#SSIPWatch: Gujarat Titans Branding Strategy - Arvinder Singh on winning on and off the field

As we close in on the final innings of IPL Season 2023, we do a run-up with Arvinder Singh, Gujarat Titans on branding strategy and know how the team manages to stay at the top of the leaderboard outside the field.

Gujarat Titans, one of the prominent teams in the Indian Premier League (IPL) ranked #1 currently on the leaderboard, has made a significant impact off the field too with a robust branding strategy and a stalwart line-up of sponsors and partners.

This in-depth feature explores the team's social media strategy, players' popularity, sponsors, and overall brand value, highlighting the elements that made the team a household name despite only being in the second season since its inception. We understand the mind behind this brand value, in conversation with Colonel Arvinder Singh, Chief Operating Officer, Gujarat Titans.

The Branding Strategy

The promotional assets and the branding strategy remain at par with the stature Gujarat Titans has built on the field as the defending champions, the team has built a loyal and growing community of supporters on various social media platforms.

As a team in a major sporting league in India, substantial efforts are exhausted on winning the league and staying ahead of the competition, but a considerable portion of efforts also go into building the brand that is the representation of the team. Discussing the strategy to become the most 'engaging franchise in the league,' Col. Singh states "The fan is at the heart of whatever we do."

He takes us back to the time when the franchise was recently launched and he engraved this statement in the brand DNA. "We are very conscious of the fact of what we stand for as a franchise, and what is going to drive us as a franchise, and this is all-encompassing, whatever we do, whether it's on the field or off the field, what is going to drive this franchise."

He further explains how the brand strategy culminates, and mentions the process is out to in and not "in to out", which is 10-15 people in a room sitting and deciding "let's do this because it sounds good to do or because somebody has done it earlier".

The objective of this strategy is not restricted to the engagement perspective, it is not with the intention of seeing how many likes or how many comments, or how many people is it reaching. "It has more to do with the quality of content that is being put out", he shares.

Col. says he doesn't like to use the word fans, " I would rather call them supporters and people who like to engage with the franchise".

These supporters cannot be treated as numbers. From that perspective, the strategy is not limited to something which is applicable only during the season. "It is applicable throughout the way we certainly are not a franchise and will not be a franchise which remains relevant only for those three-four months in a year".

The Social Media Strategy

Gujarat Titans has established a strong presence on social networks building a follower base of over 3 million on Instagram alone, and building a foundation of supporters with interactive content. It also presents a different side of the team that we do not see on the field. Players with serious and laser-focused vision are seen in their casual, and free & easy avatars, other elements of content include, match updates, player interviews, behind-the-scenes glimpses, contests, and fan interactions.

The team also boasts a talented roster of players, and the team has strategically focused on promoting their players, to enhance their strength in the team's brand value. Player-centric initiatives, such as interactive Q&A sessions, personal blogs, and exclusive merchandise collaborations, have allowed fans to connect with their favorite players on a deeper level. Gujarat Titans also encourage their players to actively participate in social media campaigns and engage with fans, further amplifying their popularity and fostering a sense of community.

Throwing light on the social media blueprint, Colonel states, "We don't look at short term perspectives at all, activations or engagements, contests, gratifications, are to be done only during the season."
There are a couple of activations for both during on and off season, that keeps the Titans family engaged through programs. The rewards program is one of the two main activations. There are more than 160,000 people who are participating, and earning reward points. "The more you earn, the more you get from us in terms of gratification".

He further reckons, "The growth is that's what counts, the growth has been absolutely exponential to say the least. People have started understanding the game plan that we have set for ourselves, nothing is short-term. We look at everything from a longer-term perspective. We receive a report from our back-end agency every week. We have a CDP in place. That's a customer data platform. We are another agency that does the analysis as to what are the fans liking or not liking and what do they want? Whether it is from an age perspective, gender perspective, or geography perspective, any which perspective that you can think of? So anything that we do has has a lot of analysis that will be ended and only then we would execute at the beginning."

Gujarat Titans' branding efforts have significantly contributed to their overall brand value, positioning them as a formidable and aspirational team within the IPL. Their consistent social media presence, focus on player popularity, and successful sponsor partnerships have propelled the team to new heights, both in terms of on-field performance and off-field recognition.