MAM
Zee Sports to spend Rs 70 million on marketing Indian football
MUMBAI: A month after acquiring the rights for India football from the All India Football Federation (AIFF), Zee Sports is going all out to promote the sport that it believes has in the past not been given the desired marketing thrust.
The channel has earmarked Rs 70 million towards marketing the event in the first year, Zee Sports vice president marketing Gaurav Seth tells Indiantelevision.com. The campaign, which kicked off earlier this month, will last till May.
Zee Sports is also exploring the option of a brand ambassador, says Seth. The person chosen could be from the world of Bollywood, Indian television or even football. He ruled out choosing a cricketer for the role.
Zee Sports has also created a cheerleading team called the ZeeBras. Says Seth, “The point of the campaign is to asociate football with glamour. The sport needs a facelift in India. For this purpose we have created a cheerleading team called the ZeeBras. This squad of eight girls is being featured in our outdoor campaign and also in print ads.” The print campaign kicks off today 17 October.
“The ZeeBras is a take of from how sport is pushed in America. Cheerleading squads play a major role in motivating fans interest. In India we will also be having screenings in pubs in Mumbai, Delhi and Bangalore. We believe that football is one sport that has huge potential to grow in these cities apart from Goa, Kerala and West Bengal where it is already huge. In Goa we will be having mobile vans visiting youth hangouts like nightclubs, malls and cineplexes. The aim is to spread the message about the Federation Cup and get people to come to the stadiums. We will be taking football players and the ZeeBras squad to these spots to build up interest,” adds Seth.
The first event of the Federation Cup takes place in Goa from 19-30 October 2005. The next tournament is the Santosh Trophy which takes place at the end of next month.
Zee Sports has tied up with radio station Red FM to push the event. There will be score updates and also RJs mentioning the event. Zee Sports has also created a microsite on Indian football. Here visitors can get profiles of the players and clubs as well as match schedules.
Zee Sports is also hoping to create stars out of key players. The on air campaign is being done keeping this in mind. In the long term, the channel is hoping that the marketing push will result in fans supporting individual clubs.
Brands
Axis Bank named Official Banking Partner of DP World PGTI
Partnership supports all tournaments this season to grow professional golf in India.
MUMBAI: Axis Bank just teed up a hole-in-one partnership because when a bank sponsors golf’s biggest swing in India, even the fairways feel more financially secure. Axis Bank has been appointed Official Banking Partner of the DP World Professional Golf Tour of India (DP World PGTI), strengthening its commitment to sporting excellence and community engagement while backing the growth of professional golf across the country.
Under the partnership, Axis Bank will support all DP World PGTI tournaments this season, contributing to talent development, enhanced tournament experiences and wider fan engagement. The collaboration aligns the bank’s values of precision, discipline and trust with the Tour’s focus on performance and opportunity.
Axis Bank executive director Munish Sharda said, “We are pleased to partner with DP World PGTI as its Official Banking Partner. Golf embodies precision, discipline, and a pursuit of excellence qualities that strongly reflect who we are at Axis Bank. This association also strengthens our engagement with India’s growing premium customer segments, where the sport has a deep and enduring connect.”
Professional Golf Tour of India president Kapil Dev said, “We are extremely pleased to welcome Axis Bank as a Tour Partner of the DP World Professional Golf Tour of India. Partnerships of this stature play a vital role in strengthening the foundation of the Tour, enhancing opportunities for our players, and expanding the sport’s reach across the country.”
Professional Golf Tour of India CEO Amandeep Johl added, “Axis Bank’s strong legacy of excellence, innovation, and nationwide reach aligns perfectly with DP World PGTI’s goal to elevate professional golf in India and provide greater opportunities for our players.”
In a sport where every stroke counts and every partnership drives distance, Axis Bank isn’t just backing golfers, it’s investing in the fairway to future, turning India’s greens into a stage where precision meets passion and every drive has the power to inspire.
