How Brands Rally Behind Their Olympic Contingent: Team India

Indian, and global brands have coalesced to support their nation’s largest Summer Olympics contingent, with unyielding perseverance to pursue one’s dreams emerging as a central theme across their campaigns. 

From print ads, television spots, on-ground activations to various form of digital campaigns, brands are doing their best to showcase the pride in representing Team India on the global stage.

Jigar Rambhia, national director-sports at agency Wavemaker India, noted that the buzz is quite high with enough brands advertising in a run up to the Olympics. Watch brand Omega as well as tyre manufacturer Bridgestone India have been running print campaigns while JSW and Rin are running TV ads.

Speaking to business publication Mint, he added, “Even government has been running a campaign. We have one of the largest contingent this time with 127 athletes participating. If we end up getting a medal in the early days then the brands will go overboard and start talking even more and increasing their ad spends.”

The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) has signed brands such as Edelweiss, INOX Group and Nippon Paint as national sponsors. While dairy brand Amul, Raymond and JSW Group have come on board as partners. Raymond is the official styling partner. MPL Sports Foundation has come on board as principal sponsor in a deal worth US$1m that covers the Tokyo Olympics as well as the Asian and Commonwealth Games next year.

As per ad industry estimates, each official sponsor with IOA has invested about US$1m to US$1.3m+, and all the partners have rolled out some form of promotional activity.

“The number of sponsors that has come on board for this Olympics is quite encouraging, [more] than the last edition of the global sporting event. More domestic brands have joined the contingent after Chinese sportswear Li Ning was dropped as IOA’s official kit sponsor. The value of sponsorship has gone up considerably from the last Olympics as well,” said Ritesh Nath, an independent sports consultant.

For example, MPL Foundation launched an advertising campaign #FanBannJaaoge across TV, digital and print media featuring stars of the Indian contingent such as PV Sindhu, Wrestler Bajrang Punia, Fencer Bhavani Devi, Shooter Manu Bhaker, and others.

“The athletes representing us come from the length and breadth of India and we want the entire country to rally behind them as they seek to bring us laurels,” said Sai Srinivas, trustee, MPL Sports Foundation and co-founder and CEO, MPL.

It has also put together a virtual Indian Olympic Fan Army which is expected to cheer for the team, watch the matches and submit their fan moments through photographs, videos, emojis and illustrations.

In the lead up to the Tokyo 2020, the local arm of Visa signed the nation’s badminton star PV Sindhu as its first Team Visa athlete from India. The company recently launched A Million Cheers campaign featuring brand ambassador PV Sindhu and personalities such as footballer Sunil Chhetri, cricketers Jemimah Rodrigues and Mohammed Siraj, shooter Gagan Narang, and Bollywood actress Huma Qureshi – who have participated in “Tap the Shuttle” challenge and encouraged fans to cheer for PV Sindhu.

“Recently, we launched a campaign called ‘A Million Cheers’ across TV, OTT and social media, which encouraged Sindhu’s fans to send cheers for her using #SmashItSindhu. The campaign received tremendous participation and response from consumers, as a result of which we gathered way more than a million cheers from fans even before the start of The Olympics,” said Sujatha V Kumar, head of marketing for India and South Asia, Visa.

Apart from official sponsors, multiple brands have also joined the bandwagon to cheer for India participating in Olympics.

Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL )has launched a series of campaigns under the title ‘Jeet Ka Padak’ (Medal of Victory) which includes a music video wishing Team India the best. The company is backing seven of its employees who are representing the country at the games. Other campaign elements will include Olympic Trivia Quiz, Videos on archery and hockey; inspiring stories of players on social media platforms and on-ground activities including ‘selfie’ booth at BPCL’s fuel stations.

“The sense of nationality that the Olympics fosters is what turns the Games to a worldwide phenomenon. Therefore, BPCL has lined up series of campaigns to take the brand to people during Olympics under the title ‘Jeet Ka Padak’,” said Abbas Akhtar, chief general manager, PR and brand, Bharat Petroleum.

Puma India has signed 18 athletes and rolled out a digital campaign ‘Only See Great’ highlighting how these athletes have strived for excellence. Mia by Tanishq is also running digital videos with four female athletes capturing their interest beyond sports. Myntra is also cheering for the team on its social media platforms. Homegrown short video platform, Moj launched #MojCheers4India challenge along with an anthem ‘Kar Dikha India’ to show support for the Indian athletes.

“A lot of young and upcoming athletes, apart from highly visible players such as Mary Kom, Saina Nehwal and PV Sindhu, have also got backing from local sponsors and brands. Although these will be short-term engagements but at least it is a step in the right direction. If any of these athletes manage to bag a medal then brands can leverage their popularity in form of a possible brand ambassador partnership,” said Nath.

The Indian contingent is hoping to get medals in weightlifting, women’s hockey, badminton and tennis.