RCB and the RC connect: Marketing Case Study
When Whisky Meets Cricket: The Genius of Surrogate Marketing
Hey everyone, I'm back with another marketing case study—and what better subject than a brand that steals the spotlight every IPL season: Royal Challengers Bangalore.
The Pitch: Whisky and Cricket
It’s wild how a whisky brand can etch its story through a cricket team, right? Back in 2008, when the Indian Premier League was just kicking off, United Spirits—the parent company of Royal Challenge—pulled off a genius move. They launched the RCB franchise (Royal Challengers Bangalore), a cricket team that carried the spirit of Royal Challenge in every sense. The team’s red-and-gold kit and even its very name turned into a moving billboard, keeping the brand alive in the public mind, even when liquor ads were nowhere to be seen on TV.
The Early Game: A Controversial Start
Now, the journey wasn’t just about flashy logos and celebrity parties. In those early years, critics lambasted the move as blatant surrogate advertising, and even the courts chimed in with their opinions. Yet, the brilliance was in the details—a slight tweak from “Royal Challenge” to “Royal Challengers” that gave the campaign a cheeky wink and nod. It wasn’t about shouting the brand’s name from the rooftops; it was all about suggestion, subtlety, and creating an association that resonated.
The Evolution: Enter the Diageo Era
Fast forward to the Diageo era, and the marketing game evolved. Direct whisky logos were pulled off the jerseys, and the focus shifted to building an urban lifestyle brand. RCB began courting other sponsors and retooling its image with innovative campaigns that celebrated boldness, youth, and even social progress. Think digital content, fan festivals, and inventive brand extensions—a sports drink here, packaged water there—all echoing that original whisky vibe without explicitly saying it.
At the heart of this transformation? Virat Kohli. As captain and a larger-than-life presence, his “Play Bold” approach became synonymous with Royal Challenge’s spirit. Every time Kohli took charge on the field, it felt like the whisky brand was speaking directly to those daring enough to dream big.
The Takeaway: Turning Challenges into Opportunities
The bottom line is that Royal Challenge and RCB turned regulatory hurdles into a branding superpower. They created an ecosystem where cricket, lifestyle, and subtle promotion blend seamlessly. In marketing, big challenges are often the springboard for bold strategies. The bigger the challenge, the greater the chance to innovate—and that’s exactly what Royal Challenge did.
Final Thoughts:
In marketing, big challenges are often the starting point of great marketing campaigns. The bigger the challenge, the larger your chance to create a bold strategy, just like how RC did.
Does turning a challenge into an opportunity resonate with you as a marketer? Hit reply and share your thoughts, and feel free to forward this newsletter to a fellow marketer who loves to break the rules!
See you in the next one!