In an exclusive interaction with MediaBrief, Xia Dongyue, Chief Executive Officer at TCL India, discussed the multi-year partnership between TCL and Sunrisers Hyderabad for the upcoming IPL 2023 season. He elaborates on the company’s #PitchPerfectView campaign and its objectives for engaging consumers during the tournament.
Dongyue also outlines TCL’s rationale for partnering with Sunrisers Hyderabad and highlights the significant investments made by TCL in the collaboration. Additionally, he provides insights into TCL’s new product line-ups and future plans, outlining the company’s vision for growth and expansion in the Indian market.
Read on.
Give us an overview of the relationship between TCL and SunRisers Hyderabad. How has this collaboration helped the two brands?
Sports has always been a huge attraction for the Indian audience and over time, IPL has emerged as one of the biggest cricket tournaments across the globe, especially in India.
Our association with SRH is a move to reach the masses. For a cricket-loving nation like India, there is nothing better than IPL to create these collaborations. Sponsoring a team during a major event certainly brings along better brand visibility, builds trust among the customers, and overall widens the reach of the brand.
With this partnership, we aim to maximize our sales, widen our consumer base, and cement a leadership position in the market. SRH team has a huge fan following, and partnering with them will help us bank on this opportunity.
TCL, a global TV giant, aims to offer consumers an immersive and realistic cricket viewing experience that captures every on-field emotion and action. Through its ongoing partnership with Sunrisers Hyderabad, TCL has strengthened its ties with both consumers and the cricket community, while also solidifying its position as a forward-thinking player in the sports ecosystem.
Given that Hyderabad represents a significant market for TCL, this collaboration with SRH will further bolster the brand and reinforce its presence in the city.
Why SunRisers Hyderabad and not any other team?
Sunrisers Hyderabad is a popular team in the IPL and has a strong fan base, making it an attractive option for sponsorship. The team’s success on the field has helped to increase its visibility and popularity, making it an ideal platform for TCL to showcase its products.
Furthermore, TCL shares a close connection with Hyderabad, which is a huge market for the brand. TCL has its CSOT factory located in Tirupati, which gives another strong reason to associate with the team.
By sponsoring Sunrisers Hyderabad, TCL can reach millions of cricket fans and potential customers. Hence, we look forward to making the fans a part of the TCL family through this association.
TCL is joining hands with Sunrisers Hyderabad for the fourth time now, what will be different this year?
This year, SRH is betting on young and dynamic players like Bhuvneshwar Kumar and T. Natarajan, who can fulfill their quest for another IPL title. The team is filled with young blood as well as quite experienced players that effectively resonate with Indian Cricket fans. Our association with SRH allows us to follow our passion for Cricket and provide state-of-the-art TVs to consumers so that they don’t miss out on a single on-field moment.
What can the audience expect through this association?
TCL’s primary focus has always been its customers. Every new innovation introduced by TCL is in line with the customer’s expectations and preferences. Taking the legacy ahead, this year too the audience can expect a new line-up of 4K and QLED from TCL towards the mid of May. TCL will bring all-new technology at very affordable prices for the Indian audience.
Are any special campaigns in the pipeline for the upcoming T20 season?
Yes, TCL is bringing attractive offers this season for all cricket lovers. TCL will be running a campaign titled – #PitchPerfectView which would revolve around the large-size premium 4K & QLED TVs where the audience can experience the stadium at home. Besides this our plan involves a range of activities that cover 360 marketing coverage including product placements and endorsements using the SRH players; outdoor; online; digital media plan, Offline & BTL fan engagement activities.
Can you give us an idea of the investments TCL has made in this partnership, and what are the key areas where TCL has invested?
We have made significant investments in the IPL these many years. As this is our 4th year where we are supporting SRH, TCL has invested 10% more than last year. Our investment strategy is to reach out to the customer at the right time and at the right platform to build a strong brand recall.
IPL is a popular platform for brand activations. Can we expect TCL to launch any new product line-ups or exclusive offers during this period?
Yes definitely! We have a new 4K and QLED model launch in the mid of May when the IPL season will also be reaching closer to the finale.
The audience can expect some special exciting launch offers which would be announced during the launch period and the product would be available across Offline Brand & Retail Stores, E-commerce Portals, and our TCL website and Online Brand Store.
How do you plan on sustaining your association with SRH beyond the IPL season, and what are your future plans in this regard?
Our focus will be on extending our product range. In fact, as mentioned earlier, we are coming up with two new products in the month of May. Besides this, we are expecting more than 2X Y-o-Y growth this year and make the TCL brand name for the Consumer Durable sector in the Indian Market.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
TCL is continuously innovating with emerging technologies and recently we have been ranked global “Top 2 TV Brand” and No. 1 Spot in the 98″ TV & Android TV Category. TCL was also honored with two CES® 2023 Innovation Awards for its TCL Mini LED 4K TV C935 and C835.