Apr 16, 2013
Mediareach Secures IPL Sponsorship Deal for Southall Travel on ITV4
Premier agency meets premier tournament: Mediareach placed Southall Travel at the centre of 49 days of live IPL action on ITV4, from stings in the heart of the game to turning Google into Googly online.
⏱ 5 min read
By mediareach
Southall Travel, the market-leading global travel operator, returned to screens as sponsor of one of cricket's most electrifying events, the Indian Premier League on ITV4. The deal, developed and negotiated by Mediareach Advertising, put Southall Travel's logo at the heart of the action in what is fast becoming the world's most compelling and spectacular sports tournament.
With international stars and franchise giants taking part, the IPL delivers more than sport — it delivers a cultural moment for South Asian audiences in the UK and beyond. For a travel brand rooted in the subcontinent and now serving a global customer base, it was a natural fit.
Strategy: Logo at the Heart of the Action
Mediareach's sponsorship strategy was built on one insight: cricket is the most popular sport across the Indian subcontinent, which remains a hugely popular destination for holiday-makers, and a core market for Southall Travel.
Rather than a peripheral association, the agency engineered presence where attention peaks:
Sponsorship stings at the start of games and between live chats, analysis and discussions
49 days of live, blistering action on ITV4, featuring the biggest global cricketing superstars and India's biggest clubs
Cross-platform viewing, acknowledging that live games are now watched on TV, online and tablets simultaneously
What Leadership Said
“This sponsorship is a major investment in building Southall Travel’s brand even further and continues to expand their business. It’s the partnership of a premier travel agency with a premier sporting event which creates a very strong proposition for the brand, as many international cricket stars take part in this high-profile tournament.”
— Saad Saraf, CEO, Mediareach Advertising
For Southall Travel, the IPL was not just about visibility, it was about positioning.
Both brands, Bahia noted, share common goals: future-facing markets and a rapidly expanding global customer base.
“These days, live games are watched on multiple platforms, from TV to online and on tablets. We have positioned the brand as ‘The Future of Travel’, and our commitment is to constantly invest in both technology and personnel that reflects this. To showcase this leading edge, our cricket sponsorship of the IPL on ITV4 was the perfect platform.”
Kuljinder Singh Bahia
CEO & Founder, Southall Travel
From Ethnic Agency to £250 Million Global Operator
The sponsorship also marks a business journey that mirrors Mediareach's own story.
Southall Travel began as a specialist ethnic travel agency and quickly expanded into mainstream travel, growing from a turnover of £500,000 in 1991 to a £250 million business by 2013. That trajectory, rooted in community, scaled through mainstream ambition, is exactly what multicultural marketing enables.
By securing IPL on ITV4, Mediareach helped the brand celebrate that heritage while signalling its future: a technology-led, people-powered travel brand ready for the next generation of global travellers.
Why Cricket Sponsorship Works for Travel
Cultural passion: Cricket commands unrivalled attention across South Asian households in the UK during IPL season
Destination alignment: India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka remain top VFR (visiting friends and relatives) and leisure routes
Family viewing: 49 days of live evening fixtures create repeated, co-viewed moments for family travel planning
Digital amplification: Playful activations like ‘Googly’ extend TV sponsorship into search and social talkability
Want Your Brand at the Heart of the Action?
From IPL on ITV4 to Cabinet Office and TalkTalk, Mediareach develops sponsorship deals that put brands where culture lives, on TV, online and in community conversation.
Sources & References
ITV4, Indian Premier League coverage — 49 days live, sponsorship stings. itv.com
Southall Travel, From £500k in 1991 to £250m turnover, positioning as Future of Travel. southalltravel.co.uk
Mediareach Advertising, About — Founded 1986, sports sponsorship expertise. mediareach.co
Southall Travel IPL
IPL sponsorship ITV4
Indian Premier League sponsorship
Mediareach sponsorship deal
Southall Travel £250 million
cricket sponsorship UK
ITV4 IPL 49 days live
Googly Google campaign
travel marketing UK
The UK's pioneering multicultural marketing and advertising agency. Over 40 years connecting brands with diverse communities through cultural insight, creative excellence, and intelligent media strategy. mediareach.co
Apr 16, 2013
Mediareach Secures IPL Sponsorship Deal for Southall Travel on ITV4
Premier agency meets premier tournament: Mediareach placed Southall Travel at the centre of 49 days of live IPL action on ITV4, from stings in the heart of the game to turning Google into Googly online.
⏱ 5 min read
By mediareach
Southall Travel, the market-leading global travel operator, returned to screens as sponsor of one of cricket's most electrifying events, the Indian Premier League on ITV4. The deal, developed and negotiated by Mediareach Advertising, put Southall Travel's logo at the heart of the action in what is fast becoming the world's most compelling and spectacular sports tournament.
With international stars and franchise giants taking part, the IPL delivers more than sport — it delivers a cultural moment for South Asian audiences in the UK and beyond. For a travel brand rooted in the subcontinent and now serving a global customer base, it was a natural fit.
Strategy: Logo at the Heart of the Action
Mediareach's sponsorship strategy was built on one insight: cricket is the most popular sport across the Indian subcontinent, which remains a hugely popular destination for holiday-makers, and a core market for Southall Travel.
Rather than a peripheral association, the agency engineered presence where attention peaks:
Sponsorship stings at the start of games and between live chats, analysis and discussions
49 days of live, blistering action on ITV4, featuring the biggest global cricketing superstars and India's biggest clubs
Cross-platform viewing, acknowledging that live games are now watched on TV, online and tablets simultaneously
What Leadership Said
“This sponsorship is a major investment in building Southall Travel’s brand even further and continues to expand their business. It’s the partnership of a premier travel agency with a premier sporting event which creates a very strong proposition for the brand, as many international cricket stars take part in this high-profile tournament.”
— Saad Saraf, CEO, Mediareach Advertising
For Southall Travel, the IPL was not just about visibility, it was about positioning.
Both brands, Bahia noted, share common goals: future-facing markets and a rapidly expanding global customer base.
“These days, live games are watched on multiple platforms, from TV to online and on tablets. We have positioned the brand as ‘The Future of Travel’, and our commitment is to constantly invest in both technology and personnel that reflects this. To showcase this leading edge, our cricket sponsorship of the IPL on ITV4 was the perfect platform.”
Kuljinder Singh Bahia
CEO & Founder, Southall Travel
From Ethnic Agency to £250 Million Global Operator
The sponsorship also marks a business journey that mirrors Mediareach's own story.
Southall Travel began as a specialist ethnic travel agency and quickly expanded into mainstream travel, growing from a turnover of £500,000 in 1991 to a £250 million business by 2013. That trajectory, rooted in community, scaled through mainstream ambition, is exactly what multicultural marketing enables.
By securing IPL on ITV4, Mediareach helped the brand celebrate that heritage while signalling its future: a technology-led, people-powered travel brand ready for the next generation of global travellers.
Why Cricket Sponsorship Works for Travel
Cultural passion: Cricket commands unrivalled attention across South Asian households in the UK during IPL season
Destination alignment: India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka remain top VFR (visiting friends and relatives) and leisure routes
Family viewing: 49 days of live evening fixtures create repeated, co-viewed moments for family travel planning
Digital amplification: Playful activations like ‘Googly’ extend TV sponsorship into search and social talkability
Want Your Brand at the Heart of the Action?
From IPL on ITV4 to Cabinet Office and TalkTalk, Mediareach develops sponsorship deals that put brands where culture lives, on TV, online and in community conversation.
Sources & References
ITV4, Indian Premier League coverage — 49 days live, sponsorship stings. itv.com
Southall Travel, From £500k in 1991 to £250m turnover, positioning as Future of Travel. southalltravel.co.uk
Mediareach Advertising, About — Founded 1986, sports sponsorship expertise. mediareach.co
Southall Travel IPL
IPL sponsorship ITV4
Indian Premier League sponsorship
Mediareach sponsorship deal
Southall Travel £250 million
cricket sponsorship UK
ITV4 IPL 49 days live
Googly Google campaign
travel marketing UK
The UK's pioneering multicultural marketing and advertising agency. Over 40 years connecting brands with diverse communities through cultural insight, creative excellence, and intelligent media strategy. mediareach.co
Apr 16, 2013
Mediareach Secures IPL Sponsorship Deal for Southall Travel on ITV4
Premier agency meets premier tournament: Mediareach placed Southall Travel at the centre of 49 days of live IPL action on ITV4, from stings in the heart of the game to turning Google into Googly online.
⏱ 5 min read
By mediareach
Southall Travel, the market-leading global travel operator, returned to screens as sponsor of one of cricket's most electrifying events, the Indian Premier League on ITV4. The deal, developed and negotiated by Mediareach Advertising, put Southall Travel's logo at the heart of the action in what is fast becoming the world's most compelling and spectacular sports tournament.
With international stars and franchise giants taking part, the IPL delivers more than sport — it delivers a cultural moment for South Asian audiences in the UK and beyond. For a travel brand rooted in the subcontinent and now serving a global customer base, it was a natural fit.
Strategy: Logo at the Heart of the Action
Mediareach's sponsorship strategy was built on one insight: cricket is the most popular sport across the Indian subcontinent, which remains a hugely popular destination for holiday-makers, and a core market for Southall Travel.
Rather than a peripheral association, the agency engineered presence where attention peaks:
Sponsorship stings at the start of games and between live chats, analysis and discussions
49 days of live, blistering action on ITV4, featuring the biggest global cricketing superstars and India's biggest clubs
Cross-platform viewing, acknowledging that live games are now watched on TV, online and tablets simultaneously
What Leadership Said
“This sponsorship is a major investment in building Southall Travel’s brand even further and continues to expand their business. It’s the partnership of a premier travel agency with a premier sporting event which creates a very strong proposition for the brand, as many international cricket stars take part in this high-profile tournament.”
— Saad Saraf, CEO, Mediareach Advertising
For Southall Travel, the IPL was not just about visibility, it was about positioning.
Both brands, Bahia noted, share common goals: future-facing markets and a rapidly expanding global customer base.
“These days, live games are watched on multiple platforms, from TV to online and on tablets. We have positioned the brand as ‘The Future of Travel’, and our commitment is to constantly invest in both technology and personnel that reflects this. To showcase this leading edge, our cricket sponsorship of the IPL on ITV4 was the perfect platform.”
Kuljinder Singh Bahia
CEO & Founder, Southall Travel
From Ethnic Agency to £250 Million Global Operator
The sponsorship also marks a business journey that mirrors Mediareach's own story.
Southall Travel began as a specialist ethnic travel agency and quickly expanded into mainstream travel, growing from a turnover of £500,000 in 1991 to a £250 million business by 2013. That trajectory, rooted in community, scaled through mainstream ambition, is exactly what multicultural marketing enables.
By securing IPL on ITV4, Mediareach helped the brand celebrate that heritage while signalling its future: a technology-led, people-powered travel brand ready for the next generation of global travellers.
Why Cricket Sponsorship Works for Travel
Cultural passion: Cricket commands unrivalled attention across South Asian households in the UK during IPL season
Destination alignment: India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka remain top VFR (visiting friends and relatives) and leisure routes
Family viewing: 49 days of live evening fixtures create repeated, co-viewed moments for family travel planning
Digital amplification: Playful activations like ‘Googly’ extend TV sponsorship into search and social talkability
Want Your Brand at the Heart of the Action?
From IPL on ITV4 to Cabinet Office and TalkTalk, Mediareach develops sponsorship deals that put brands where culture lives, on TV, online and in community conversation.
Sources & References
ITV4, Indian Premier League coverage — 49 days live, sponsorship stings. itv.com
Southall Travel, From £500k in 1991 to £250m turnover, positioning as Future of Travel. southalltravel.co.uk
Mediareach Advertising, About — Founded 1986, sports sponsorship expertise. mediareach.co
Southall Travel IPL
IPL sponsorship ITV4
Indian Premier League sponsorship
Mediareach sponsorship deal
Southall Travel £250 million
cricket sponsorship UK
ITV4 IPL 49 days live
Googly Google campaign
travel marketing UK
The UK's pioneering multicultural marketing and advertising agency. Over 40 years connecting brands with diverse communities through cultural insight, creative excellence, and intelligent media strategy. mediareach.co