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As JioCinema and Star Sports lock horns for IPL viewership...
The television channel and streaming platform have rolled out their IPL campaigns, contesting each other in wooing the cricket fans to their respective platforms.
As Indian cricket fans gear up for the approaching IPL season, the battle between the broadcasters has taken off. The two platforms Disney Star and JioCinema, sharing the television and digital rights for the tournament, have locked their advertising horns to come out on top.
In a bid to gain the most viewership, both Disney Star and JioCinema have rolled out their IPL campaigns to attract the cricket fanatics in the country. The battle is essentially between the orthodox appeal of watching cricket on a TV set, and the convenience of portability brought to viewers by streaming platforms.
Recently, Disney Star, the official television broadcaster for the IPL, unveiled ‘Shor on, Game on’ campaign to hype up the tournament.
The first ad film of the campaign features cricketers Rohit Sharma, Hardik Pandya, and KL Rahul, who join the public in their celebration for the arrival of this year’s IPL season. The ad introduces the upcoming championship as a festival of sorts, with people flooding the streets of their native residences in a celebratory fashion.
In response, Viacom18’s streaming platform JioCinema has rolled up its sleeves to take on the challenge. In its recently launched ad film titled ‘IPL on JioCinema’, the platform has roped in cricketers M.S Dhoni, and Surya Kumar Yadav, highlighting a series of features offered exclusively by the digital platform.
Interestingly, the entire storyline of the film showcases a digital user trying to woo people away from their television sets towards the convenience of JioCinema.
But the exchange between the two competitors didn’t end there. Disney Star has unveiled the second ad film of their campaign featuring cricketer Virat Kohli.
The former captain of the Indian cricket team can be seen acting as a hype man for the IPL. Interestingly, the film makes it a point to nudge people towards watching the tournament on television, in the comfort of their homes.
While JioCinema is betting big on its ability to provide more elaborate and polished viewing ability, Disney Star is riding on the tried and tested charm of a television set.
The tug of war for viewership between the two avenues has brought to the audience some exciting ad films. As the contest continues to evolve before the commencement of IPL on March 31st, we can expect more back and forth between the two companies.