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Cricket (Sport)

Cricket World Cup Frenzy: Social Media Buzz Surges, Dhoni's Appeal Wanes

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

As the cricket world cup continues, the social media buzz surrounding the tournament has reached unprecedented levels, with Pepsi leading the way in online interactions. However, Indian captain M S Dhoni's name has slipped to seventh place in the list of most talked-about players, while Sachin Tendulkar remains the top batsman in social media discussions. Brands like Nokia, Adidas, and Sony are outdoing official sponsors like Hero Honda, Castrol, and Yahoo! in creating online buzz. The study by NM Incite highlights the dynamic nature of social media campaigns, with brands altering their content and stimulus during the tournament to engage with users.

Key Takeaways:

  • Sachin Tendulkar continues to lead the chart of most talked-about players, followed by Australian captain Ricky Pointing, Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi, and English medium pacer Stuart Broad.
  • Pepsi dominates online interactions with over 17% share, followed by Nokia and LG with 11% share each.
  • Non-sponsors like Nokia, Adidas, and Sony are outdoing official sponsors like Hero Honda, Castrol, and Yahoo! in creating online buzz.
  • India still leads the chart of most-discussed teams, but its share has dropped to 17% from over 26% at the start of the tournament.
  • Ireland, a surprise contender, ranks fifth among teams in social media discussions.
  • Tushar Goculdas, Adidas India Sales & Marketing Director, attributes the brand's success to a year-long campaign creating a huge fan base.
  • LG India Chief Marketing Officer LK Gupta notes that recognizing the importance of digital media, especially among youth, has helped the brand increase its social media presence.

Statistics:

  • Pepsi has over 17% share of online interactions.
  • Nokia and LG have 11% share each.
  • Sachin Tendulkar is the top talked-about player, ahead of Ricky Pointing, Shahid Afridi, and Stuart Broad.
  • India's share in online buzz has dropped to 17% from 26% at the start of the tournament.
  • PepsiCo's online contests have garnered over 9.2 lakh fans on its Facebook world cup page and more than 500 followers on Twitter.

Sources:

  • Nielsen McKinsey company NM Incite
  • PepsiCo India Executive Vice-President, Marketing, Sandeep Singh Arora
  • Adidas India Sales & Marketing Director Tushar Goculdas
  • LG India Chief Marketing Officer LK Gupta
  • Times of India report on Cricket World Cup social media buzz

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