Disney+ Hotstar Gears Up for T20 World Cup with Advertiser-Centric Approach

The T20 World Cup is just around the corner, and Disney+ Hotstar is gearing up to deliver a winning experience for both viewers and advertisers. Their strategy goes beyond just broadcasting the matches; it offers advertisers a unique opportunity to engage a massive audience in India and beyond.

Tailored solutions and streamlined execution

Disney+ Hotstar isn't a one-size-fits-all platform. They work with advertisers to develop customized solutions that align with specific business objectives. This commitment to partnership ensures advertisers achieve their marketing goals.

Their revolutionary self-serve platform empowers businesses of all sizes. With budgets starting as low as Rs 2 lakh and special rates for first-time advertisers, it's accessible for everyone. The platform boasts end-to-end automation for streamlined campaign setup in under three hours, and real-time reporting provides valuable insights throughout the campaign.

Deeper engagement and 1st party data targetting

Disney+ Hotstar offers cutting-edge ad formats like Click to WhatsApp and interactive quizzes/polls, driving deeper audience engagement and fostering stronger brand connections.

Advertisers can also leverage the lead generation tool to collect valuable first-party data at a low cost. This data enriches advertiser knowledge of their target audience, allowing for more effective campaigns in the future 

Precise targeting and measurable success

Reaching the right audience is key. Disney+ Hotstar offers over 75 targeting options combined with 55,000 unique live sports streams. This enables laser-focused ad delivery based on demographics, geography, and retargeting needs.

But Disney+ Hotstar goes a step further. Advertisers can leverage intent and purchase signals to target specific demographics within their base audience. Imagine targeting ecommerce users or credit card holders during the T20 World Cup! Additionally, cross-platform audience reach allows advertisers to retarget sports viewers on the entertainment platform and vice versa, thus maximizing exposure.

The platform's commitment to success is evident in its measurability. Third-party trackers and comprehensive reporting ensure campaign effectiveness. With a 97% success rate and significant uplifts in brand KPIs, Disney+ Hotstar boasts a proven track record. 

Exclusive Pre and Post Live Segment (PPL) - A T20 World Cup first

This year, Disney+ Hotstar has introduced a unique Pre and Post Live segment (PPL), extending brand engagement beyond the match. Imagine customizable storytelling featuring cricket legends or interactive elements to drive user interaction within the app during live shows.

The PPL offers flexible advertising packages, allowing advertisers to choose the ideal fit or even own the PPL segment for a particular day. This level of control ensures brands can achieve specific goals during the high-engagement T20 World Cup.

Apart from India, Disney+ Hotstar also welcomes advertisers from regions like the Middle East and Southeast Asia to target Indian viewers during prime-time matches. In this exclusive interview with Adgully, Dhruv Dhawan, Head of Ads at Disney+ Hotstar India, shares valuable insights on these aspects and more. Excerpts:

How is Disney+ Hotstar strategizing to leverage its reach to attract advertisers and to engage viewers beyond domestic?

The matches are played for local audiences in the US, West Indies, and the Caribbean, but matches involving India are scheduled for prime time in India.Therefore, we believe that the viewership and the value we offer to advertisers remain as strong as in any other market.

What are the kind of shifts in ad strategies that you are expecting for the T20 World cup? How will the free-on-mobile viewing impact the advertising on mobile television as well as digital?

Firstly, this isn't the first time we are offering free streaming on mobile. We did the same for the 2023 ODI World Cup. During that time, we delivered significant value to advertisers by achieving impressive reach and concurrency numbers, hitting nearly 59 million viewers during the final match involving India.

Given this success, we are confident that we can achieve high levels of reach again during this upcoming tournament, which runs for a month starting on June 2nd. We will deliver this reach across both mobile and connected TV platforms. Additionally, the tournament will also be broadcast on traditional TV networks.

Considering all three viewing options—mobile, connected TV, and traditional TV—viewers have the flexibility to watch the tournament however and whenever they prefer. This includes access to highlights and the ability to watch matches at their convenience, providing a seamless viewing experience.

This comprehensive coverage allows advertisers to reach consumers effectively, achieving high reach and strong brand impact throughout the tournament.

With the rise of second screen viewing habits during live sporting events, how does Disney +Hotstar plan to integrate interactive elements on companion content to enhance the viewer experience during the T 24?

Last time, we introduced new interactive ad formats such as click-to-engage or click-to-WhatsApp. On mobile, users can easily click on an ad, which then launches WhatsApp Chat. Even on connected TV, users can engage with the ad, which triggers an action on their smartphone. This takes advantage of the common habit of dual-screen usage, where viewers often have a smartphone nearby while watching TV.

Many of our advertisers are aware of this behaviour and design their ad creatives to incorporate interactive elements, such as QR codes or direct WhatsApp interactions. Additionally, on mobile, we offer formats that allow users to fill out lead forms while watching the content.

For instance, last time we worked with multiple brands across our innovations including Mahindra on lead generation and WhatsApp Click to Engage. We are now in discussions with many more advertisers to scale these efforts further.

Given the evolving landscape of digital advertising, what are the different ad formats or strategies that you have to explore to maximize the engagement and revenue during this?

Yes, those are the formats I mentioned. In addition, there are two more strategies to consider:

Targeted advertising:

We offer 75 targeting options across approximately 55,000 streams. This allows advertisers to focus on specific demographics, age groups, locations, and even user behaviours, such as targeting credit card users or online spenders.

We have data partnerships that enable effective cohort targeting.

Reaching premium audiences:

To reach high-end users, we combine connected TV with premium devices. We offer a monthly pack that advertisers can use to target the top tier of our audience.

These strategies help maximize engagement and revenue by leveraging advanced targeting and premium audience reach.

As the competition heats up on the field, how are you ensuring brand safety and relevance for advertisers amidst the fast-paced nature of live sports broadcasting?

Firstly, as Disney+ Hotstar, we ensure 100% brand-safe content. All our content is professionally generated (PGC), unlike many platforms that rely on user-generated content (UGC).

When it comes to live sports, it doesn't get more brand-safe than that. The content is live cricket, watched by a nation rooting for their teams.

For advertisers, this is highly relevant because the audience is fully engaged and attentive, even during breaks. The high interest levels, especially in crucial moments, create great opportunities for advertisers to connect with viewers.

Additionally, our content is available on larger screens through connected TV, enhancing the viewing experience. Unlike platforms dealing with the unpredictability of UGC, we provide a controlled and safe environment for advertisers.

Beyond ad sales, how are you aiming to capitalize on the T20 World cup to drive subscriber growth and retention, leveraging the excitement as well as the anticipation surrounding this major cricket tournament?
One of the key features we introduced last time and are continuing to offer is the Max View experience. This feature allows users to watch the match on their phones in portrait mode, utilizing nearly three-fourths of the screen for an immersive viewing experience. Additionally, we provided multiple camera feeds last time, and we are offering them again this time.

Anything else that you would like to add on to this?

I would like to talk about the self-serve platform which is our effort to democratize the World Cup for advertisers. Last time, we launched a platform that attracted over 100 advertisers to a live cricket tournament for the first time. This initiative has lowered the price point and reduced the required outlay, making it accessible to a wider range of advertisers.

Now, even small businesses, like a local shop owner in Kerala, can advertise during the upcoming T20 World Cup and build their brand story through live cricket. We are conducting multiple workshops across cities to bring this opportunity to the market. We are excited to extend this approach to our entertainment content in the future as well.