IPL or Elections: Who had a better run Outdoors?
The April-June quarter this year is acting as a catalyst for almost every marketing medium, and OOH is no exception. In India, cricket and politics are followed with much passion and enthusiasm, and so, if the country gets a chance to witness the two at the same time, it is an opportunity not to be missed by brands. With two marquee events happening at the same time, revenue is bound to increase multi-fold for the outdoor sector. Fans step out of their homes to experience a cricket match live and voters want to be part of election rallies, making OOH the most visible medium during this time. According to Yuvrraj Agarwaal, Chief Strategy Officer of Laqshya Media, because IPL and elections draw massive public interest, increasing the foot traffic in most of the public spaces, brands want to be a part of the occasion.
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Who wins? Experts suggest IPL seems to have been overshadowed by elections when it comes to advertising outdoors. Dipankar Sanyal, Chief Executive Officer of Platinum Communications. shared, “IPL doesn't fuel too much growth for out-of-home. IPL may lead to just around 1% or less growth for OOH. And that too in Mumbai majorly. Hardly will you find growth in any other place.” “But, keeping the traditional formats of advertising aside, you will find beverage companies doing a lot of non-traditional and activation-led advertising during IPL. They hand out freebies, put up cut-outs, banners and posters at all shops on the way to the stadium, and more,” he added. On the same lines, Nabendu Bhattacharrya, Founder of Ideacafe Agency, said, “IPL will not really add to a very large percentage in terms of growth. It will be maximum 2-3%. This is because it's not the same excitement now.” “When IPL started, you would have seen massive campaigns by all teams. Two years back, when Gujarat Titans was launched, they came up with a massive campaign to introduce themselves. So ultimately, it's about a brand,” explained Agarwaal. “Now, over the years, most of these brands have actually built a very cult following. If you look at their social media engagement, these teams actually enjoy the brand building that has already been achieved,” he elaborated. Agarwaal is of the opinion that the money being spent on OOH campaigns by IPL teams has reduced, but that does not mean that the interest of other brands has gone down. When major events such as IPL and elections happen, it's common for out-of-home advertising to experience increased demand and higher spending from advertisers looking to capitalise on the excitement, according to Jayesh Yagnik, Chief Executive Officer, MOMS Outdoor Media. Both IPL and elections attract significant attention from people, leading to higher foot traffic and viewership. Advertisers may leverage OOH channels to increase visibility and reach their target audience effectively, he added. Yagnik further highlighted that advertisers often plan OOH campaigns to match these events to take advantage of the increased excitement and audience engagement. Creative and impactful OOH ads can leave a strong impression and help people remember the brand during these big events, he added. Bhattacharrya calls top-of-the-mind awareness the major reason for advertisers to invest in OOH during this period. He said, “The biggest feature of the out-of-home media is the top-of-the-mind awareness. The moment you are out, you see it, you memorise it, and it is in your mind all the time, wherever you are going.”
Revenue jump Irrespective of the question about who contributes more between IPL and elections, the increase in total revenue serves as a boon for the OOH industry. According to Agarwaal, on an average, brands may increase their OOH budget 20-25% this year as compared to a normal year. Yagnik added, “Given the popularity and wide reach of both the IPL and elections in India, it's reasonable to expect a notable uptick in OOH advertising expenditure during the April to June quarter. While growth percentages can vary, it wouldn't be surprising to see a double-digit percentage increase compared to non-event quarters.” Speaking specifically about elections, Sanyal shared that all parties put together would spend around Rs 200-250 crore on outdoor media. This would include all billboards, wall painting, and more.
The love for OOH