Reports | IPL 2020 to lose advertisement partner Coca Cola
The thirteenth edition of the IPL, the dates of which are yet to be finalised, is likely to part ways with one of its biggest advertisers- Coca Cola. The 2020 edition of the marquee T20 league was originally scheduled to begin on March 29 but was indefinitely postponed due to COVID-19 pandemic.
With BCCI looking at the September-October window to stage a delayed edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL 2020), the tournament is likely to lose their partnership with Coca Cola-one of its biggest advertisers. The brand last year ended up spending ₹ 135 crores with Star Sports as the on-air co-presenting sponsors for the IPL 2019. According to a report in Economic Times, the brand is planning to scale-down its annual advertising chest of ₹ 500 Crore on Cricket and IPL 2020 is likely to be the casualty.
This year too, ahead of IPL 2020, Coca Cola was in talks with the broadcaster to renew the on-air partnership and had also signed an official beverage partnership with IPL team, Kolkata Knight Riders. However, those plans might not go forward as the brand will reportedly stay away from IPL 2020.
“The April-June quarter accounts for nearly half of annual soft drink sales in India, and remains the peak advertising and marketing window for soft drinks makers, coinciding with both IPL and the ICC World Cup. Even if the IPL is held later in the year, Coca-Cola may scale down exposure to cricket, in a reversal of its earlier plans,” an industry official updated on the development, ET has quoted.