IPL campaigns of week 3 strike a balance with celebrity endorsements

To use or not to use a well-known personality in an advertisement meant to promote the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024? This has been a theme in this week’s IPL campaigns. Brands have chosen every creative option in presenting celebrities and known personalities either by using quirky means, simply spreading the gospel through the mention of their names or purposefully hiding them.

MakeMyTrip took a fresh angle on using 'star power' in their campaign, featuring personalities such as Jackie Shroff, Prabhu Deva, and Shankar Mahadevan, but without showing them directly in the ads. Instead, the campaign capitalises on their distinctive styles and voices, using them to emphasise the benefits of booking hotels and homestays on the platform. The approach successfully balances the charm of the stars with the practical advantages of the service.

CRED delivered another witty and humorous ad, this time featuring Australian cricketer David Warner and Indian director SS Rajamouli. In the ad, Warner takes on a persona inspired by Rajamouli's movie Baahubali, delivering a playful and amusing performance that resonated with fans and garnered praise across social media. As with past CRED campaigns, the ad blends larger-than-life personalities with quirky and unexpected scenarios that highlight the convenience of using the CRED app.

OYO launched a light-hearted campaign focusing on its Free Stays League. The ad plays on people using the name of OYO's founder and CEO, Ritesh Agarwal, to get free stays at the brands’ hotels. This approach entertains viewers while promoting the brand's prediction challenge during IPL 2024, where fans can win free stays and other rewards by accurately predicting match outcomes. The campaign strikes a balance between cricket enthusiasm and the fun of friendly competition.

In the ad, several protagonists are seen talking about Agarwal with a sense of familiarity, making him seem like a friend or someone with a familial connection to them, which is their way of showing that this connection helped them bag a free stay. 

These campaigns have utilised the excitement of IPL season to connect with audiences through humour, star appeal, and innovative promotions.