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Case Study 8: Kolkata Knight Riders: Developing a Brand Identity

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Abstract

In the fourth edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL), held in 2011, the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) decided to revamp the team by changing the entire set of players. Even, Sourav Ganguly, the team’s icon player for the first three editions of the IPL was dropped from the team. Instead, Gautam Gambhir (worth $2.4 million) was purchased by KKR to handle the responsibility of captaining the side in the absence of Ganguly.

“Winning games is not enough to build a successful sports brand. Teams need to engage the local community, attract star players, who inspire a wide audience, and develop a strong marketing communications programme,”

—Richard Yoxon, Director, Intangible Business International

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Notes

  1. 1.

    Online: www.ipl.com.

  2. 2.

    Cricket Association of Bengal.

  3. 3.

    US$ 1=INR 44.8661 as of 13 June, 2011.

  4. 4.

    TAG Heuer is a Swiss luxury watchmaker known for its sports watches and chronographs.

  5. 5.

    Sprite is a transparent, lemon-lime flavored, caffeine free soft drink from the house of Coca-Cola.

  6. 6.

    Nokia is the world's leading mobile phone supplier and a leading supplier of mobile and fixed telecom networks including related customer services. It has its headquarters at Finland.

  7. 7.

    Karnataka State Cricket Association.

  8. 8.

    Bollywood is the informal term popularly used for the Hindi-language film industry based in Mumbai (formerly known as Bombay), Maharashtra, India.

  9. 9.

    www.kkr.in

  10. 10.

    SRK is fondly known as “King” Khan in India.

  11. 11.

    A noted fashion designer from India.

  12. 12.

    A Hindu Goddess.

  13. 13.

    Knight Rider was an American television series that originally ran from September 26, 1982, to August 8, 1986. The series was broadcast on NBC and starred David Hasselhoff as Michael Knight, a high-tech modern-day knight fighting crime with the help of an advanced, artificially intelligent and nearly-indestructible car.

  14. 14.

    STAR Plus is a Hindi language general entertainment television channel based in India. The channel is part of the STAR TV network's bouquet of channels.

  15. 15.

    Reebok International Limited, a subsidiary of the German sportswear company Adidas, is a producer of Athletic shoes, apparel, and accessories.

  16. 16.

    HDIL is a leading real estate builder/developer in Mumbai, India.

  17. 17.

    Belmonte is SKumar's new brand in the Rs 80000 crore apparel industry.

  18. 18.

    The Telegraph is an English daily newspaper in India founded in 1982 and published by the ABP Limited (an enterprise of Ananda Publishers).

  19. 19.

    ibid.

  20. 20.

    XXX Energy Drinks, is a subsidiary of the JMJ group.

  21. 21.

    An apparel company owned by Ashok Todi and based in Kolkata.

  22. 22.

    It is an organization set up to provide a home, education, medical care and opportunity to street children of Kolkata in 1988.

  23. 23.

    CocaCola India. Sprite to Bat with IPL Team, Kolkata Knight Riders as Associate Sponsor & Pouring Partner. [Online] www.coca-colaindia.com.

  24. 24.

    www.kingsrk.wordpress.com

  25. 25.

    Famous choreographer and director from Bollywood.

  26. 26.

    A famous ad film maker from Barrackpore, Kolkata, based in Mumai.

  27. 27.

    www.ipl.com

  28. 28.

    The Airtel Champions League Twenty20 is an international Twenty20 cricket competition between club teams from India, Australia, England, South Africa, Sri Lanka, New Zealand and West Indies.

  29. 29.

    JWT (J. Walter Thompson) is the world's best-known marketing communications brand. Headquartered in New York, JWT is a true global network with more than 200 offices in over 90 countries.

  30. 30.

    A UK-headquartered firm that specialises in brand valuation.

  31. 31.

    An advertising firm based in Mumbai.

References

  1. Gambhir, G. (26 May 2011). Gambhir praises fighting spirit of Kolkata Knight Riders. The Times of India [Online]. Retrieved April 17, 2012, from http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-05-26/news/29585476_1_kkr-skipper-gautam-gambhir-kolkata-knight-riders-manoj-tiwary

  2. The Times of India. (14 January 2011). Facebook’s Ganguly fans plan protest March. Retrieved April 20, 2012.

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  3. Cricinfo. (20 January 2010). IPL matches to be broadcast live on Youtube. Retrieved January 21, 2010.

    Google Scholar 

  4. Bhat, V. (8 April 2011). Brand IPL comes under a cloud. Business-standard Retrieved December 12, 2011.

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  5. Biswas, S. (13 April 2012). Why is the Indian Premier League floundering? [Online]. Retrieved May 15, 2012, from http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-17699415

  6. Blogger Bounces Knight Riders. Retrieved April 21, 2009, from www.cricketvoice.com

  7. Aney, S. (28 August 2010). And the ‘Fake IPL Player’ is… [Online]. http://www.hindustantimes.com/News-Feed/TopStories/CricketNews/Article1-593020.aspx

  8. Zee News. (2009). Waingankar Joins Kolkata Knight Riders as Trdw Chief [Online]. http://zeenews.india.com/sports/sports/waingankar-joins-knight-riders-as-trdw-chief_16432.html

  9. Waingankar, M. (30 May 2009). In a Hell Called Kolkata Knight Riders [Online]. http://178.63.30.31/article/sports/in-a-hell-called-kolkata-knight-riders

  10. Rao, K. S. (31 January 2010). Brand SRK Bags Big Bang Deals for KKR [Online]. http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2010-01-31/news/28407662_1_kkr-brand-ambassador-apparel-brand

  11. Future Hope. (2010). Future Hope Children to be IPL Ballboys [Online]. www.futurehope.net

  12. One India. (18 April 2008). Shahrukh Launches Nokia 2 Hot 2Cool [Online]. http://entertainment.oneindia.in/bollywood/features/2008/shahrukh-2-hot-2-cool-180408.html

  13. Goswami, S. R. (18 Feb 2009). Coke and Knights seal deal [Online]. http://www.telegraphindia.com/1090219/jsp/frontpage/story_10558849.jsp

  14. theamarketer.com (2010). KKR’s Latest Marketing Gimmick: Main Bhi Coach. www.theamarketer.com

  15. Planetsrk.com. Farah Khan Directs Kolkata Knight Riders Ad for Shah Rukh. www.planetsrk.com

  16. Afaqs.com (15 February2012). KKR set for ‘New Dawn, New Knights [Online]. http://www.afaqs.com/news/story/33086_KKR-set-for-New-Dawn.-New-Knights

  17. Livemint.com (13 May 2008). Kolkata Knight Riders Tie-Up with C2W for Customized Contests [Online]. http://www.livemint.com/Consumer/b2JSl6LtdAmyMr0qbGfxrL/Kolkata-Knight-Riders-tieup-with-C2W-for-customized-contest.html

  18. Ashar, U. (2011). SRK IPL 4 [Online]. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/SRK-IPL-4/speednewsbytopic/keyid-579654.cms

  19. Ohri, K. (23 February 2011). Kolkata knight riders appoints 22feet for social media marketing [Online]. http://www.afaqs.com/news/story/29769_Kolkata-Knight-Riders-appoints-22feet-for-social-media-marketing

  20. Kolkata Knight Riders Social Media History. www.sportsfangraph.com

  21. Ameya. (2010) Should SRK Reconsider Kolkata Franchise? Retrieved April 15, 2010, from www.cricketsimple.com

  22. Bhattacharjee, S. (23 February 2010). Amidst Controversy Shahrukh Drops Todi. www.entertainment.oneindia.in

  23. IPL Kolkata Knight Riders KKR Team Details and Controversies. www.liveiplscore.com

  24. IPL’s Big Branding Game. Retrieved April 22, 2008, from www.sifysports.com

  25. IPL-4: IPL’s Brand Value Falls By 11% to $ 3.67 Billion. Retrieved April 7, 2011, from www.ipl4odds.com

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Correspondence to Sanjit Kumar Roy .

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Roy, S.K., Chakraborti, R. (2014). Case Study 8: Kolkata Knight Riders: Developing a Brand Identity. In: Mutum, D., Roy, S., Kipnis, E. (eds) Marketing Cases from Emerging Markets. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-36861-5_11

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