Here’s how JioCinema's Brand Spotlight elevated IPL 2024 campaigns

Thums Up, Parle, Britannia, Dalmia Cements, Dream11, and PayZapp by HDFC Bank, debuted their respective campaigns on the Brand Spotlight.

JioCinema, the official streaming platform for the TATA IPL 2024, recently unveiled its latest high-impact feature, Brand Spotlight, aimed at enhancing brand visibility during the Indian Premier League (IPL) matches. This innovative offering taps into the IPL's unparalleled ability to unite India by providing a platform for brands to showcase their IPL campaigns in the opening moments of matches.

Thums Up, Parle, Britannia, Dalmia Cements, Dream11, and PayZapp by HDFC Bank, debuted their respective campaigns for the TATA IPL 2024 during the first five overs of the opening game between Chennai Super Kings and Royal Challengers Bangalore, on March 22. This allowed the brands to seize a golden opportunity to capture audience attention at the onset of the tournament.

The Brand Spotlight initiative by JioCinema not provided a priority spot for brands to launch their engaging IPL campaigns and facilitated a unique platform for campaign makers and brand custodians to share exclusive insights and stories behind the creation of their campaigns. Through this feature, brands were seen narrating the story behind their IPL campaigns, offering viewers a deeper understanding of the creative process and objectives behind each advertisement.

Mayank Shah, who is the vice president of Parle Products, expresses enthusiasm for the Brand Spotlight feature, highlighting its ability to allow brands to engage with consumers on a deeper level.

“One significant advantage that brands gain from Brand Spotlight is the ability to communicate with consumers about why they are pursuing a particular initiative. When consumers hear the rationale and objectives behind a campaign, along with interesting facts or other trivia, they are more inclined to engage with it. In such instances, consumers may even explore the entire campaign or multiple creatives digitally, he states”

Shah also explains Parle's strategic shift towards digital streaming platforms like JioCinema for advertising, citing advantages such as measurability, transparency, and the ability to micro-target consumers. He highlighted Parle's corporate campaign aimed at establishing the brand as a 'branded house' rather than a 'house of brands', aiming to increase consumer awareness and brand credibility across its diverse product range.

Akshay Gurnani who is the co-founder and CEO of Schbang praises the Brand Spotlight initiative, likening it to the Super Bowl in terms of its significance for advertisers.

“The Super Bowl is the absolute mecca for advertisers, to any other event. I think in the Indian context, the IPL comes closest to that extravaganza. So, I believe this Brand Spotlight also helps amplify their messaging and extend its reach. It's interesting because viewers can catch that Spotlight feature on the app; people can actually watch the content later and generate additional views for the same advertising that has already been created. That's a positive for the brand as well," he notes.

Gurnani also highlights the ability of Brand Spotlight to help brands stand out amidst the clutter of advertising during IPL matches, providing undivided attention to the featured brands.

Manika Juneja, the managing partner at dentsu Creative calls Brand Spotlight to be the  “caramel popcorn” at the IPL this year. According to her, it adds newness to the flavour it (IPL) is offering to advertisers and marketers.

“ It adds an aha factor that allows brands to share the underlying reasons and stories behind their content, enhancing engagement and connection with the audience,” says Juneja.

However she further says that advertisers must also have a season-long integrated strategy to break through cutter. “This is a medium to showcase the limitless creativity and storytelling behind the brand and the particular campaign has to offer. It not only engages audiences but also challenges brands to continually evolve and innovate in their marketing strategies. However, when this caramel popcorn is mixed with the classic popcorn (always on media & campaign) the brands will get the desired marketing result and will feel satiated.

Juneja further states that the newness of the offering will certainly linger for a long time and if this caramel popcorn (Brand Spotlight) is making the brands feel satiated during India’s Super Bowl, it will certainly be in their strategy.

Watch the behind the campaign stories here: