NEW DELHI: Hyundai expects to spend around Rs 2 billion over the next five years on promoting cricket, which works out to around 25 to 30 per cent of its total ad spend.
Hyundai Motor India general manager for advertising G Sanjay told indiantelevision.com that around 70 per cent of this would go into television and rest into print, online and other advertising. He also said his company promoted only cricket among sports as Indians were passionate about this game.
Sanjay said Hyundai had worked out several ways to market the ICC Cricket World Cup including merchandising and free offers. People taking test drives on the Hyundai i10 would be eligible to two tickets, and those buying a car will get the tickets and other merchandise including a cricket set and T-shirts. There will also be lucky draw for those purchasing tickets.
Speaking on the sidelines of a meet where Hyundai announced its tie-up with ICC Cricket World Cup as the official car partner for five years till 2015, he said one decked-up car in the three metros of Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai will go around the city from 10 to 16 February with two white cricket balls on top to promote the Cup. These balls will then be flown to Dhaka prior to the opening match. Each car has been specially painted with all the National colours of the participating teams and emblem of the Cup.
He said the special Hyundai ICC Cricket anthem rendered by Shaan on the theme ‘We’re Game’ and released today will be part of the television advertising.
He said in reply to a question that ten brands were involved in the ground advertising. These included Hyundai, LG, Hero Honda, Reliance, Pepsi, Castrol, Reebok, Yahoo and Moneygram. The two on air sponsors were Nokia and Sony with six associate sponsors that included LG and Hero Honda.
He said Hyundai had still not decided its programme with regard to the Indian Premier League. The ICC was an India-led phenomenon while IPL was more domestic.
He said Hyundai preferred to promote its products through business and news channels rather than general entertainment channels.
Addressing the press meet earlier, Marketing and Sales Director Arvind Saksena said the amount to be spent on cricket year to year could vary and would be decided at the time of the event.
This also depended on the format – one-dayers, T-20 etc. Women’s World Cup, and the number of teams playing each year.
Hyundai will also set up Hyundai Fan Parks with large TV sets where customers could gather to see the matches, enjoy refreshments and win tickets.
The press meet was also addressed by Hyundai MD and CEO H W Park, and International Cricket Council chief executive Haroon Lorgat.
