IPL 2020: Mumbai Indians’ engagement strategy for its MI Paltan is above par
As the battle royal for the IPL 2020 crown begins in tomorrow, Adgully takes a look at how the IPL franchise teams are engaging with their fans and drawing up their communication strategies in COVID-19 times. The first live Indian sports event during the pandemic, the Indian Premier League 2020 is being seen as a harbinger of ad spend revival and big lifting of consumer spirits, especially after a very dismal and subdued first half of 2020.
Also read: BKT Tires Partners with Reigning Champions Mumbai Indians ahead of Season 13
Over the last 13 editions, IPL has become one of the biggest cricketing tournaments in the world and a major platform for brands. This year, the tournament has been delayed by several months due to the pandemic, but there is a happy overlapping with the festive season in India, thus giving brands and marketers the much needed boost.
Four-time IPL champions Mumbai Indians is arguably the most successful team amongst all the other franchises today. However, the initial years of IPL were not too good for the men in Blue and Gold, with the team not even making it to the playoff stage of the tournament. But over the years, the team hauled itself, got onboard experienced players like Sachin Tendulkar, Harbajan Singh, Keiran Pollard and Lasith Malinga, and achieved IPL glory. By 2013, Anil Kumble, Jonty Rhodes and Sachin Tendulkar had become excellent source of advice for the team. With Rohit Sharma leading the team there on, Mumbai Indians won their first IPL tournament that year and since then have won three more titles.
Here are some fun facts about the Mumbai Indians:
- While they are the only team with 4 IPL titles, Mumbai Indians are also the first to win 100 games in the IPL.
- They are the most expensive franchise with valuation of over $112 million.
- They are also the most viewed team with a viewership of over 240 million.
- Mumbai Indians were originally going to be called Mumbai Razors, which is still depicted as a Sudarshan Chakra in their logo. However, Sachin Tendulkar thought otherwise, which resulted in the name change.
Defending champions set an example
Mumbai Indians will be taking on Chennai Super Kings in the opening match of IPL 2020 tomorrow (September 19). While the pandemic has resulted in the tournament being held under unusual circumstances, Mumbai Indians has stayed strong, has also got onboard several sponsors and has been strong in terms of fan engagement.
Samsung and Colors were announced as the Principle Sponsors for team, while the Associate sponsors include Jio, Marriot Bonvoy, and Astral Pipes. The team also has a long list of official sponsors, which include Dairy Milk, Usha, Dream11, Colgate, Myntra and many others.
Mumbai Indians had also announced that they will be leading the way with special virtual engagement initiatives specifically for the ‘MI Paltan’. Following their motto of One Family, these digital initiatives focus on bringing a wholesome experience for the fans.
MI Live is a concept where fans are welcomed to Mumbai Indians’ live studio show from their homes. The Mumbai Indians-specific live show will invite fans to be a part of a pre-, mid- and post-match show, which is interactive and light-hearted.
Paltan Play, in association with Samsung, is a second screen experience game, which allows participants to play and compete against each other on Mumbai Indians match days. Fans can analyse an ongoing MI match and predict the number of runs to be scored and wickets to be taken per over.
Virtual Wankhede is an innovative concept by Mumbai Indians, in association with Myntra, where the MI Paltan is provided with an opportunity to cheer for their team alongside fellow supporters connected virtually.
MI Buddy is an interactive AI powered WhatsApp bot, which will deliver Mumbai Indians-related information on demand for fans on their mobile devices.
Mumbai Indians have focused on extensively interacting with the fans to keep the spirits alive and also showcased the legacy of the team through some iconic moments of the team over the years.
Here’s how Mumbai Indians has kept their Paltan excited for the season ahead:
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