apart from being the exclusive cable and satellite rights holders,
Sony's innovative customisation of the live feed along with its
entertaining packages in its wrap-around programming under Extraaa
Innings promises to set it apart. The entire effort of
'cricketainment' revolves around attracting the purists, the housewives
and the masses through a mix of interactivity and entertainment.
MAX's Extraaa
Innings |
Sony also roped in TV stars Mandira
Bedi and Sandhya
Mridul who will join Charu Sharma, Maria Goretti and several
cricket and non-cricket stars in presenting Extraaa Innings.
MAX commissioned NDTV to produce a build-up show titled Jung
World Cup Ki, telecast between 3-8 February. The six-episode
series anchored by Rajdeep Sardesai talked about preparations, strategy,
strengths, weaknesses and chances of different teams.
Ceat International
Cricket Ratings Awards |
On Sunday, 9 February, Max will telecast the seventh
annual Ceat International Cricket Ratings award function held
in Mumbai. The awards recognised the achievements of cricketers
by giving away awards in the categories such as international cricketer
of the year; team of year, best batsman, fielder and bowler of the
year.
Cricket
World Cup opening ceremony |
The entire opening
ceremony of the 2003 ICC Cricket World Cup, taking place at
the Newlands Cricket Stadium in Cape Town on Saturday 8 February,
will be telecast on Max starting 11 pm.
Sony Entertainment India is leaving no stone unturned to ensure
that Indian viewers realise that Max and SET are the only channels
that will show "live and exclusive premium digital coverage
of all the 54 ICC cricket World Cup 2003 matches." In a hard-hitting
advertisement released in many national mainline publications,
Max's creative advertising agency Euro-RSCG stressed that fact.
After LG Electronics India, one of the title sponsors of the ICC
Cricket World Cup, decided it would totally boycott Sony Entertainment
Television (SET) as regards advertising because its "rates
were too high", bitter rival Samsung
has grabbed that space. Samsung was joined by Pepsi, Hero Honda,
Reliance Infocomm and Hindustan Lever as the presenting sponsors.
MTV, Nickelodeon, Pepsi and Max announced the Pepsi
Badaa Shikari Hunt which gives six kids the chance to lead the
Indian team onto the cricket field in South Africa.
Sony used its feature film Lagaan effectively in order to
build interest in the forthcoming World Cup. The Sony Lagaan
contest, held during the screening of the film, had an interesting
tag-line: "Watch India vs England on January 26; watch India
vs England on February 26!". The contest urged viewers to SMS
the answer to a simple question from their mobile phones (to 3636)
or log on to max.setindia.com.
The contest promised to take 11 lucky winners to South Africa and
enable them to watch the World Cup cricket 2003 league match involving
the Indians and the English players. Consider the following statistics:
a total of 68,800
messages were received during the five-hour period (starting
1 pm) when the movie was screened. There were 29,075 correct answers
which only showed that viewers - purists and masses - were participating
in a big way. MAX officials said that this was a good sign for the
bigger and better version of Predikta - to be aired during World
Cup.
Doordarshan
State-owned pubcaster Doordarshan along with its air time sales
and broadcast sponsorship partner Nimbus Communications announced
in December that it would be telecasting live 16 of the Big Gun
matches on its network.
DD will be telecasting live all the India matches and matches up
to the Super Sixes (a maximum of nine altogether), four other big
matches (the opener on 9 February South Africa vs the Windies, Pakistan
vs England - 22 February - and two super sixes weekend matches)
and the two semifinals and the final. DD will also be airing a one-hour
daily highlights package throughout the 43-day tournament.
In January, DD also entered into an arrangement with News Corp
controlled Global Cricket Corporation (the worldwide rights owner)
and Nimbus (the revenue management company for World Cup telecasts
over DD) to enhance the coverage of the cricket's premier tournament
on the national broadcaster's terrestrial networks.
Nimbus'
CMD Harish Thawani |
The new arrangement covered the telecast of a total of 43 matches,
including the 'Big Gun' matches, on DD Metro. All matches on DD
Metro will be telecast on a delayed basis starting 9:30 am on every
day of the Cricket World Cup, which lasts 43 days. What this means
is that in addition to the rights for the live telecast of 16 matches,
DD secured the rights for delayed telecast of an additional 27 games.
Nimbus World Cup
cricket World Cup Safari contest was conceptualised in association
with indiantelevision.com as the media partner. Narayanan
Vaidya of Initiative Media (Lowe Mumbai); Dhupinder Sandhu of Starcom
Delhi; Madison Communications' Harsha Joshi and Lodestar's Nandini
Dias were the winners who will get a chance to fly to South Africa.
Nirvana Music, a division of Nimbus, launched an album called Khel
Re containing the official World Cup cricket 2003 Zulu-English
song. Khel Re also has 11 other compilations sung by popular
Indian music artists.
With the clock ticking for the greatest extravaganza in the world
of cricket to kick off, DD-Nimbus managed to add two sponsors to
its kitty closing its ad sales deals with a final
tally of ten. The sponsors on DD include Pepsi, LG Electronics,
BSNL, Hero Honda, Maruti Alto, Indian Oil Servo and Hindustan Lever.
The names of two other sponsors belonging to the insurance and airline
sector have not yet been made public.
For the first time in India, a live action event will be brought
to the mobile device in near real time as Nimbus tied up with Hutchison.
Hutchison has launched
the first ever General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) based video delivery
onto subscribers' mobile phones, which will commence with video
action from the Cricket World Cup 2003.
Radio
According to Prasar Bharati sources, AIR
has managed to swing a deal for 18 cricket matches, including
those in the up and coming World Cup in South Africa and last year's
Champion's trophy, for just Rs 3.6 million.
AIR will be broadcasting running commentaries of most of the important
matches in the World Cup featuring India, the semi-final matches
and, of course, the final show at Johannesburg.
All the radio stations
in Mumbai have announced elaborate programming in preparation for
the World Cup, although the privilege of a live commentary that
lies in the domain of news, has been denied to private FM players.
Most programming is in the form of short one to 1.5 minute capsules,
enough to hook the viewer between songs. While some are plugging
merchandise as prizes for contest winners, others are baiting with
cricket trivia, call in shows, and of course, the SMS route.
 
ESPN-Star Sports
After ESPN Star Sports' attempts at doing programmes
for DD around the World
Cup fell flat as its overtures were rejected by Prasar Bharati,
it is now free to concentrate on cricket coverage for its own channels.
ESS will take guard and follow through during the tournament. It
will air half-hour special review and preview shows from 8 February
to 23 March. The preview show is Taking Guard while the review
show is Follow Through.
ESS earlier launched Super Selector South Africa 2003 on
23 January.The channels' game show 'Super Selector' has just gotten
bigger and better. It has
also gone pay. The special daily programme that runs from 23
January to 22 March will incorporate an online game and an SMS game.
Sachin
as ESPN Brand ambassador |
The channel has roped in Domino's Pizza, BPCL, Sify and FabMall.com
to facilitate registration. It allows players to enjoy the game
everyday right through to 22 March and win cash prizes daily. A
total of Rs 7 million will be given away as cash prizes in this
special edition of the game.
ESS roped in the master-blaster, Sachin Tendulkar, by paying him
Rs 120 million for a three year deal as their brand ambassador.
ESS believed that the master blaster will do a 'Big B' trick with
his two shows ,India Vs and Sachin Speaks on World
Cup.
TEN Sports
Ten Sports secured exclusive
cable and satellite rights for Pakistan from SET Satellite (Singapore),
the satellite, pay TV and DTH television rights holder of ICC-organised
cricket not only for India, but for the neighbouring region too.
In India, however, the channel telecast a programme called Legends
which focused on great cricketing personalities.
The channel will concentrate on what it has like live horse racing,
golf, wrestling and the like and it is not deviating from its present
programming strategy.
News channels
BBC
BBC roped
in Sanjay Manjrekar for an cricket interactive chat show |
BBC World celebrated the World Cup with cricket week For the records,
the cricket fever would get unleashed on BBC World from 3 February
as it lined up are fare like the Sanjay Manjrekar hosted interactive
chat show Captains Call, Young Turks, India Calling
and Africa Calling.
BBC World has also managed to convince Thapar of Face to Face
to do cricket specials with Rahul Dravid and loudmouth Navjot Singh
Sidhu. And as a final sop, there is India Business Report
that over two editions looks at the business of cricket and the
big moolah involved - all for a deeper understanding of cricket.
The channel will also have Cricket Results Boards from 8
February to 23 March. This will keep fans up to speed on the team
standings, scores, news and results. Beyond the Boundary
aired on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays at 10 pm from 10 January
to 2 February. This showcased India's proudest cricketing moments
along with all time great performances.
BBCi's cricket website
- www.bbc.co.uk/cricket will have up-to-the-minute reports from
all 54 World Cup games, so cricket fans at their desks can catch
up with the action throughout the day. There will be match reports,
expert analysis and interviews with key players, plus a fantasy
game where fans can win tickets to see England in action and a chance
to pit your wits against WG Grace in the fun game Sticky Wicket.
NDTV
Content provider NDTV, which is launching its two news
channels next month, is doing a show for MAX Jung
World Cup Ki. Hosted
by NDTV political editor and news anchor, Rajdeep Sardesai it launched
on 3 February as a daily one-hour programme.
The show has three panelists in all - two former cricketers, a
Bollywood personality / sports journalist discussed various aspects
of the game.
Star News
Soon to be rival Star News' programme plans centre around
Turning Point. It will air 9 February onwards and will primarily
assess the turning point of the day's game and provide a daily analysis
to the viewers. The show will be in both Hindi and English.
CNBC India
From 1 February, in a special Business of Cricket,
the channel has been throwing the spotlight on numerous areas
of the game. Through in depth research and insightful analyses in
the company of special guests, the show has been uncovering all
the machinations that go on behind closed doors even while the action
hots up on the field.
Other critical concerns affecting the game, like endorsements and
the ICC contract issue and cricket as a career have also come under
scrutiny. The special explored each and every angle of the economics
that have made India a financial superpower in the cricket world.
Viewers who have missed the series can catch repeat telecasts from
10-14 February at 8:30 pm. The tagline for the show is 'Don't just
watch cricket. Profit from it'.
CNN
The enormity of the tournament is such that even CNN
has got into the act. The channel aired Insight Cricket World
Cup Special. The show hosted by Jonathan Mann took a look at
cricket World Cup history, the teams, the hosts and politics.
 Zee
News
Zee News announced a programme called Maidan-e-Jung wherein
the Zee News team will report directly from South Africa. Zee TV
however finalised its strategy for combating the threat of World
Cup cricket with a mixture
of greed, short stories and innovative programming mix. The
mix that has been concocted for the next quarter includes a prize
money of Rs 1.21 billion, short stories, partition-based serials
and contemporary romance.
The important point is that several mass and niche entertainment
channels (including the leaders) have been affected by the cricket
extravaganza and wooed advertisers with reduced rates in order to
make a bid to grab whatever they could.
Music Channels
Channel [V]
Putting a whole new spin on things is Channel
(V), which aims to provide relief entertainment from excessive
cricket watching during the tournament. The channel has worked on
a strategy wherein there won't be any shift from music-based programming
and its regular shows. The reasoning is based on the premise that
the number of cricket matches involving India will be less and the
fact that youth viewers will seek a break from cricket.
However keeping in mind the tournament spirit a special song called
Hum has been created with the Indi-pop band Euphoria and
noted Indi-pop singer Mehnaaz. This song is billed as Channel [V]'s
tribute to the Indian cricket team and will be an addition to the
new vignettes and existing programmes revolving around the theme
of cricket.
Commentary Box sees a team of Channel [V] VJs travelling
around the country seeking cricket-related views and opinions from
music, film celebrities and other eminent personalities. Another
set of interstitials Catch Phrases, based on cricket terminology,
focuses on the way in which the Indian youth have incorporated cricket
'lingo' in everyday conversation.
MTV
Rival MTV's focus for the time being will continue to
rest on Full Toss, which is a cricket related quiz and Silly
Point which offers explanations of cricket terminology from
the channel perspective.
MTV and Nick got together with Max and Pepsi for the Pepsi
Badaa Shikari Hunt.
The contest gave six kids a chance to lead the Indian team onto
the cricket field in South Africa.
ETC
The channel has announced that it will have World Cup
specials of the half hour comedy Pandey Pillai-2 jisme sab kuch
hai.
The episodes of Pandey Pillai- 2 on the World Cup will air
on 18, 25 February and 4 March at 7.30 pm (Repeats on following
Sundays at 12.30 pm).
Kids Channels
Cartoon Network
Cartoon Network decided that it was time for its little
viewers to play cricket with their favourite cartoon characters.
The tongue in cheek battle royale Toon Cricket
2003 takes place in Mumbai on 23 February at the Andheri Sports
Complex. There will be two matches, one from 11 am-1 pm and another
from 4-6 pm.
To boost the initiative through interactivity, the channel has
organised an on-air contest "Whose Side Are You On?" Viewers
can vote for their team through mail or by logging on to www.cartoonnetworkindia.com
and win special Toon Cricket 2003 merchandise including caps, T-shirts,
miniature bat and balls.
Marketing:
Here we present some snapshots of the promotions and contests that
were conducted by companies belonging to different sectors.
White goods companies
Colour TV sales during the World Cup season are likely to touch
the two million mark.
LG launched its Cricket
first campaign with the 14 cricket captains. Rival Samsung
also launched several new initiatives. Videocon International,
the Rs 5.5 billion consumer durables major, launched its Khel
Ke Dekho offer for its consumers starting prior to the ICC World
Cup Cricket and ending on 3 March 2003. Philips and Onida also launched
new models and contests.
Cola companies
The eternal war between the official Cricket World Cup sponsors
and rival advertisers continued!
Pepsi played a last minute trick on its ace rival Coca Cola by
exercising its veto and becoming the presenting sponsor on both
Max as well as on DD. Earlier, DD had roped in Coca Cola as its
presenting sponsor. Last heard was the fact that Coca Cola released
full page ads in mainline dailies reiterating its commitment to
cricket.
Cricket
Dew |
The soft drink cola scene witnessed high-voltage action on air
as well as on ground with several above and below the line activities.
Mountain Dew,
the neon coloured citrus tinged carbonated drink that Pepsi launched
in Mumbai will feature prominently in the television commercials
the company plans to unleash on television during the World Cup.
The frenzy in the advertising world will scale new heights in February
and March. The latest is the series of Pepsi promo campaigns slated
around the World Cup, the first one being the
World Cup ke Shikari TV have started appearing on various television
channels.
Writing instruments
To further ignite the world cup fever, Luxor
Writing Instruments (LWIPL) has come up with the Catch A Ball Promotion.
Textile and retail garments
Keeping World Cup fervour in mind, Pantaloon launched
Passion Wear, a specially designed range of World Cup apparel and
accessories. Pantaloon Retail India is the sole retailer for ICC
World Cup merchandise in India. The rights it obtained from
Initiative Media allow Pantaloon to use Dazzler, the ICC World Cup
mascot as well as to design, manufacture, distribute and market
the World Cup Cricket
2003 merchandise. The merchandising rights for gifts and novelties
rest with Archies India.
Telecom
Veeru's
Sapna |
The latest commercial to join the bandwagon is the Reliance Infocomm
mobility services ad featuring India's opening batsman Virendra
Sehwag. The ad created by Reliance-owned advertising agency,
Mudra Communications will primarily focus on the service being offered
and is expected to air during India's first match in the tournament
scheduled for 12 February 2003
Banks and financial institutions
The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation (HSBC)
is set to launch the print advertising campaign of its "Cheer
Indian cricket team-Get a badge" contest from 1 January
2003. However, HSBC sought the requisite clearances from its legal
experts to ensure that it doesn't conduct any form of "ambush
marketing" - Standard Bank (South Africa) is an ICC sponsor.
Lowe Lintas' event management division Advent handled the on-ground
promotions and event management.
Liquor companies
Cashing in on World Cup cricket mania, McDowell
& Co announced the launch of the Special Edition Cricket World
Cup pack for its flagship brand McDowell's No.1 Whisky.
Shaw Wallace Company is also conducting ground events for its dealers
and distributors. Some of the top performers will be sent on a fully
sponsored trip to South Africa to watch the World Cup cricket matches.
In fact, there is news that SWC's advertising agency has worked
on a "Bolo Tha Na" promotional campaign which was supposed
to be launched during the World Cup. However, it will conform to
the advertising rules that will apply to liquor advertising.
There are several marketers who did their bit to encash the cricket
mania which will start from 9 February 2003. More can be expected
to launch as the World Cup progresses. That is if our cricketing
heroes don't turn out to be zeroes!
For more
indiantelevision.com's
World Cup 2003 special
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