My11Circle, the fantasy cricket platform, took everyone by surprise last year by associating with a new IPL franchise Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) as an official title sponsor.

This time, My11Circle has come up with a line-up of fan engagement campaigns that includes a second prize worth Rs 1 crore. The first prize is still a secret.

IPL and fantasy cricket have a nearly 100% overlap in their TG. This is one of the reasons why the company has been spending half of its marketing budget on IPL alone, which is supposed to be the most attractive advertising platform with over 300 million viewers.

Saroj Panigrahi, Senior Vice-President of My11Circle, spoke to e4m about his current strategy around IPL and the road ahead.

Excerpts:

On ROI expectations

Given the popularity of cricket and the following that IPL enjoys in the country, it offers us a great opportunity to engage with new and existing consumers. Our experience with IPL through our title sponsorship of the Lucknow Super Giants as well as our innovative marketing campaigns has allowed us to form a stronger connection with our players.

Our platform witnessed a growth of over 30% in the last IPL and we are positive that with the increased visibility for My11Circle this cricket season, we will see it further boost player presence on our platform.

On consumer engagement

IPL season always offers a fantastic opportunity to connect with our consumer base. We have our brand ambassadors in our different successful campaigns and players can connect with them easily and therefore helping us leverage the tournament better.

Last year our IPL campaign generated excellent engagement with gamers. This year we plan on going even bigger and have launched an exciting master campaign 'bade se bada' as well as a couple of engaging series 'Out of the Park' and 'Locker Room Stories' that will allow fans to get up close and personal with their favourite cricketers. Our campaigns are crafted with the intent to offer a unique proposition, which helps us stay engaged with our community of gamers and at the same time offer a rewarding experience on the platform.

On marketing and creative strategy

In terms of creative strategy, our campaign is a tip-of-the-hat to 'The Giants', as can be seen in the films where our brand ambassadors play larger-than-life roles, tying in beautifully with the maximized experience that My11Circle offers for fantasy gamers.

The creative campaign is focused on building intrigue and excitement amongst fans in what the first prize would be this year. In an unconventional twist, we're going no holds barred in promoting the second prize, leaving fans guessing what the first prize would be.

There is an exciting line-up of campaign films where we have Sourav Ganguly, Arshdeep Singh, Mohammed Siraj, Ruturaj Gaikwad, and Shubman Gill who are the brand ambassadors for My11Circle, donning the roles of larger-than-life figures that symbolize My11Circle offering for this season. Campaigns such as ‘Bade Se Bada’, ‘Locker Room Stories’, and ‘Out of the Park’ feature numerous videos that will all bring a unique experience for the fans and keep them entertained throughout the season.

On IPL media spend

IPL offers the largest cohort of the cricket-loving audience. Anyone over the age of 18, who has an interest in sports is going to be able to enjoy the My11Circle experience and so it’s one of the biggest properties for us to engage with. Nearly half of our marketing spends are focused on the IPL season.

On agency partners

Our creative partners are The Script Room and the films have been shot by seasoned and award-winning director, Vasan Bala. Our media agency is Essence Mediacom. Digital is entirely in-house.

On plans outside the IPL

The sporting landscape today offers us many opportunities to connect with fantasy sports enthusiasts as over the last few years a lot of new leagues have been introduced in the country, including the WPL, which is bringing new excitement in the fantasy sports arena.

India is also hosting the ICC World Cup later this year and we will be looking at these high-octave sporting events to engage with the fantasy gaming community with a focus on rewarding gamers for their skill and expertise.

We've recently onboarded Arshdeep Singh in our fantastic roster of brand ambassadors and will continue to explore partnerships that excite our fans. We also have consistent in-app engagement as well as social media marketing to build deeper connections with our gamers.

On expansion plans

New technologies such as 5G coming in with ultra-high bandwidth, metaverse where players can engage with fans, and increased penetration of smartphones have helped in enabling online gaming to introduce exciting and immersive experiences.

At My11Circle, we are also looking at optimizing the experiences to enhance user engagement. We will also be focusing on sports other than cricket that are popular among fans in the country, including football and kabaddi.