The IPL isn’t all about brand visibility

Amid the struggle for brand visibility during the Indian Premier League (IPL) – on TV, on shirts, on grounds – there is a tendency to underplay audio, but the growing popularity of podcasts, in particular, offers an alternative route for canny marketers to reach younger consumers.

Why it matters

Spotify, the music streaming platform that has moved into podcasts in recent years, highlights an affinity between sport and music. And its own data shows that 87% of IPL fans on the platform are Gen Z or millennials. 

Most of those feel that audio is the most immersive form of media, the Economic Times reports, while 69% say they actively like audio advertising because it lets them use their imagination.

Takeaways

• From 2020 to 2021, there was a 113% increase in cricket-related streams on the platform.
• IPL teams have started official podcasts that go behind the scenes; podcast sponsors can utilise in-show branding, player shoutouts and even team’s social media handles (as in the case of Rajasthan Royals).
• Attuned as they are to audio commentary – listening to the progress of a three-hour IPL game while doing other things is often more practical than watching it – cricket fans tend to be more receptive to audio advertising.
• Spotify claims to offer 7% more incremental reach among Gen Z and millennial audiences, compared to TV and audio, and says its cricket-loving users are “high-intent customers”. 

Sourced from Economic Times [Image: IPL]