Indiantelevision.com Team

(9 March 2010 6:30 pm)

MUMBAI: In its most lucrative sponsorship deal to date, the Indian Premier League (IPL) has announced that Karbonn Mobiles has signed a two-year deal.

Karbonn Mobile will be the league’s ‘Official Partner Mobile Phone’ and the title sponsor of the new property Karbonn Mobiles IPL Nights, which will be aired as the after parties’ hosted by the IPL post the matches on MTV.

There were seven other parties in the fray for this sponsorship slot.

Karbonn Mobile’s association with the game of cricket has been synonymous since its launch last year when the mobile handset manufacturer sponsored the visiting Cape Cobras and was the associate sponsor for the Diamond Eagles during the Champions League Twenty20. More recently, Karbonn Mobiles was title sponsor for the five-match ODI series between India and Sri Lanka in December 2009.

IPL chairman and commissioner Lalit Modi said, “This is our most lucrative sponsorship deal so far. It is indeed a pleasure to partner with Karbonn Mobiles, which has emerged as one of the fastest growing mobile brand in the country. I am certain the company’s association with the IPL as its Official Partner Mobile Phone and the title sponsor for “IPL Nights” with MTV will prove to be a mutually beneficial partnership.

"Through Karbonn’s IPL Nights we will deliver on our promise of extending the IPL franchise beyond cricket, with the introduction of a unique proposition to create an unprecedented genre of cricketainment.”

Karbonn Mobiles is a joint venture between Delhi-based Jaina Group and Bangalore-based UTL Group. Karbonn Mobiles chairman Sudhir Hasija says, “Karbonn Mobiles is extremely proud to be associated as an Official Partner Mobile Phone of the IPL and a Title Sponsor for the IPL Nights – after parties. We believe this partnership shares many common ideals, including those of continual innovation to introduce new and innovative products to a broad consumer audience."

The company has roped in Virendra Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Manish Pandey and Virat Kohli as brand ambassadors.

Karbonn Mobiles MD Pradeep Jain says, “Karbonn Mobiles is extremely proud to be associated with the IPL. Our partnership with IPL is one of the largest sponsorship deals signed by an Indian mobile phone brand. We feel that it’s a great platform to capitalize on the mass visibility and through this association we aim to leverage the Karbonn Mobiles brand. Going forward as a brand we will explore more such brand properties to further strengthen the brand.”

Karbonn Mobiles has earmarked an investment of Rs 2 billion for the current fiscal for product development, marketing and sales operations in India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Nepal while it aims to foray into new and emerging markets of Middle East and Africa within the first quarter of 2010–11 financial year. The company is aiming to double its revenues in excess of Rs 24 billion from its operations in the current financial year.