Media companies backed by Reliance Industries face stiff competition from Disney stars owned by Walt Disney for the majority of media spending from advertisers.
Disney+ Hotstar, who was the official streamer of the IPL until last year, at the IPL 2022 made $150 billion in ad revenue.
“The overall demand for advertising on Disney+ Hotstar during IPL 2022 was more than that, but the platform was not able to accommodate that demand since it already had a sell-through rate (STR) of 95%,” said a source privy to the development.
Viacom18 Sports CEO Anil Jayaraj declined to comment on the financials but said the initial reaction from advertisers has been positive.
“Advertisers love the scale that we are talking about. Also, digital allows better targeting with minimal wastage and is measurable. The budget that one needs to advertise digitally is flexible,” Jayaraj told ET. “IPL 2023 will be accessible to the internet universe free of cost and we will also engage viewers by offering commentary in a language that they understand.”
Sources say the company’s confidence in setting a huge ad revenue target is that Jio Cinema will be free to all users regardless of device or platform, so it will reach 500 million in IPL 2023. That’s because we’re aiming for an audience reach of 50 million.
The company is particularly bullish on the big screen, as the connected TV (CTV) universe is expected to hit 100 million this year.
Second, Jio Cinema aims to win over advertisers of all shapes and sizes by offering flexible packages at varying costs. Overall, the company hopes its 500+ advertisers will switch to its Jio Cinema at its IPL 2023.
Jio Cinema targets advertising rates of Rs 200-250 per 10 seconds for mid-roll ads. Pre-roll ads are charged INR 225-300 per 10 seconds. The spot price for advertising on CTV is 6 rupees.
50,000 rupees per 10 seconds.
Viacom18 has also developed an aggressive marketing strategy for IPL 2023. The company expects him to spend 400 crores on the sale of the property.
Sources said the company expects an average audience per game of 80 to 85 million, and Jio Cinema’s technical backend will be added to accommodate the increased traffic on the platform. is building.
The decision to play the 2022 FIFA World Cup for free has paid off for the company as the finals peaked at 12.1 million viewers.
Meanwhile, the Indian Cricket Control Board (BCCI) has agreed to produce his 4K feed for the IPL. The feed is manufactured by Star India, a manufacturing partner of BCCI.
Viacom18 has over 15 feeds for Jio Cinema’s IPL, including 11 language feeds. The platform will feature local-language commentary on the major regional markets where IPL franchises are based.
