During the IPL, if a cricketer hits a six, customers could win big

It's that time of the year again when cricketers from all over the world come together to play in the Vivo IPL. It's also a stressful time for brands and their marketers since they're all vying for attention at a time when even a ten-second spot is gold. A few brands have gone a step ahead, not restricting their advertising messages to commercial breaks.

When you sit down to watch an IPL match, it's quite likely that your phone is near you. Some brands are actually encouraging you to look away from the match and at your device. So what would entice you to do something like that? Well, keeping your phone unlocked could mean timely discounts on Swiggy and incentives from travel brand Goibibo.

Swiggy offers 60% off on food orders for six minutes after a six has been hit

Another one of Swiggy's IPL ads features an old man and his school friends enjoying a match together

So far, these are the two brands we've spotted that are trying to convert the adrenaline rush that you feel during a match, into a timely transaction. Swiggy has introduced a 'Super Six' offer wherein you get a 60 per cent discount (up to Rs 100) if you order food within six minutes after a player has hit a six. The brand team tells us that they wanted to supplement the adrenaline rush that comes with a six being scored by a team.

Goibibo's new campaign incentivises keeping the app open during matches

The ads features RCB captain Virat Kohli and Shah Rukh Khan

Their ads also star Deepika Padukone

Swiggy isn't alone in incentivising offline calls-to-action. Goibibo has launched its Travel Cash Fest campaign in collaboration with the IPL teams Kolkata Knight Riders and Royal Challengers Bangalore. The brand's main aim, in this case, is to link the thrill of cricket with travel. The campaign also features Goibibo's brand ambassador - Deepika Padukone, along with the Kolkata Knight Riders' (KKR) co-owner - Shah Rukh Khan and Royal Challenger Bangalore's (RCB) Captain - Virat Kohli.

Saujanya Shrivastava

Commenting on the campaign, Saujanya Shrivastava, group chief marketing officer, said, "At Goibibo, we have gone beyond the staid sponsorship association to bring out a proposition that will engage and give an opportunity to earn Travel Cash in a gaming format. While celebrating the game India loves, the campaign will not just spur but also reward travel aspirations."

Last year, Vodafone ran a campaign that similarly incentivised a real-time call-to-action during IPL commercial breaks. Vodafone's FANtastic Breaks Contest invited people to dial *202# during every ad break for a chance to win iPhones and a trip to Lord's to spectate at live matches.

This year, Vodafone will be continuing with the campaign but this time, the brand has decided to go digital. As a part of the ‘Unofficial Sponsor of Fans campaign’ campaign, Vodafone has announced that the Vodafone FANtastic Breaks Contest will give customers an opportunity to win an iPhone X and other prizes during match breaks, exclusively on Hotstar.

Talking about the campaign, Kavita Nair, Chief Digital Transformation Officer and Brand Officer, Vodafone Idea said, “We launched ‘Unofficial Sponsor of Fans’ campaign last year, led by consumer insight. This year we are going digital. A lot of our audience are on the digital medium and a lot of conversation happens on social media platforms, making it an obvious choice for us.”

In Vodafone's case, it is a contest where luck and probability play vital roles. However, with Swiggy and Goibibo, the brands offer instant rewards and gratification, tied directly back to their businesses.

Vodafone's zoozoos showed us how giving a missed call can help you win iPhones or a trip to Lord's, in this ad

The big question is if more brands will pick up on this trend and start offering real-time rewards based on our favourite cricket teams' performances. We'll have to wait and watch.

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