Car brand Maruti Suzuki and consumer goods maker Lloyd Electric "have signed as on-air sponsors for the Cricket World Cup," according to Pinto & Malvania of the Indian BUSINESS STANDARD. Star Sports "is also in talks with other advertisers, including those in the handset and e-commerce segments." However, before signing up, "many are tracking India’s performance during the ongoing tri-series in Australia." Dentsu Aegis Network CEO/Chair Ashish Bhasin: "How advertisers respond to the World Cup will depend largely on India’s performance in the run-up to the tournament, as well as its performance during the World Cup. If India does well, the response from advertisers will be good." Whirlpool VP/Corporate Affairs & Strategy Shantanu Dasgupta: "The tri-series will determine how strong India is in One-Dayers. We will then take a call on whether or not to invest in the Cricket World Cup."
On-air sponsorship rates for the tournament have been estimated at about Rs 3 lakh ($5,000)/10 seconds, lower than the Rs 5 lakh ($8,000)/10 seconds for the eighth edition of the Indian Premier League, which begins in April. Multi Screen Media, the IPL broadcaster, is "also making presentations to media planners and buyers." Appliance and TV manufacturers "are expected to plan aggressive launches around the cricket season this year." Panasonic India and South Asia Managing Dir Manish Sharma: "Considering the enthusiasm for IPL and the Cricket World Cup, we plan to spend 15-20 per cent of our total marketing budget for this year during these two events. We also plan to launch a special edition of the Viera TV during this season." The Int'l Cricket Council’s official on-ground sponsors, including PepsiCo (also the IPL title sponsor), "might also vie for on-air sponsorships for the Cricket World Cup." The company "has already begun its World Cup campaign, promoting its Lays brand."
LG and Hyundai, two other ICC sponsors, "have also begun initiatives" centered around the World Cup (BUSINESS STANDARD, 1/22).
