Branding extravaganza in store for IPL

While the other owners of Indian Premier League teams are gearing up to pick up players in an auction some time this month, Emerging Media and Lachlan Murdoch, the combine which has bagged  the Jaipur team, has firmed up its marketing and promotion plans.

For starters, it is learnt to be close to roping in O&M, led by Piyush Pandey, as the creative agency for campaigns round the team. It is believed that Emerging Media will soon sign on the dotted line with O&M as its creative agency. It will be a long term deal so that the agency can work on building the brand over IPL seasons.

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Fraser Castellilno, CEO of Emerging Media, said: "We are in advanced talks with O&M and hope to partner with it as Pandey was born in Jaipur and has a background in cricket. So, he is certainly our dream choice."

Pandey who is the executive chairman and national creative director (India & South Asia), O&M, has played in the Ranji Trophy, the domestic cricket tournament held by the Board of Control for Cricket in India.

Castellilno is hoping to rope in cricketer M S Dhoni as the team captain. He is also eyeing cricketers from South Africa, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

BCCI has said that a team can have of not more than four international players. Most likely, Greg Chappell will come on board as the team's coach.

Emerging Media along with Lachlan Murdoch recently won the franchise for the Jaipur team for $67 million. The team owners estimate to break even in the third season.

"We will spend around $4 million (around Rs 16 crore) for promotional activities in the first season of IPL as we will concentrate on building a brand," said Castellilno.

This apart, Emerging Media is said to be in talks with Wizcraft International, an event management and entertainment agency, for an exclusive deal to organise entertainment events.

"While we haven't decided on the name for the team, every aspect of the Jaipur team will reflect the splendor of Jaipur," added Castellilno. IPL will start its inaugural season on April 18, 2008, with 59 matches across 44 days.