WPL Season 2 draws interest from FMCG, BFSI and women-centric advertisers

The Women’s Premier League (WPL) Season 2 has commenced, featuring five teams competing for the title. Reflecting on the success of its inaugural season, data from the Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) revealed that the first 14 matches of Season 1 garnered a reach of 67.8 million viewers. Furthermore, according to the official release by Jio Cinema, the debut season broke viewership records with the final match attracting a live audience of 10 million new fans from across the globe on Jio Cinema alone. So far, no women’s tournament has been watched by such a large number of viewers online.

Following a successful season launch, the momentum is expected to continue this year, too.

Namrata Soni, Associate Director – Media Planning & Buying, DENTSU CREATIVE India, expressed optimism about the second season. She said, “In the second season of the tournament, we’re expecting the viewership to grow over 44% compared to season 1.”

While viewership is expected to soar as audiences are growing fonder of the new tournament, will brand interest grow in tandem?

Vinit Karnik, Head of Sports, Esports & Entertainment at GroupM, said that he has seen increased brand interest. While ratings may not have been exceptional, he said that WPL 2023 witnessed great momentum and garnered considerable attention, recognition, and following.

Karnik said that the widespread popularity of cricket as a sport coupled with the impressive performance of women players who are now being recognised, serves as a catalyst for brands' interest in WPL.

He added, “The entire format of WPL, which mirrors the Men’s Indian Premier League (IPL), further interests brands to participate.”

Similarly, Soni highlighted a significant uptick in brand interest in exploring advertising opportunities during WPL. She attributed this increased interest to the success of the league's first season.

She believes that the success of WPL season 1 has changed the way brands perceive this tournament.

“The success of WPL season 1 paved the way to this day, when brands are not only seeing this as an opportunity to run ads targeted to women but also are exploring collaborations with the tournament players by bringing them in as brand ambassadors for higher recall and favorability,” said Soni. 

For instance, last year, ahead of WPL, Harmanpreet Kaur was roped in by PUMA and Hapipola as its brand ambassador, while Smriti Mandhana by Herbalife Nutrition India and MadRabbit, signaling a growing trend of collaboration between brands and women cricketers. 

On the other hand, Sarfaraz Ansari, Senior Vice President – Integrated Media, DDB MudraMax, said that there is not much interest shown by brands as the league didn’t do well from rating and reach perspective. He said, “This year, even the channel marketing promotion looks very feeble.”

FMCG, BFSI & women-oriented brands cheer for WPL

For the inaugural season, broadcast and digital partner Viacom18 roped in 35 advertisers. Hero Vida, Bank of Baroda, MPL-Striker, World Gold Council, H&M, JSW Paints, GoNoise, Apar Industries, came on board as sponsors for the tournament on JioCinema. This year, as per a report by ET, the BCCI could generate upwards of Rs 50 crore from central sponsorships, including Tata Sons, Sintex, Ceat, Dream11, and Amul, while the five WPL franchises are anticipated to earn Rs 50-65 crore from team sponsorships,

A report by TAM Sports that compared WPL with ICC WT20 WC showed that the indexed ad volume growth/match was three times more during WPL compared to ICC WT20 WC. It further highlighted that the tally of categories, advertisers, and brands was also higher by 79%, 2 times, and 80% respectively in WPL. 

Automobile giant Hero Motocorp topped in terms of advertising with a 9% share during WPL and Hero Vida V1 was the top advertised brand, said the TAM report. 

This year, experts told us categories that are parking their spends on WPL in season 2. 

“Categories which till now have committed to partner are mainly from BFSI category as they have their season [JFM] on. We may also see automobile and gaming categories like dream11 presence as they are targeting sport-loving audiences,” said Ansari. 

WPL has opened doors for a new set of advertisers that have stayed away from this milieu. 

For example, both seasons 1 and 2 have also seen significant participation from women-centric brands such as Kay Beauty, Mia by Tanishq, Vega Beauty, Himalaya, Navyasa, Joy Personal Care, Lotus Herbals, and more.

“Brands that cater to women-centric audiences are leading in building active integration and associating with WPL. Categories like home & furnishings, small appliances, jewelry, apparel, and beauty are top investors for this tournament,” Soni told Social Samosa.  

Furthermore, Karnik said, “FMCG brands, traditionally distant from men's cricket, are now leveraging WPL for innovative marketing campaigns. Additionally, conglomerates like TATA have emerged as sponsors.”

Similarly, Soni noted a recent trend in brand narratives shifting from a ‘product-first’ approach to a ‘human-first’ perspective and pointed out that even brands traditionally targeted towards a male audience are now considering WPL as a part of their marketing mix.

She said, “These brands have identified opportunities to associate with and leverage the key qualities of WPL i.e inspiring, progressive and family-oriented. This helps them build a brand narrative that is more relatable and connects with the larger population in India.”

The success stories

Brands that were associated with WPL or had sponsored teams leveraged this partnership in various innovative ways, extending beyond mere sponsorship through targeted campaigns, social media activations, in-stadium promotions, or collaborative initiatives. The objective behind these partnerships has been to raise brand awareness, reach new demographics, and reinforce their brand values.

Himalaya for instance, launched #NotFair campaign partnering with the Royal Challengers Bangalore team to promote their product. This campaign, initially unveiled on the cricket field, transitioned into print media.

Ragini Hariharan, Marketing director - personal care & hygiene, Himalaya Wellness Company, said that the integration generated high awareness and brand love for the brand.

She said, “On Twitter, we were trending at no.1 spot with 6k tweets which got close to 3.2 crore impressions. This conversation was also picked up by 25+ news channels and, therefore, helped our new launch to get massive awareness, which translated to a successful launch campaign. With the success of our association with WPL 2023, we have decided to continue our partnership this year as well.”

This year the brand aims to bring out a different message and for a different product.

On the other hand, season 1 sponsor Usha is also continuing its partnership this year. 

Komal Mehra, Head – Sports Initiatives and Associations at Usha International, reflected on the partnership with WPL in the previous season. She said, “Through this collaboration, Usha has gained significant visibility, reaching a broader audience both in India and around the world. This season, we're continuing our tradition of engaging with the cricket league by rolling out several initiatives designed to amplify the thrill for fans.”

To promote this season, Usha is arranging exclusive meet-and-greet sessions with players, giving fans the chance to get up close and personal with their favourite cricketers, and more.

How can brands do better this WPL?

Mehra believes that to enhance their impact during WPL, brands must prioritise authenticity and genuine support that goes beyond mere logo placements to meaningful engagement with the sport, its teams, and the community.

She said, “The goal should go beyond just getting your brand noticed. It's about making a real difference, whether that’s by giving young athletes new chances, supporting grassroots initiatives, or advocating sports for all, thereby enriching the partnership with significant, lasting value.”

Hariharan shared that cricket in India is loved and followed by everyone irrespective of age and gender. However, for a long time, it was skewed towards men’s cricket. 

She said, “With the introduction of women’s IPL last year, for the first time women in cricket got a massive platform to showcase their talent and receive their due recognition. WPL stands for empowering women and promoting inclusivity and diversity in cricket and therefore must be supported by brands who stand for similar values.”

Soni highlighted that WPL appeals to the digitally savvy, modern Indian woman—a prime target audience for many brands. She pointed out that this demographic differs from traditional TV viewers and represents the values of contemporary society. Therefore, she suggested that the tournament should not be viewed solely as a women-centric sporting event but also as a platform offering significant opportunities to launch brands targeting progressive, forward-thinking women.

She said, “Approaching this tournament with a limited mindset is the biggest challenge any brand can face. On the face of it, while it is a Women’s tournament, this is a huge playing field for non-women-centric brands as well. One just needs to identify the right mix and weightage to be given for their respective brands.”

As per D&P Advisory’s report on WPL released in 2023, WPL stands on the cusp of revolutionising women's cricket in India, much like the transformative role the IPL played for men's cricket. The WPL boasted a remarkable valuation of INR 1,250 crore equating to approximately USD 150 million. 

Experts further foresee that WPL has the potential to become a significant sporting property over the next 5 to 6 years. While it's still in its early stages, WPL has the opportunity to carve out a niche for itself amidst the vast array of content available across various platforms. With time and continued support, WPL can establish itself as a marquee event, attracting widespread attention and becoming a staple in the world of sports.