As cricket fans wait for the start of the 2023 Men’s ODI World Cup next week, advertising on the property is gaining traction. According to media industry insiders, spot advertising rates for India matches and knockout matches on Star Sports have more than doubled since the 2019 Cricket World Cup, reaching Rs 30 lakh per 10 seconds. Star Sports is part of the Disney Star network, which is broadcasting the tournament on TV and digital this year.
Disney+ Hotstar is also going for the kill, since the tournament will be broadcast for free on mobile devices. The asking rate on digital for the 2023 Cricket World is Rs 230-250 per thousand impressions or cost per mille (CPM), say media industry sources. This again is 64-67% higher than the digital rate during the 2019 Cricket World Cup, which was around Rs 140-150 per thousand impressions.
A mail sent to Disney Star elicited no response till the time of going to press. But media experts say that the 2023 Cricket World Cup is happening during the Dusshera-Diwali period, which has excited advertisers.
On Monday, the broadcaster said that there was a 34% growth in television ratings for the Asia Cup 2023, compared to 2018. Quoting data from the Broadcast Audience Research Council of India (BARC), Disney Star said a record 266 million viewers tuned in to the Star Sports live broadcast of the tournament, excluding the final match held on September 17. India emerged the Asia Cup winners for the eighth time, defeating defending champions Sri Lanka by 10 wickets.
Total viewing time for the tournament increased by 75% compared to the previous edition in 2018, with over 73.5 billion minutes watched, excluding the final match, Disney Star said.
“The festive period is a time when advertisers do loosen their purse strings. The cricket season has given a fillip to the festive quarter this year,” says Sajal Gupta, chief executive officer at Gurugram-based Kiaos Marketing.
According to media industry estimates, almost Rs 2,500 crore of advertising money is riding on the ODI Men’s World Cup this year, nearly twice the amount spent four years ago. Among the sponsors who’ve tied up with the Disney Star network for the Cricket World Cup this year include Mahindra & Mahindra, Hindustan Unilever, Coca-Cola, Nerolac Paints, Dream11, Amazon and United Breweries, media industry sources said.
Disney Star is in discussions with more companies as advertiser interest continues to remain high in the property. The broadcaster is targeting both rural and urban consumers using a combination of television and digital, it has told media agency executives in its presentations to them. The broadcaster has also offered over 75 targeting options for advertisers, based on demographics, geography and language among other parameters. This will be rolled out on TV and digital.
“We see a strong synergistic resonance between our SUVs and Tractor brands and the vibrant spirit of Indian cricket. Through this sponsorship and our upcoming engagement activities, we aim to create cherished memories and strong bonds with our customers,” Rajesh Jejurikar, executive director & CEO (Auto & Farm Sectors), Mahindra & Mahindra, said in a statement.
Coca-Cola has already unveiled its Cricket World Cup campaign for Brand Thums Up this month, featuring Team India players Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj and Team India captain Rohit Sharma.
The campaign called ‘Thums Up Utha, India India Macha’ focuses on the relentless determination of players, Arnab Roy, vice-president, marketing, Coca-Cola India and South West Asia, said.