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Tag: Phil Salt

  • Puma hits it out of the park with fan-first billboard for RCB supporters

    Puma hits it out of the park with fan-first billboard for RCB supporters

    MUMBAI: Bengaluru’s skies just got a sixer’s worth of star power courtesy of RCB fans. As IPL fever tightens its grip on the country, Puma India is taking the fandom game up a notch by putting Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) loyalists on the big screen literally. In a first-of-its-kind digital activation, fans can now appear alongside their cricketing idols on a high-impact billboard in Bengaluru through a unique ‘Fan on a Billboard’ experience.

    The campaign launched ahead of RCB’s home match on April 18, featuring RCB’s biggest names Rajat Patidar, Virat Kohli, Krunal Pandya, Liam Livingstone, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, and Phil Salt. All it takes is a trip to the Puma stores at Indiranagar or Brigade Road, where fans can don their official Puma x RCB jerseys and capture pictures or videos with virtual versions of their heroes in a specially designed photo booth. The cherry on top? Their content gets beamed across the city on a giant digital screen.

    RCB, with over 18 million Instagram followers, recently bagged the title of India’s most-followed cricket franchise. With a billion searches and 12 million social media conversations in 2024 alone, Puma’s campaign taps into a massive well of fan passion and turns it into something unforgettable.

    “At Puma, we’ve always kept the consumer at the center of everything we do, especially when it comes to sport,” said Puma India, director of marketing Shreya Sachdev. “RCB fans are some of the most passionate out there, and this experience is our way of putting them right where they belong next to their heroes. In a world where tech often takes people further apart, we’re using it to do the opposite, bringing fans closer to the game and the players they love,” she added.

    The activation also signals how Out-of-Home (OOH) advertising is evolving in India. According to the Pitch Madison Advertising Report 2025, OOH revenues jumped from Rs 4,140 crore in 2023 to Rs 4,650 crore in 2024 and are expected to grow at 12 per cent in 2025. But Puma’s effort goes beyond static visualsM it’s an immersive, personalised moment on a public canvas, giving fans their 15 seconds of fame, backed by serious tech muscle.

    From turning store names into Puma to honour PV Sindhu, to crafting an anthem from runners’ warm-up sounds, to letting fans “dive” into AI-generated campaigns Puma India has been sprinting ahead in innovation. With the Fan on a Billboard experience, they’ve bowled over cricket lovers once again making sure the fans don’t just wear the jersey, they become part of the game.

  • Navi UPI becomes official UPI partner of RCB for T20 2025

    Navi UPI becomes official UPI partner of RCB for T20 2025

    MUMBAI: Navi UPI has been announced as the official UPI partner of Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) for the T20 2025 season. This collaboration grants Navi UPI users a 24-hour exclusive early access window to book tickets for RCB’s home matches before general sales open.

    RCB, enters the 2025 season with a restructured squad led by Rajat Patidar. With players including Phil Salt, Liam Livingstone, and Bhuvneshwar Kumar, the team is set to make an impact in the highly anticipated 18 edition of the tournament, which will see 10 teams competing across 74 matches from 22 March to 25 May in 13 cities across India.

    Navi Technologies CEO Rajiv Naresh said, “Navi UPI is growing rapidly, and teaming up with RCB was a natural choice given the immense passion for cricket. This partnership allows us to bring fans closer to the game while delivering a seamless digital payment experience.”

    As part of the tie-up, Navi UPI users will receive early access to RCB home match tickets,

    – For the first four matches, early booking opens at 11 am on 18 March, while general sales begin at 11 am on 19 March.

    – For the remaining three matches, early access will be available later in the season, again giving Navi UPI users a 24-hour priority window.

    A dedicated banner on the Navi app will provide direct access to these exclusive tickets. Fans can book by downloading the Navi app, selecting the RCB ticket booking option, choosing their preferred match and ticket category, and completing payment via Navi UPI.

    RCB chief operating officer Rajesh Menon said, “We are excited to collaborate with Navi as our official UPI partner. This aligns perfectly with our vision to enhance fan engagement through seamless and innovative experiences.” 

  • Sponsorships yielding better results during IPL – CrispInsight’s eDART-IPL24 study

    Sponsorships yielding better results during IPL – CrispInsight’s eDART-IPL24 study

    MUMBAI: A new research report has revealed that throwing cash at just traditional TV spots during the IPL might not be the most effective way to go if an advertiser wants to hop onto this high impact property.

    The eye-opening study from CrispInsight’s eDART-IPL24, in partnership with Kadence International, suggests brands would be better off plumping for sponsorships and stadium branding rather than just splurging on conventional commercials  alone without any connect with what’s going on in the game or or in the studio.

    “Sponsorships and strategic brand placements are proving to be just as powerful, if not more, than traditional advertising in high-impact events like IPL,” declared CrispInsight founder Ritesh Ghosal, who’s clearly not one to mince words.

    Despite over 100 brands scrapping for eyeballs during last year’s tournament, only a handful – Jio, Tata Group, Slice, BKT, and Paytm – aced it with top-of-mind recall. The kicker? None relied on just traditional telly commercials to make their mark.

    The report exposed a gaping disconnect between GRP (gross rating points) spend and actual brand recall. While Dream11 led the pack with a 37.7 per cent recall from 1,730 GRPs, some big spenders found themselves caught behind – gutka brand Vimal splashed out on 3,016 GRPs but limped home with a measly 2.4 per cent recall.

    “IPL is one of the most competitive advertising platforms,” noted Aman Makkar of Kadence International. “Standing out requires more than just high ad spends.”

    With IPL ad rates now requiring the GDP of a small nation, savvy marketers are discovering that non-FCT strategies – team sponsorships, on-screen placements, and stadium branding – keep brands in the spotlight long after the commercials fade to black.

    As the 2025 season looms large, the message is crystal clear: it’s not about how much money you throw at the IPL – it’s about where you pitch it.