The Hindu Business Line : India Inc shaken but not stirred

New Delhi/Mumbai March 19 Grief! That in one word spells India Inc's mood after the Bangla Tigers slayed the Men in Blue in their first World Cup match. However, India Inc preferred to keep a stiff upper lip and wait and watch rather than go into a state of panic and begin counting their losses.

"There is no reason to get concerned since there will always be viewership for cricket. We have been associated with the ICC for the past seven years. Historically the game has always got TRPs and even if India is not there in the finals, we will still be with them," said Mr Girish Rao, Vice-President, Marketing and Sales, LG Electronics, one of the principal sponsors of the series. Endorsing these views, yet another key sponsor of the event, PepsiCo India's Mr Vipul Prakash, Executive Vice-President, Marketing, Colas, said, "Pepsi has a long term association with cricket, and losing one match is not going to change Pepsi's strategy."

Telecom service provider, Hutch's Marketing and New Business Director, Mr Harit Nagpal, too voted with his feet. "Advertising is not dependent on whether India wins or loses. Any game could go either way... If you are looking at the World Cup as a media opportunity to highlight your products and services, like we do, then I don't think anyone should be nervous. If you are advertising your products based on their merits, then you look at it as a media opportunity," he said.

A view endorsed too by sportswear brand Nike's marketing manager for India, Mr Sanjay Gangopadhyay, who said, "Our association with Team India is part of a larger gameplan for cricket. It is a long-term view that we have of the game and just one match or tournament is not going to make a difference. Even in our TV campaign, we are not highlighting the World Cup. In fact, for Nike, we are not just looking at cricket as a sport."

However, advertising agency JWT India's V-P, Mr Rohit Ohri, said the loss had brought a lot of grief. He emphasised that time slots have been pre-sold, thereby not having much impact on ad revenues for the channels at this stage. "Right now, the industry is willing to wait and watch. If India does not make it to the Super 8 there would be heavy losses." Adds Mr Ravi Naware, Divisional Chief Executive, Foods Division, ITC, "We would be affected if India does not make it to the Super 8. It is only then will there be a drop in Indian audiences and it is to that extent that our ROI will be less. We are hoping that India will play for an extended period."

According to Manish Porwal, Executive Director, Starcom Media Vest Group, "Advertisers will be getting the jitters but it would be too early to pull out. Sentiments keep changing and the India-Bermuda match might determine the future course of action for advertisers. We as media buyers/planners have to address the jitter of advertisers." Mr Gopinath Menon, Vice-President, Media, TBWA, however, says that cricket as a property is not as hot as it used to be and ROIs from the game for advertisers has been going down.

Also supporting corporate India in its concerns over the fate of the Men in Blue are the TAM ratings from the last World Cup in 2003, which suggest highest viewership during matches played by India. For instance, the match played between India and Australia on March 23, 2003 saw ratings of 25.15 per cent and the one played between India and Pakistan on March 3, 2003, saw ratings of 22.88 per cent as against dwindling ratings during matches played between West Indies and Sri Lanka (1.25 per cent) and between Zimbabwe and Kenya (2.23 per cent) in the same year. India Inc is hoping that this won't be the case.