Hyundai Motors India Limited (HMIL), the country's largest exporter of cars, successfully concluded its event called 'First Ball' for the upcoming ICC tournament to be held in Sri Lanka. The company has earned exclusive rights for the cricket balls to be used in the biggest spectacle of the world cricket and showcased them in six Indian cities comprising New Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad and Lucknow. HMIL also displayed the ICC World Twenty20 Trophy during the event in a special 'Trophy Tour'.
The event was organised from September 6-9, 2012 and the cricket balls were put on display in a beautified Hyundai Eon car. The 'First Ball' also featured quizzes on cricket trivia, graffiti walls and juggling activities among others. The idea behind the event was to celebrate the upcoming cricket festival and engage cricket fanatics of the country in fun-filled entertainment along with showcasing HMIL's dedication towards the sentiments of its Indian customers.
Further, the officials of Hyundai Motors will present the match referee a set of cricket balls before every twenty20 cricket match. The referee will pick one ball among the set, which will then be used in the match.
Speaking about the company's initiative, B S Seo, Managing Director (MD) and CEO, HMIL, said, "The ICC World Twenty20, 2012 is a great opportunity for us to combine a nation's passion with Hyundai's commitment to the sport. We are delighted to be associated with ICC as official partner till 2015. With the showcase of the 'First Ball' for ICC World Twenty20, we aim to reach out to our customers and provide them with an unmatched experience and at the same time build up the momentum for this landmark cricketing event."
It may seem that Hyundai Motors followed-in the footmarks of Mahindra and Mahindra (M&M), which in August 2012 officially co-sponsored the Sri Lanka Premier League (SLPL), another twenty20 cricket tournament. Post SLPL, M&M, one of the country's leading auto maker, immediately declared its venture into the Sri Lankan aviation and two-wheeler sectors underlining the company's expansive plans. Thus, HMIL may also be planning to expand its customer base and seems to be indulging in a little brand building exercise in the Sri Lankan Territory, which has been dubbed as a high potential auto market.
