Can IPL5 make a comeback for advertisers?

After four editions of the IPL that went successfully for advertisers, the last one saw a decline of 40% in average viewership from 5 to a little over 3 in TRP ratings. With 160 mln viewers expected this year again across the 70 odd matches, the sponsors may not lack visual display opportunities but add on advertisers esp those who pay match day list prices may not be willing to keep the budget for IPL5. that’s still 5 mln people per game in this countruy of 1.1 bln with 500 mln Tv Sets (300 mln  TV households )

Global sports brands like the Superbowl will also be looking at lower aud

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ience participation this year , even the NBA restricted to a smaller schedule. Only the premier league has managed the usual 200 mln plus audiences other than a disappointing Liverpool year for Stanchart, and the Top 3 moving down, viewership kept up nby new teams like QPR and our own Venky’s Blackburn.

Chennai of course will not be primary this year both Srikanth and Dhoni having stolen sponsor dollars with their non performance outside India and irreparably damaged the Superkings brand for some. There will still be Indians, Gayle force , unless he has retired, Royal Challengers and others.

Sponsors and ad buyers may also split budgets from the IPL 5 this year in favor of the Diwali F1 extravaganza and SET MAX might not hang on to list prices on the card for long. Last year the rates had jumped between 500k to 900k per 10 seconds, from 300k per 10 seconds in the opening year. Superbowl spots still retail for a $1 mln per spot

The latest edition of the IPL starts two months after Superbowl Sunday.

Also read our Superbowl opener for Marketers
Are you ready for Indy? | Superbowl XLVI | Social Media and New Markets http://bit.ly/villendy

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• ‘IPL not responsible for poor India show’ (cricketnext.in.com)
• Cannavaro, Pires, Fowler, Crespo, Okocha all likely to be a part of India’s football IPL (tribalfootball.com)
• The Ipl 2012 Pledges And Requirements (microphone-film.net)
• IPL 2012 Live: Will Chris Gayle Play For Bangalore? (sbnation.com)
• IPL V starts on April 4 in Chennai (thehindu.com)

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Toons are back, Steelers | Advantage Brands

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“I have a confession to make, Wabbit! said I. to which the rabbit did not reply, But I have not spent that much time on the great XLV this time around as a lot of the injuries and the “wok” in other markets kept me away( a lot of that was lack of work – hint) It seemingly does not matter to anyone as it is Marvin the Martian taking on Nike Jordan amidst all the cars ( Check the Advantage Brands home at brands.advantages.us) and that drunk creäture bobbing ( if you take all the 5 Bud ads, the creäture would be the Bud can, which they can still animate if they want) its head in pride place.

The Superbowl seems to have sobered up with Go Daddy seeming inconsequential and not just Marvin the Martian but Marvel Comics itself bringing America’s family heroes to the couch in between all the 1st downs and turnovers which let Aaron Rodgers think if he has anyone left in the team to use his talent ( hint Packers vs Steelers) Of course the game might be tough with the Green Bay Packers working on their defense but the advertising has definitely got more heart in it. Avoid the viral stuff, is our last recommendation for this piece. Thanks Capt America fans for coming to the Superbowl.

Go Steelers!

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Who is shopping for services in India AND China online?

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You must have noticed thru the two years of Advantage social / Advantage zyaada/ Advantage Brands our use of content systems from the blogverse has been incidental and for rebuilding social capital

Google in fact does realise that and does not list our analyses in blog pages, listing it in the main search results pages..one of the popular ones with both bing and google and Facebook being “Bank results season” others of course almost all business topics with Advantages.us before and after it. Twitterone has survived too. the purpose of the catcalls – to look for the needle in the haystack, the paying proposition…thence the title of this piece. Though bloggyish, this post also will not be a narrative of my travails and tribulations much so because that would at best be a paying blog/blogger and i am trying to harness the social web and the global financial markets with a bigger idea. I am of course catching the most picky topics so many brands have done exactly the things i liked or “asked” them to do and so did many sports rise in the social world so most of my readers do have an instant opportunity to become instant competitors when they come across the right words to launch their inner demon ( the good guy, the achiever) from the millions on offer. But the thornier question is to find the way to profits and greenbacks while creating and preserving profits and brands for you without resorting to the flailing tactics of the hitherto Wall Street champion, WSJ or even the Pearson media property the FT.

The digital media of iPad, Kindle or the web properties of Facebook and Twitter are closer to the utopia but even these cannot claim to have it good in that cradle of human consumption for the next two decades. Oreos and Mac and Cheese might still have a better chance than the digital business models in getting paying customers here in Asia. And there in, lies my pain..

For others who have the funding and the people to back the ideas, they might consider the following as essential requirements in selling services on this side of the sunshine line:

1. A value proposition that does not need anything more than a bare visit to the property to prove its worth. India and China consumers and corporate customers are very much concerned with the intuitive buy in and not reams of proposals and analysis

2. An ability to continuously deliver a paying surprise. Services products especially need to withstand the torment of time and patience and produce winners like clockwork, like your sports stars we’d rather buy a daily Venus Williams than a once an Olympics Agassi..

3. Find a paying club to back you. Individuals and Credit Card customers are unlikely to buy more than groceries or laptops, offices, resident associations and even midwives clubs are more likely to buy subscriptions, consulting services or even taxi services. ( fleets just have to charge lesser than a taxi to sign up, and they’ve hardly done anything else anywhere else in the globe)

The caveats are many and stay the same much because of entrants like the WSJ and Apple:

!. Most global services/ design brands end up looking at a premium/luxury niche alone in these markets – Great for profits but still not likely to tap even 5% of the Consumption club in these countries across the new towns, the boom towns and the always forever towns

2. Do a little soul-searching when you do your staffing..Most global services brands make more than a few costly hiring mistakes when they come in the open door and it is difficult to overturn these later..typically a lot of European brands could attest to such an experience ( and Kraft of course 🙂 )

3. Go on a media binge – it pays. IT’s ok in the caveats, really. That is the lesson early advantage seekers may have learnt already. This market rewards public presence tremendously. Get good PR and make it work continuously. Buy more advertising, just to sell the name for a few first months and then for the services ideally. The caveat – these markets can be very suspicious of a name they have just heard and reward the competitor who irrespective of product or service quality is louder and more lucrative for the distributors

4. last but not the least, despite the lower likelihood of unemployment, the number of free hangers-on who will never write a word for or against you or actually analyse their own pronouncements before making them will stay in the high millions for every trusted advisor you sign here. WOM – what’s that?

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Of IPL Stakes and the inherent brand valuation | Advantage Sports

Kings Punjab XI has more reports to file but the buyers are prepared to pay $300million for their 93% stake and get Preity Zinta as an ambassador for 7% stake as a partner. In the meantime, while India Cements has audited its stake in Chennai Super Kings for a brand valuation of $1 billion presumably based on the performance of the team in these three years. Of course, tho monetise this brand value the owners have to take the call to sell a stake to private parties or the public or leverage it as collateral to raise some serious financing for Cricket or for its own businesses.

Nevertheless, the difference between the two valuations shows a variation in brand perception and thence the methodology used to show case the brand value especially for a sports brand with high emotional attachments. The second valuation of course is not contingent to any deal but nevertheless holds value in terms of merchandise sales, gate and sponsorship receipts and also for conducting business with the owners in any area of cricket/ sports and business.

Also why limit Franchise valuations to annual sponsorship and gate receipts. Brand Valuation has to span the entire lifetime of the brand and each franchise is today averaging around $30 to $38 m in tangible revenues that translate to a $375 mn brand value at the very minimum. Also currently most have been financed by equity and convertibles but once the intangible value is showcased ( and we are ready to do the job with or without E&Y/PWC we can prefer more knowledge on the subject. As one Brand valuation methodology mentions ( inangiblebusiness.com) CSK captain Dhoni alone earns $37 m in endorsements, $10million a year and he is a part of Chennai Super Kings

Credit Agricole pulls out Ad campaign for France | Advantage Sports

In a startling development, sponsors of the French soccer team, Credit Agricole pulled out their TV campaign celebrating the French Soccer team after the team performed abysmally and as the sponsors put it  – “is embattled in controversy”

The team’s corporate sponsors have held conference calls to voice their anger at the players’ refusal to train.

There are very few active sponsors out there who take pains to step on to the field and some may still debate whether they have such a role to play , in any sport. However Corporate sponsors and budgets are an important part of the team’s brand and they need to carry a fiduciary responsibility, to be executed in a formal role withe the team. It may seem opportune here that this might happen thru an existing sports functionary on the team. Similar fracas in IPL with team owners or the clubby nature of teams in NFL or the NBA show light on the critical role team owners and sponsors play.

However sports persons are right in their sometimes standoffish stance to these entreaties  in that this role is sprung on them and typically on a bad day. Though formal processes are over hyped and narrow in approach, sports persons can’t be expected to absorb the role of the sponsor/owner as and when it happens and debates on such interventions during disruptive climes are warranted.

In this particular case as well, there will be popular support for the action and sports officials will be on the wrong side arguing for the sake of argument or apologising for their poor performance in front of a theatrical act. It may now become important for everyone to assume the important role of corporate sponsor into the team’s fabrc and provide a discerning option for sponsors and/or corporate owners that want to distance themselves from the game.

While we were tempted to carry this opinion in our financial research streams, we thought it wise to let the game go on without this undue stress.

Ft.com

Sponsorship and TV rights of the French national team are worth €70m ($86.3m), according to Les Echos. The team sponsors are retailer Carrefour, utility provider GDF Suez, Crédit Agricole, SFR, the telecoms company, and sport goods maker Adidas.

And China never qualified

In a eerie blast of icy change, today’s LA Times blogs carry Asian stories prominently leading with rural BPO in India and blogging about how Soccer is still alien to China. Knowing our asian brethre, they wouldn’t be far behind next time in Rio..

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Soccer Aid for Social Champions | Advantage Sports

Live Aid Pioneers inspired Robbie Williams to start this charity game for the English Team vs the Rest of the World. Every year it raises $3 million dollars though yesterday’s game saw Rest of the World team beat England at Old Trafford. The Soccer Aid game includes quiz shows etc and is held biennially, the next in 2012 and then on the eve of the 2014 Rio World Cup.

SA is generating revenues form second tier national sponsors and some more local sponsors while FIFA agreements have been discussd earlier in a April preview.

Football Clubs still value at more than $500m for the top 3-4 clubs but most from Italy and Spain ( Inter Milan / Barca )

New infrastructure in Jo’burg includes revamped Soccer City and Ellis Park stadiums at a cost of R$ (ZAR) 1 billion each and redesigned slums near the Ellis Park area..A dozen odd stadiums with a min capacity of 50K will play host starting Friday

Coca Cola is continuing the Open Happiness campaign at least in Asia during the Cup with a lot of pubs in the region stymied by the midnight games

It’s in the beer | Advantage Soccer

The sport that is watched by 200 million people well ahead of any other sports fest, even as Asia tunes on bleary eyed and US watches in hope of being called into the ring.

But it’s orbit is equally and more so defined by Beer and Coca Cola. YOU ARE YOUNG! Drink Up. [I am a great fan of the beer in question..Here’s to FIFA World Cup, Germany and Brazil]

The Jay Leno Show and Nielsen

Tv is back. Where did it go, you ask me? Well ask their accountants and they’ve had some sordid tales to tell these last few years. Not to mention the confusion over network signing up cable channels and disowning them even when big days like Oscars were around. Takeovers of NBC by a Cable Company. Fraud at another. superbowl sales being watched like a hawk for tell tale signs of recession. GM not signing some of its sports sponsorships again. Banks out of their favorite sports sponsorships. They all dealt a huge blow to Tv even as the side show on Pay walls continues to fuel the game of ad revenues versus content sponsorship..the latter being a concept we all want but with no way to monetize it. From the days of Buddy Holly when Cadillac Records showed the World how to mint money from music, everything else and music have been on show on Tv, on the networks. You reach audiences of 40 million across runs, re-runs and DVR recordings for time shifted viewing.

Jay Leno got ahead of Conan simply because the audiences wanted to call it a day earlier and now by September Conan will be back…$30 million a year for another Saturday Night Live..Viewers outside the US fall for Soap and Sports but also more business news content thant Stand up comedy, but that just shows they haven’t seen enough Tv yet..And then there is a dozen of those reality TV shows like American Idol and $6 billion from CBS to broadcast NCAA Basket ball for 11 years for ..behold.. 96 teams.

Here’s the amazing takeaway from a piece of Nielsen History

When Arthur Nielsen introduced the Audimeter (his first metering device) in 1936, there were only about 200 television sets in use worldwide. When the Nielsen national TV measuring service was established in 1950, the average American household that owned a television had only one set and received three network telecasts.

Also these American only contnet or Indian only Content all spliced by one You Tube and one google.com..enough ofr a lifetime of internecine fighting and back biting..with Jay Leno at 10 p.m. Content will win, not advertising.