Over the years I have seen many advertising campaigns during these Cricket World Cups. A part of the Cola War history is also articulated in this tapestry. Pick up the Pepsi’s subtle “nothing official about it” campaign set against Coca Cola, the official sponsor of the World Cup during ’96. The popularity of that campaign is so pronounced that the phrase finds recognition even today(That is why I know even otherwise I was not at all interested in advertisements in 96). But as time moved Pepsi was unable to re-create the magic. Much of circumstantial bad luck is also conniving to stop Pepsi from achieving a viral proliferation. For example this World Cup their “Change the Game” campaign picked up well. But their candidate’s performance left much to be desired. Dhoni’s helicopter shot has vanished in his chopper , Bhajji’s pepsi cans spin more than his delivery and the arthritic Billy Bowden never really showed his ‘Tedi Ungli’ to Ian Bell on a clear LBW dismissal against India . So while Pepsi relied on the players, the smarter players named Nike used a more tangible facet to relate to the common people – The Bleed Blue campaign. Using dramatic clips from real matches and a bunch of Indian superstars (can we leave Sreesanth here please?) promising to banish everything from pain to excuses, these 60 seconds come by as a pleasant sensation. Moreover other initiatives like facebook badges, handprints, create your ad et al has seem to relate well to the masses. So far it is a viral success.
Am I talking too much like a management guy here? What follows are some thoughtful insights from a group of guys holding whiskey glasses and watching the India-Pak match.Perhaps it was the fifth repeat of Blender’s Pride and the nth repeat of the ‘Bleed Blue’ ad which prompted my friend to withdraw all support from the campaign.well, let's come to the campaign again.........
Nike had a 7 year license agreement with "Sierra Industrial Enterprises "which ended in the year 2004. Instead of renewing the agreement, Nike launched Nike India as its subsidiary.Nike’s association with Indian cricket started in 2005 when they bought the kit rights from BCCI for around $ 27.2 million. In their esteemed and fruitful relationship with BCCI and Team India, the only blip was the 2007 World Cup debacle, where India lost out in the first round itself. Team India then went on to win the inaugural World T20 championship in 2007, haven’t lost a single test series – home or away, are numero uno in Test cricket. India winning the 2011 edition of the ICC World Cup was just what the doctor ordered for brand Nike in India.
Idea flashed to the marketer when they were trying to utilize this Cricket World Cup for their branding.Idea was, "the passion with which the fans of English Premier League teams like Manchester United come to stadium wearing red. Nike India wanted to create similar wave for blue in India." Tagline was taken from the concept "Blood, sweat and gloory" which every sportsperson in the country follow. Nike replace gloory with blue and this was the birth of "Bleed Blue" campaign.
This campaign is set to change the game for Nike in the sports footwear and apparel market. The campaign had initiatives like the Bleed Blue Pledge, where top Indian cricketers pledged their commitment to the game through their fearless attitude, passion and pride in representing the country.
ad created by JWT of Banglore, India.
60 second advertisement shows the pride, passion and fearless soul of Indian cricket brought to life through the voice of the elite atheletes of team India.During the 60-second ad the members of the Indian Cricket Team articulate the passion for cricket in this country, pulling back the curtain long enough for the viewer to witness how the game is played, loved and revered from the perspective of the athlete.
But "bleed blue pledge" is not only the voice of atheletes who played the game but it is the voice of the sports which exist inside the hearts and minds of millions of fans and players.This is the voice of the game."Bleed Blue Pledge" features many elite sportsperson like Dhoni, Tendulkar, Kohli, Yuvral, Srisanth, Gambhir and Zaheer who banish fear, pain and most of all excuses with great line from sachin...... Boundries are made to be broken. 60 second ad clearly show that they are not only representing Team India but they are speaking for entire nation who have become unified by a common love for cricket.
Rare: Corporate campaign become consumer language
Nike uses Scial and Broadcast media very effectively."Bleed Blue" became faviourate online search for cricket fans and the number of followers for the facebook page by Nike zoomed to 1.1 million.In just six months, the support from fans across India by imprinting their ‘handprint’ for the men in blue has reached a whopping 11.5 million and with over 1 million handprint on the Facebook page. Even cricketers are frenzied about the movement.
However, the idea got captured very well and the public accepted this expressionistic way. The 60-second television commercial as part of the campaign was telecast many times during the semifinals and finals, which itself cost the company crores. But the returns in terms of consumer recall of Brand Nike have more than made up for it.One billion hearts are synchronized at the same level. Cricket is a religion in India. One of the biggest emerging markets in the world has lost 75% of its productivity during the matches — this is not just a cricket match, it is nearly a war.”
Best part of the campaign that Nike very successfully linked the campaign with the indian consumer. They used facebook marketing, created website where user can go and create his own handprints. so Nike uses involvement marketing concept in a very well manner which led them success in the campaign while Change the game could not show very good game.
Adidas can ‘bring it on’ (their new campaign) and can claim that impossible is nothing. Reebok can be what they are (I am what I am campaign). But Nike is already bleeding blue by the billions.
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