LG Electronics India bets on regional sports sponsorship for brand building

KOLKATA: LG Electronics India is betting on regional sports sponsorship to build its brand even as it has not trimmed its marketing budget of Rs 500 crore this year despite the industry slowing down since Diwali.

The country’s largest white goods maker is looking at sports like soccer and hockey and even open to sponsoring big-ticket sporting events as and when title sponsorship slots open up, chief marketing officer Niladri Dutta said. “It’s a good brand building and consumer engagement platform,” he said.

For starters, LG India has already tied up with Indian Football Association in West Bengal as title sponsor for their under-19 IFA Shield tournament.

Dutta said LG wants to grow its market share in television, air-conditioners and build the water purifier business to grow its double digit revenue growth rate. “We have around 25-26% share in televisions and air-conditioners which we want to take it up to 30% this fiscal,” he said.