Branding googlies for late entrants

If cricket is a religion in India, the Indian Premier League (IPL) is a coliseum - the ultimate stage for the clash of the titans. In its ninth edition, the country's biggest and most successful sporting property is offering cricket lovers,advertisers and marketers an opportunity to pull their weight behind two new franchises - Gujarat Lions andRising Pune Supergiants (RPS). The debutants are up against established brands such as Kolkata Knight Riders(KKR), Mumbai Indians and Delhi Daredevils who as first movers command a strong legacy and massive fan following.

As late entrants, do Gujarat Lions and RPS have it in them to emerge as challenger brands and up the ante against veterans? What will it take for the rank outsiders to break through the clutter? Are there any brand managementlessons to be learnt from success stories scripted by late entrants in highly competitive markets like fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG), mobiles and automobiles?

"A late entrant has to be substantially superior in quality to make an impact," says professor Seema Gupta, faculty, marketing area, and chairperson, postgraduate programme in enterprise management, IIM-Bangalore.

She points out that ITC entered the FMCG market late with Bingo and succeeded by developing ethnic Indian flavours, and with the help of whacky advertising and a strong distribution network. With IPL, star players will have to lead the brands for the two new entrants. The T20 format is dominated by batsmen, so having an explosive batsman such as Chris Gayle who builds anticipation and hype can help in building brand value. A charismatic skipper can also play a role in building the brand, she adds. In Mahendra Singh Dhoni RPS have made an obvious gain, as fans would wait with bated breath to see if the iconic cricketer can replicate his successes with Chennai Super Kings (CSK) - the team that he captained in the previous editions of IPL.

Brands trying to break through the stranglehold of established players have to add value to the lives of customers. The two new cricketing teams can pick up a lesson or two from Piaggio Vehicles in piercing a crowded market.

The company launched its gearless scooter brand Vespa in 2012, at a time when the market was dominated by Hero Honda Motorcycles and Scooter India. India's two-wheeler market was dominated by mass market brands since these purchases were mainly driven by need-based compulsions. "However, the entry of Vespa truly changed the game and moved the needle on purchase decisions, especially among the youth who in reality are more interested in brands that are dynamic in their personality and essence," explains Stefano Pelle, managing director, Piaggio Vehicles.

Apart from appealing to the refined taste of customers, innovation too helps brands disrupt the market. For Sky Li, president, Oppo India, "Innovation sets you apart in any market. It's the primary USP which clearly helps any brand to make a distinctive mark in a highly competitive and crowded market." The mobile handset player entered India when its market was chock-a-block with high-end, middle-level as well as low-end handset makers. It was up against brands such as Samsung, Apple, Micromax and Intex. However, Oppo made a mark by following a three-pronged game plan - it pursued a camera-focused strategy, introduced cutting-edge technologies like VOOC Flash Charge and offered customers great build quality and after-sales service.

Both Gujarat Lions and RPS are trying to play to their brand strengths. For instance, Gujarat Lions are hopeful of leveraging the star power of its players on and off the field to appeal to fans. Gujarat Lions owner Keshav Bansal says, "As a cricketing team, we are a strong combination of all-rounders. So, fans can expect fireworks on the field. IPL is also a lot about entertainment. We are striving to differentiate ourselves by setting up high standards of hospitality - through unmatched experience for the fans inside the stadium as well as outside it."

To build the excitement around the game and the team, Gujarat Lions have painted their home ground, Rajkot, in orange, the team colour. They have also got a team anthem that attracted 150,000 views on YouTube within two days of its launch.

As late entrants, the real challenge before the two teams is not about building a loyal fan base but doing so rapidly. IPL 2016 teams have struggled to create a large and loyal fan base over a nine-year period, with the exception of the now-disbanded CSK, Mumbai Indians and Kolkata Knight Riders. To overcome this challenge, the two teams need to leverage traditional and digital media to position their "fans" as "connoisseurs" rather than fanatics, and create stories that lend credibility to fine tastes.

Tripti Lochan, chief executive officer, South East Asia and India, VML, says, "The trick lies in converting their late entry tag into a badge of connoisseurs, a statement of good taste. Alcohol brands and perfumes do this well. A limited-edition Jack Daniel's Sinatra Select appeals to more than just the JD loyalists or Sinatra fanatics. It appeals to the regular whisky drinker who is in the market for a unique taste experience, but more importantly offers a choice that earns him some bragging rights."

As per experts, high-decibel media campaigns and sustained consumer education programmes can go a long way in cultivating a new set of consumers. A perfect case in point is the launch of toothpaste brand Sensodyne by GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) in 2010. Charubala Seshadri, area marketing director, ISC oral health, GSK Consumer Healthcare, says, "The market didn't have specialised oral-care products and there was no awareness about tooth sensitivity as a problem among consumers. As a result, no one saw the need for a product with sensitivity-relief benefits."

GSK took the lead in identifying the gap between tooth sensitivity and awareness and its solution, and launched a world-class science-based product to fulfil the consumer need. Similarly, Gujarat Lions and RPS could tickle and satiate the cricket fans' love for the game in their terrains - Rajkot and Pune - by building strong regional communities around their teams.

As late entrants, the duo enjoys a few advantages as well. They know how the game has been played in the past and will be aware of mistakes made by the early movers. "The two teams will try to benefit from external identities like regional affiliation. They have learnt that teams at the bottom of the heap in terms of points or wins were profitable. More than team performance, sewing up right sponsorships in kits, jerseys and in-ground activities will be the key to profitability," says Dr Sanjay Patro, professor of marketing, XLRI-Xavier School of Management, Jamshedpur.

Going by the list of sponsorships and corporate brand associations, the two teams appear to be enjoying a level playing field.

Sanjay Tripathy, senior executive vice-president and head of marketing, analytics, digital and e-commerce, HDFC Life, says, "We are not concerned about RPS being a new team. They have a very strong line-up of great players." Similarly, for Mahesh Gupta, chairman, Kent RO, its association with RPS gives the water purifier brand the perfect opportunity to be seen in the company of Dhoni - the captain cool. Fashion brand Spykar Lifestyles, too, values its association with RPS. "Captain Dhoni is at the centre of everything at the moment. For us, there could not have been a better team and brand association," says Sanjay Vakharia, chief operating officer, Spykar Lifestyles.

Patro gives the late entrants a heads-up on learning by trial. "It's a great opportunity for the two new teams to learn in these two years the skill set and competencies needed to take a call later in 2018, when fresh auctions are held for CSK and Rajasthan Royals. In a way, it is test marketing for the Gujarat Lions and RPS."