Mumbai: IPL 2023, is going to be extremely important for many brands and the franchises as this year the IPL is finally being played in India. The Lucknow Super Giants is a relatively new team and Shyam Steel is now associated with them for this season.
Indiantelevision.com caught up with Shyam Steel vice president - marketing Megha Beriwala to talk about their recent association with the new IPL franchise Lucknow Super Giants.
The Sanjiv Goenka-owned RPSG Group won the rights to operate the Lucknow franchise with a bid of Rs 7,090 crores, in 2021. In its debut season, Lucknow Super Giants qualified for the play-offs.
Establishing itself as one of the leading TMT Bar manufacturers in India, Shyam Steel was founded by Sri Shriram Beriwala in 1953 with a small factory in Howrah. His younger brother Shyam Sunder Beriwala later joined the company. Shyam Steel’s dedicated pursuit of the latest technology and intensive in-house R&D over the years has made them one of the most cost-efficient producers of steel in India.
Shyam Steel's association with the IPL franchise will help it to enhance its brand and business presence across the HSM markets and nationally. Aligned to the association, the players and official members of Lucknow Super Giants team will be sporting the Shyam Steel logo on the back of the official match day jersey. The logo will also be prominently visible during the on-ground matches of the franchise.
Edited excerpts:
On the interest in sports and especially IPL
Cricket is the most followed sport in India and has a huge fandom by a considerable margin. Since this is the first year after Covid-19 pandemic that will witness the magnificence of IPL by allowing an assemblage to watch matches in the stadium, the excitement amongst fans is manifold and the viewership is expected to further increase giving brands an exceptional recall. Apart from just viewership, sponsoring in the IPL also promises brands huge engagement and interaction opportunities considering the following across mediums. IPL is all about welcoming diversity providing huge mass appeal that helps brands to penetrate deeper into the Indian market and reach their target audience efficiently and effectively. More than ever, this season can be watched by everybody and anybody from anywhere at free of cost which will further help brands reach a much larger audience base across all markets.
On the ROI and enhanced messaging you are expecting as a brand by this association
With continuous rise in viewership and introduction of new teams, associating with the biggest and most marketable property India is a perfect time to earn maximum returns on your investments. Shyam Steel has a vision of creating a strong presence across all states and this association will help us reach our audience in India. Aligned to the association, the players and official members of Lucknow Super Giants team will be sporting the Shyam Steel logo on the back of the official match day jersey. The logo will also be prominently visible during the on-ground matches of the franchise. The brand will have the right to use player images and team logo for internal use and promotional purposes. The association will also be amplified across, print, outdoor, television, digital and social media platforms which will run through the entire duration of the tournament. Our association with Lucknow Super Giants further enhances our presence and recall value in the HSM markets and aligns with our expansion goals. U.P. is a key market for us as it serves as our gateway to the North Indian markets, and we hope this association creates a positive impact in the region.
On the strategy behind this association and why this particular team
Prior to Lucknow Super Giants, the representation of the Hindi-speaking markets, namely, Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and other neighbouring states was absent. Lucknow Super Giants will garner abundant support from these states and create a positive impact in the region. Shyam Steel is looking to leverage this association to initially build its presence and then further expand to newer markets.
On this association reshaping and strengthening the brand’s identity and goodwill, and the expected impact for the brand by this association
Shyam Steel aims to demonstrate itself as a market leader in the HSM market, specifically the UP region and believes that this brand association will help connect with the masses as well as reach new audiences even in other geographies. The company is undertaking a major plan to expand its retail operations across North India and plans to generate business of around Rs 1000 crore through its North India operations in the next two to three years. The association with LSG will strengthen our brand recall across North India.
On the company’s expected marketing trends and expansion plans for 2023
At Shyam Steel, we practise 360-degree marketing plans with a mix of ATL, on ground and digital and social engagements. Most of our customers fall under the 30-50 age demographic and use conventional mediums to discover products. Keeping with this trend, the brand has been and will be continually investing in these channels and looking at other mediums like cinemas and digital channels for a wider reach. TV as a medium has always been at the forefront and that too will be explored in newer markets – South India to begin with. Our tryst with the most popular game in the country is set to continue as well with the recent collaboration with the Lucknow franchise in the Indian Premier League.
On the brand’s association with sports and cinema celebrities’ and how do you think the company will gain from the market?
Cricket and movies are possibly the most popular forms of entertainment in our country. While the brand has been associated with Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma, in addition to Sonu Sood and a host of regional celebrities, Shyam Steel has also recently added Vijay Devarakonda to the pantheon of famous endorsers. These endorsements and associations have helped the company expand its awareness and build equity in the long term.
