IPL 2018: Patanjali Ayurved still adamant on non-association with IPL

The Indian Premier League (IPL) is the most followed sporting event in India every year. It has reached out to millions of viewers every season since its inception in 2008. That is what makes it a prominent platform for the brands to feature their products. In fact, the success brands draw from the IPL is such that the advertisement prices go up every year. However, one brand that has extensive penetration and an even bigger market potential to explore Patanjali Ayurved, the Indian FMCG company has once again held their position of not joining hands with the IPL as a sponsor.

We will not be part of the ‘foreigner’s game’

In the ten years history of the Twenty20 league, many foreign players from all major teams across the globe have featured in the tournament. But the Haridwar-based Patanjali Ayurved Limited, which is popularly known for having Baba Ramdev as the brand ambassador has chosen not to initiate any advertising deals with the IPL as they wish to only invest in those sports which tend to promote the Indian culture.

“The sport (IPL) as it promotes consumerism and is sponsored by multinationals. Patanjali will invest in sports which are Indian and promote Indian sports at the grassroots such as wrestling and kabaddi. We will continue to invest in local sports which promote the culture of the country,” said Achaya Ballrishna, who is the Chief Executive of Patanjali Ayurved, during his recent conversation with the Economic Times.

Ignoring IPL is Patanjali’s strategy

Patanjali has recently advertised at various sporting event which includes the likes of the Indian Wrestling League and the Kabaddi World Cup. They are also spending something close to INR 400 crores as part of their marketing budget on the various news and GEC television platforms.

Ashish Chadha who is the Chief Executive at Sporty Solutionz also expressed his views on this matter and disclosed that staying away from the IPL is a smart strategy followed by Patanjali. He also mentioned that despite their absence from advertising around cricket Patanjali has been able to strike substantial number of consumers with their unique marketing methods.

“Staying away from IPL is Patanjali’s smart strategy. While being questioned for its absence from one of India’s biggest marketing spaces, the brand is striking the subconscious of its consumers, and then responding by playing its biggest marketing card – Swadeshi. Otherwise, in modern day context cricket has become more Indian than any other sport. No other sport is depicted as “a religion” in India. No other nation controls cricket as much the world over as India does in all aspects of the sport,” said  Chadha.

He further stated the importance of cricket as a sport and its contributions to the Indian exchequer, sports eco-system and the sports industry in India.

“Cricket is immensely contributing to the Indian exchequer, sports eco-system and the sports industry in the country. IPL has emerged as an indigenous Indian industry that is providing career opportunities and growth to ‘n’ number of people – professionals, skilled and unskilled. Players and officials are a very small chunk of that opportunities pool. Its commercial impact is global,” he added.

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