MAM
WC win could boost India ODI rates by 20 per cent
MUMBAI: With Dhoni‘s men being crowned World Champions, the cricket economy is set for an upward swing as India has a heavy calendar this year.
ODIs stand to benefit the most, with some experts forecasting ad rates on live telecast to be 20 per cent more than normal times for the succeeding two series.
“Advertisers will want to ride the current wave. This will be the reverse of what happened in 2007 when the cricket economy collapsed for a bit after India suffered an early exit. Advertisers now might devote more of their budget towards cricket,” says a sports marketing expert who did not want his name to be revealed.
In a cricket heavy year, India plays around 20 ODIs till January 2012.
The India tour of England on ESPN Star Sports is expected to get a lift due to the good timing. “The West Indies series (on Ten cricket) might not see that much of a gain as the timing is an issue. Once these get over, the monies spent thereafter will depend on India‘s performance. But for the next two to three series, advertisers will approach sports channels wanting to be a part of the momentum,” says a media buyer.
Interestingly, India will play both home and away series against West Indies and England.
While there is a series every month, there will be clients who advertise due to competitive pressure. “The good news is that so far we have not seen any signs of viewer fatigue. I don‘t see this being an issue unless India‘s performance dips sharply,” the media buyer adds.
Another media buyer notes that more advertisers might come into the sport over the next few months. “There will be a premium paid here and there. At the same time, it is not that clients will stop spending on other genres,” she says.
She notes that for brands involved with the World Cup, there has been a big rub off in terms of brand loyalty and perception.
“The performance has been spectacular. Companies in categories like telecom already do a lot around cricket. This will continue. In some cases, this could intensify,” she says.
One company that should benefit in a big way is Sony. It used Dhoni in its ads and also was a top advertiser on ESPN Star Sports.
Will Multi Screen Media (MSM), the IPL‘s official broadcaster, gain from the World Cup victory?
“There will be no impact as MSM has pre-sold the IPL. We expect the Champions Twenty20 League later this year not to benefit much from the World Cup as ratings have been low,” says a media buyer.
MAM
Dish TV shareholders approve three independent directors
99.49 per cent vote of confidence strengthens board as company expands into connected TV, e-commerce and OTT.
MUMBAI: Dish TV has just been served a near-perfect vote of confidence and the shareholders have dished it out in style. Shareholders of the DTH operator have approved the appointment of three new Independent Directors with an overwhelming 99.49 per cent approval. The three appointees are Mr Arun Kumar Kapoor, Ms Heena Naishadh Bhatt and Mr Ashok Anant Paranjpe.
The strong mandate reflects continued investor faith in the company’s strategy, disciplined execution and long-term value creation. It comes as Dish TV focuses on stabilising its core DTH business while actively scaling new verticals connected TV platform VZY, B2B e-commerce ShopZop, and OTT service Watcho to build a more diversified and resilient growth trajectory.
Dish TV India Limited, CEO & executive director Manoj Dhobhal said, “We are encouraged by the shareholders’ approval of the appointment of the Independent Directors and sincerely thank them for their continued trust and confidence. The Board is already benefiting from the Directors’ collective experience, which will further sharpen strategic focus and support disciplined execution.”
With a fresh, strengthened board in place, Dish TV is well positioned to navigate the evolving media landscape. In a sector where every percentage point matters, a 99.49 per cent thumbs-up is the kind of ringing endorsement that suggests the company’s recipe for the future is already tasting right.
