Power Play @ IPL 2015: 'We have been able to reach out more audiences in a more cost effective manner'

Since which year have you been associated with the IPL? 

 

Yes Bank has been associated with the IPL as an official partner since 2013 and is into its third year of partnership. As an official partner to the tournament, we have enjoyed tremendous visibility across all matches of the tournament, regardless of the performance of any team. Over the past three years Yes Bank has grown as a full service retail bank with presence across all 29 States and seven Union Territories of India and IPL has provided a platform of mass visibility to match the growing scale of the bank.

 

Have investments gone up or down over the years? What explains this?

 

While Yes Bank's investments on the overall IPL-led marketing campaigns have gone up over the years given the increase in the scale of operations of the bank as well as cost of media, we have been able to reach out to more audiences in a more cost effective manner thus reducing the cost per contact.

 

Has the nature of leveraging the association with the IPL changed over the years?

 

IPL is a high engagement activity that enables the Yes Bank brand to resonate within millions of households in India and the world. With a combined viewership of over 200 million across more than 180 countries (source: TAM), the IPL is one of the most efficient marketing vehicles for a emerging brand like Yes Bank.

 

As an official partner Yes Bank is entitled to extensive branding across all stadia and communication from BCCI, thus providing us extensive assured visibility. Further the bank is integrated in the game, during the live coverage of the match. Sixes in the match are referred to as ‘Yes Bank Maximum’ by the commentators. Yes Bank is also entitled to a Super 6’s tournament that is played across four cities (Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai in 2015), where batsmen from the participating IPL teams face the bowling machine to hit the longest six. Yes Bank also presents an award to the person hitting the maximum number of sixes in every match as well as the overall tournament

 

We have innovated over our three-year partnership with the IPL and employ media in more effective and targeted manner. We have focused on online social and on-ground community engagement activities to amplify and bring to life, the high on-air visibility. As a brand we are reaching more audiences every year with the increase in the reach of media as well as the deployment of incremental media.

 

Which has been the best year so far, in terms of RoI?

 

As a bank that is growing rapidly in scale, each year of association with the IPL gives us better returns on our investment as we reach out to a larger base of audience. As our partnership has progressed, we have been able to increase our learning and deploy that experience to extract the maximum benefit out of the partnership. We understand the power of such an association that reaches out to the entire Indian diaspora and within them provides opportunities to engage with different segments.

 

What will be your masterstroke during this IPL?

 

IPL is undoubtedly the biggest media property in India and among the biggest in the world. One needs to look at such a property in a granular manner in order to capitalise on it. Hence it is imperative that we use the various benefits offered by the partnership towards the right segments. This year we have activated all (630-plus) branches to reach out to clients through branch, society and neighborhood business outreach programmes around the theme of IPL. Yes Bank has further partnered with BCCI on the innovative Fanpark activity that takes a stadium-like experience to 15 cities across India, where IPL matches aren’t played. Through this activity we reach lakhs of additional fans across the country.  

 

Did you advertise on air during the World Cup as well? 

 

No.