Rapoo India, a rising force in the tech peripheral market, has announced a groundbreaking partnership with Mumbai Indians (MI), marking its foray into the exciting world of sports collaborations. This strategic alliance aims to amplify Rapoo’s brand presence and connect with India’s passionate cricket fanbase.
In an exclusive interview, Mr Siddesh Hede, Marketing Manager at Rapoo India, sheds light on the rationale behind this decision and the exciting prospects it holds.
1. Rapoo India’s partnership with Mumbai Indians marks the brand’s entry into the sports collaboration. What motivated this strategic decision and why was MI chosen as the inaugural partner?
While Rapoo has been serving the Indian market for over a decade, primarily focusing on general trade, we recognized the immense potential of leveraging a platform as powerful as cricket to elevate our brand awareness. Our strategic shift involves a strong push towards the e-commerce and Direct-to-Consumer (D2C) segments, and we needed a catalyst to accelerate this transition.
Cricket, in India, is not just a sport; it’s a religion. Within the Indian Premier League (IPL), MI stand out as the most cherished and widely followed team. Partnering with the five-time champions provides us with an unparalleled opportunity to connect with a massive and engaged audience, significantly boosting our brand visibility. This collaboration allows us to introduce Rapoo to a demographic that might not have been familiar with us before, opening doors to a new customer base.
2. Can you elaborate on the specific objectives Rapoo India hopes to achieve through this partnership?
Our objectives are multifaceted, with brand building taking centre stage in the initial phase. Firstly, we aim to create a significant launch impact on key e-commerce platforms like Amazon, and Flipkart, and potentially even emerging platforms like Zepto and Swiggy. The association with a prestigious team like MI will undoubtedly generate buzz and attract attention to our products.
Secondly, the sheer scale of MI’s fanbase and its extensive social media reach offer us invaluable exposure. We anticipate a substantial increase in brand impressions and overall visibility through this collaboration.
Finally, as I mentioned earlier, our historical strength lies in general trade. This partnership is a deliberate step towards establishing Rapoo as a recognizable brand in the broader consumer market. While driving sales is certainly a long-term goal, the immediate focus is on building brand recognition and familiarity. We believe that a strong foundation in brand awareness will naturally lead to positive ROI in the subsequent phases.
3. Given your licensee associations with Mumbai Indians and developing products like customized keyboards and mice, how do you capture the essence of the MI brand and integrate that into your products?
The design and aesthetic of our co-branded products are deeply rooted in the Mumbai Indians’ identity. We worked closely with MI, adhering to their established brand guidelines and incorporating their iconic artwork. Mumbai itself represents a hub of cricketing talent, and the MI brand embodies that spirit. Our products aim to capture that essence, offering fans a tangible connection to their favourite team. While the core design concepts originate from MI, our expertise lies in manufacturing high-quality peripherals that reflect their brand image.
4. What key marketing and promotional strategies will Rapoo India employ to leverage this partnership and reach the target audience of cricket fans?
Our primary marketing focus will be on the digital space, aligning with our shift towards e-commerce. We will heavily promote the co-branded products on platforms where our target audience is most active.
Social media will play a crucial role, with collaborations planned with tech influencers, YouTubers, and regional content creators to amplify awareness and generate excitement around the partnership. We also have a robust PR and media outreach strategy in place to ensure widespread coverage. We are making significant investments in this campaign and are optimistic about achieving substantial reach and building strong brand awareness.
5. Looking ahead, beyond the initial two-year term, what are the long-term visions for this partnership, and how does this collaboration fit into Rapoo India’s broader strategy?
Currently, our primary focus is on maximizing the impact of this initial two-year partnership. Our immediate vision is to provide MI fans with exclusive merchandise that they can proudly own and use, connecting them more deeply with their team. Beyond branding, we also want to showcase Rapoo’s capabilities in customization and product development.
This partnership serves as a powerful message to the industry, demonstrating Rapoo’s ability to create unique, co-branded products. We see potential in extending this capability to other enterprises for corporate gifting and customized solutions. While we are not defining specific long-term goals for the MI partnership beyond the current term, this collaboration is undoubtedly a significant step in our broader strategy to elevate Rapoo’s brand presence and expand our reach in the Indian market.
6. Is there any message that you would like to convey to MI fans and Rapoo India customers regarding this exciting new collaboration?
We are incredibly excited about this journey with Mumbai Indians, and we invite all MI fans and Rapoo customers to be a part of it. We have carefully curated these products with them in mind, and we believe the overall product experience will be exceptional. Rapoo is committed to offering high-quality products at competitive prices. With this collaboration, we are combining that value proposition with the passion and excitement of Mumbai Indians. We encourage everyone to look forward to experiencing the best of both worlds!
This partnership between Rapoo India and Mumbai Indians signifies a bold and strategic move by the tech brand. By aligning with one of the most popular cricket franchises in India, Rapoo aims to not only enhance its brand visibility but also forge a deeper connection with a vast and passionate consumer base, marking an exciting new chapter in the company’s growth journey.