We’re using AI tech to become more distinctive with our IPL campaign: Aman Gupta, boAt

The co-founder and CMO of boAt talks about what the brand is doing differently in their marketing initiatives during this year’s IPL.

Consumer electronics brand boAt has partnered with the Indian Premier League (IPL) for the fifth consecutive year.

The brand has been promoting its audio products by partnering with IPL teams. Since 2020, it has been the official audio sponsor for six teams-Mumbai Indians (MI), Chennai Super Kings (CSK), Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings or PBKS), Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), Delhi Capitals (DC) and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB).

This year, however, boAt has changed the nature of its sponsorship with IPL teams. The brand has directed its marketing campaigns to promote wearable products.

For IPL 2023, the brand is the official audio and wearable partner for RCB and Gujarat Titans (GT). It continues to be KKR’s audio partner.

In a conversation with afaqs!, Aman Gupta, co-founder and CMO, boAt, details the marketing initiatives the brand has undertaken for the 16th IPL season.

Edited excerpts:

What has been the brand’s broader marketing initiatives around the IPL this year?

Along with the partnerships with various IPL teams, in-stadia branding has been the subject of several marketing activities for us this year. In an iconic in-stadium activation, boAt showcased its smartwatches and association with RCB using an augmented reality (AR) filter.

With the help of Meta, a plane-tracking filter was created. As of now, the filter has received over a lakh hits and its sheer distinctiveness has appealed to RCB fans.

For this year’s campaign, we brought the ‘Wear Your Smart’ narrative to life. The 360-degree campaign will further cement our position in the smartwatch category. The campaign will highlight the brand’s passion for cricket.

It intends to capture high-intensity moments, where every move counts as well as determines whether a team wins or loses. It also aims to capture and illustrate the true mindset and attitude of ‘The Champions’.

We’ve teamed up with StanceBeam, a leading sports technology startup, to launch StanceOS – an advanced smart sensors and sports motion sensing AI technology in our smartwatches. The timing of this innovation is perfect, as it coincides with the IPL season and the upcoming cricket World Cup.

This innovation could be instrumental in identifying the next wave of talent.

boAt has used AR filter as a marketing tool for the IPL. How did you go about it? Also, has there been any RoI from this, till now?

Our AR-led selfie activation at the stadium, has garnered great engagement. Interestingly, more than a lakh people interacted with the filter that allows you to take a selfie with your favorite RCB players.

AR sits at the intersection of creativity and technology. Our brand can become more distinctive if we engage in activations involving immersive experiences.

Can you talk about your digital campaigns for this IPL season?

Throughout the eight weeks of the IPL, we will do different things around marketing. Every week, we will bring you a fresh take on ‘Wear Your Smart’.

We’ve partnered with Amplify.ai by Triller Inc., to launch a conversational AI campaign. It’s an AI-powered chatbot where our brand ambassador and cricketer Hardik Pandya will assist consumers (‘boAtheads’) in purchasing a smartwatch.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Hardik Himanshu Pandya (@hardikpandya93)

The IPL is the biggest sporting event in India and one of the biggest in the world. It’s like what the Super Bowl is in the US. Many brands are vying for a share of voice during the tournament. To become distinctive, we must do things that catch attention instantly, leave a lasting impression beyond just a few ads, and are memorable.

boAt’s collaboration with Amplify.ai underscores its commitment to enhancing the customer experience. By harnessing the power of conversational AI, we aim to provide a seamless and intuitive process for the customers to explore, evaluate and select their ideal smartwatch from the vast range of options available.

What kind of branding activities will the company undertake with Pandya, and other cricketers like Shikhar Dhawan, Shreyas Iyer, and KL Rahul?

Social media is a major platform for these cricketers. Before the IPL started, we shot some bite-sized, Instagram-worthy digital content with Pandya and his (RCB) team.

What are the special edition products for GT fans?

These are limited drops for GT fans only. They will have the opportunity to own memorabilia of their favorite (IPL) team.