Ecommerce giant Amazon India’s blockbuster IPL 2017 campaign is an integrated, multi-phase initiative built around a (fictional) new T-20 team called the ‘Chonkpur Cheetahs’.
The creative concept, developed in harness with Ogilvy Bangalore and the digital and social specialist What’s Your Problem (WYP), revolves around this imaginary small town team as its struggles to overcome the challenges of access to the competition (and, of course, the role Amazon plays in that journey).
Amazon India, a presenting sponsor for IPL 2017, has developed a story of cricketing dreamers for its first ever IPL campaign.
The aspirations and dreams of the team’s coach and dreams sits at the core of a ‘India ke Sapno ki Apni Dukaan’ campaign which plays out over the 6 week IPL extravaganza.
Led by a PR and social media teaser phase breaking a few days before the start of the tournament, the campaign also spans TV commercials, radio, online film, print, outdoor, digital and social.
The socially led teaser phase opened by introducing the new team joining this season’s IPL as it searches for a team name,
A new team is joining the #T20League. Can Coach Sir find the right name? Watch the team unveil on 5th April at 5 PM with us. pic.twitter.com/h4w4vZ6Gu2
— Amazon.in (@amazonIN) April 3, 2017
an official team song,
Coach Sir is looking for the perfect track for the team anthem. Watch the team unveil on 5th April, 5 PM with us. https://t.co/OAdtXCu595
— Amazon.in (@amazonIN) April 3, 2017
and a logo.
(1/2) Coach Sir is all set to enter the #T20 league with his new team and here comes the logo for it. https://t.co/vml1OBtqut
— Amazon.in (@amazonIN) April 3, 2017
This early wave of activation assets was fronted by the fictional team’s coach.
The Coach is here! 5 hours to go for the grand reveal of #AmazonT20team. Watch him & #ChonkpurCheetahs live in action, today at 5 PM. pic.twitter.com/bYFgsHxuR2
— Amazon.in (@amazonIN) April 5, 2017
and then introduced the members of team itself.
The core launch phase in the first week of April was led by a series of films (TV spots and social videos) most of which were shot in Udaipur (and at its Gandhi Ground – renamed the Chonkpur Cricket Stadium for the campaign).
These videos (shot by Amit Sharma of Chrome Pictures) follow the journey of this aspiring team to reach their goal of playing T20 and explores how Amazon, in various small ways, enables them to get a step closer to their dream of playing T20.
The spots each built towards various aspects of the new team: first finding a name, then a logo and then a team theme song.
These were led by ‘A Brand New T20 Team – Introducing Chonkpur Cheetahs’ (571,043 YouTube views).
Followed by ‘Looking For A Name’ (which already boasts 300,000 YouTube views),
seeking a ‘Dream Song’ (which already boasts an impressive (with an impressive 5,511,592 YTVs),
and ‘Looking for a Logo’ (123,798 YTVs).
This phase ‘portrays, through a series of films, the journey of this aspiring bunch of cricketers who have the talent, put in the hard work but don’t have access to the things (cricket kit, lucky bracelet) that will help take their game to the next level,’ explains Amazon India mass/brand marketing director Ravi Arun Desai.
Who adds that Amazon plays the role of the team’s partner which helps it achieve its goals: from providing access to world-class equipment, cricket-gear and even a lost lucky locket.
On TV, the campaigns airs in the sponsor’s official IPL slots (which came with its rights package) and across other channels.
The films themselves are, of course, amplified across Amazon’s digital and social channels.
Have you heard the dream song of the dream team that the entire nation is humming? Hear it here: https://t.co/Us40uAx5LF #ChonkpurCheetahs pic.twitter.com/85NmOqJErO
— Amazon.in (@amazonIN) April 7, 2017
Supported by plenty of additional strands on social media linked with a slew of hashtags including #ChonkpurCheetahs, #SapnoKiApniDukaan, #T20, #NewT20Team, #Cricket, #NewTeam, #CricketFever, #T20League, #T20Fever, #Amazon and #AmazonT20team.
These ranged from fictional individual player pieces,
Cooler than Captain cool, this #T20 season Akhilesh Thakur is the only captain who will rule. #ChonkpurCheetahs #AmazonT20team pic.twitter.com/p7UH2NU1U0
— Amazon.in (@amazonIN) April 8, 2017
He fields like a butterfly & his batting stings like a bee. Watch Jugnu light up the T-20 season with his all-round game. #ChonkpurCheetahs pic.twitter.com/smcip6ibxl
— Amazon.in (@amazonIN) April 8, 2017
with various elements of fan interaction and consumer creation (typically linked to competitions,
Create unique moves on the #ChonkpurCheetahs anthem & tweet back a video. Lucky winners stand a chance to win team goodies. T&C Apply. pic.twitter.com/NtpWZrLiVN
— Amazon.in (@amazonIN) April 10, 2017
and various Twitter battles),
India has decided. Its official, @ChonkpurKaCoach is the winner of this twitter battle! @OnlyBabaSehgal #BabavCoach #ChonkpurCheetahs pic.twitter.com/owFIZMpBSL
— Amazon.in (@amazonIN) April 8, 2017
and nationwide social media voting mechanics,
This will decide. India, start voting for your favourite shayar now! #ChonkpurCheetahs #BabavCoach
— Amazon.in (@amazonIN) April 8, 2017
incentivised by prizes ranging from tickets to fictional team kits (in Amazon corporate colours of course).
The battlefield is ready. Become a part of the face off, see your tweet get featured and win a #ChonkpurCheetahs goodie box. #AmazonT20team pic.twitter.com/1EZ5VxTYN8
— Amazon.in (@amazonIN) April 8, 2017
Another activation strand was the official team app and again there were plenty of incentivises for consumers to download the app.
Do you think you can catch the cheetah? Download the #amazon app & collect cards to win tickets for the final match! https://t.co/6dAbXX5W9b pic.twitter.com/IkxRUvB4dM
— Amazon.in (@amazonIN) April 6, 2017
To bring the campaign to life in a 360-dgree way, the Amazon India team also surprised customers calling in to the Amazon customer service number to find out about packages and deliveries.
‘After the campaign has taken shape, you will possibly have the customer service reps respond to you in a certain manner that will be aligned to the campaign thought,’ explains Desai.
While Desai also says that the campaign will evolve in low latency based on what happens during the IPL.
‘Through this campaign we wish to celebrate the ‘aspiring Indian’. As a company, we want to show our support to millions of Indians who have dreams and the passion to pursue their dreams by being their partner in this pursuit,’ continues Desai.
Amazon was very clear this isn’t just another campaign. They’ve come up with a T20 team and our job is to create love for this team on the Internet,’ adds WYP managing partner Amit Akali.
‘The digital and social space is where the team will reside 24 by 7 and that’s where the character backstories will come alive’, he adds.
Activative Comment:
It is not just the depth and breadth of this campaign we love, but also its warmth and universal sentiment.
The dreams of the Chonkpur Cheetahs act as a metaphor for the dreams of millions of Indians and other sports lovers around the world.
The IPL is the biggest property in India as far as media is concerned and delivers on reach and frequency and delivers on these metrics in a short six week period.
This, according to the etailer, is the main reason that Amazon India chose to tie-up with the tournament.
The engagement metrics alone are staggering: especially for those not familiar with the size and scale of the Indian market.
On Amazon India’s own YouTube channel alone, the campaign films have cumulatively already been viewed more than 10 million times.
Suggesting that a great campaign in a huge market that truly loves cricket will generate massively impressive marketing metrics
Links:
Amazon India
https://www.youtube.com/user/amazondotin
https://www.facebook.com/AmazonIN
https://www.instagram.com/amazondotin/
Ogilvy & Mather
IPL
