Cricket Mania Boosts Sales and Marketing Initiatives

The ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 is less than 35 days away, and companies are gearing up to tap into the massive cricket fan base in India. With a sports merchandise market valued at around ` 2,525 crore (approximately $3.7 billion USD), companies are launching cricket-themed products to boost sales and engage with consumers. This market is expected to grow at an annual rate of 13% to reach ` 12,000 crore (approximately $17.3 billion USD) by 2020.

Key Takeaways:

The sports merchandise market in India is currently valued at ` 2,525 crore, with 45% of the market being sports apparel.
Companies like PepsiCo, Timex, and Big Bazaar are launching cricket-themed products to capitalize on the World Cup fever.
PepsiCo has introduced six new flavors of its snack brand, Lays, inspired by the participating nations.
Big Bazaar, the official merchandiser, has launched a range of cricket merchandise starting from ` 199, including sports tees, active dry tees, and more.
The company expects its special marketing initiative to boost sales by 10%.
Timex has launched an ICC World Cup 2011 watch collection, designed by Giorgio Galli, priced between ` 1,400- ` 6,000.
Vertebrand, an integrated brand management and communications strategy consultancy firm, emphasizes the importance of offering additional value to consumers through brand communications.

Statistics:

The sports merchandise market in India is expected to grow at an annual rate of 13% to reach ` 12,000 crore by 2020.
The current market size is around ` 2,525 crore, with sports apparel accounting for 45% of the market.
Big Bazaar expects a 10% sales boost with its special marketing initiative.

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