IPL 2025 Marketing Surge: Brands Ride Cricket’s Wave with Strategic Investments

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 has solidified its status as a marketing juggernaut, transforming cricket’s colossal viewership into a dynamic platform for brand storytelling.

 

 With over 620 million viewers tuning in via digital platforms like JioCinema and a 31% surge in TV advertisers compared to IPL 2024, the tournament is a “marketing festival” where brands, from legacy giants to agile startups, vie for consumer attention. This year, strategic campaigns, hefty ad spends, and targeted media channels have driven unprecedented engagement, with varying returns on investment (ROI) reflecting the evolving advertising landscape.

IPL 2025’s advertising revenue is projected to reach ₹6,000-7,000 crore, fueled by a 23% increase in brands and an 8% growth in TV ad volumes. Over 55 advertisers, including Parle Biscuits (9% ad volume share), Vimal Elaichi (6.1%), and Dream11 (4%), dominate the leaderboard. The influencer marketing segment alone is expected to see ₹550 crore in spends, with entertainment (30%), FMCG (25%), and D2C brands (15%) leading the charge. Startups and direct-to-consumer (D2C) brands, buoyed by the tournament’s digital reach, have shifted budgets from platforms like Google and Facebook to IPL’s ecosystem, leveraging its 12-13 million concurrent viewers on JioCinema. However, high ad spends don’t guarantee recall: Dream11’s ₹1,730 crore investment in 2024 yielded a 37.7% recall rate, while Parle and Vimal, despite spending over ₹3,000 crore each, struggled below 4%.

The IPL’s media landscape is increasingly digital-first, with JioCinema’s free streaming driving a 44% surge in searches and clicks during the tournament. Mobile-centric campaigns dominate, as 314 billion glances and 433 million taps on cricket-related content highlight second-screen engagement. Social media platforms like Instagram, YouTube, and ShareChat see a 20% surge in ad spends, with brands like Uber Moto capitalizing on social-first campaigns. Uber Moto’s anti-hero campaign, blending cricket’s cultural fervor with edgy storytelling, resonated on platforms like X, generating buzz through relatable, rivalry-driven content. Conversely, traditional TV remains vital for mass reach, with geo-targeted ads on connected TVs offering precise messaging to affluent audiences. Influencer partnerships, particularly with micro-influencers, amplify reach, with a 65% recall rate and 14% direct conversions, outpacing traditional ads.

Innovative campaigns have defined IPL 2025’s marketing surge. Ogilvy India’s gamified notebook campaign for young audiences turned study aids into interactive experiences, achieving high engagement among Gen Z viewers. The campaign’s ROI is estimated at 5:1, driven by social media shares and in-school activations. Uber Moto’s social-first campaign, with its anti-hero narrative, tapped into cricket’s emotional grip, yielding a 10:1 ROI through viral X posts and user-generated content. A CrispInsight and Kadence International survey revealed gendered ad recall: 21% of men remembered auto ads, while 17% of women recalled food and snack ads, underscoring the need for tailored strategies. Brands like Jio and Paytm, leveraging in-stadium branding and sponsorships, achieved strong recall without heavy ad spends, proving strategic integration trumps volume.

The IPL’s success as a marketing platform lies in its cultural resonance and digital scalability, but challenges persist. Only a handful of the 130+ brands tracked by CrispInsight achieved significant recall, as clutter dilutes impact. Categories like mouth fresheners (9% viewer interest) lag, while fantasy sports (48% male recall) thrive. Brands must balance high-cost sponsorships with smarter, engagement-driven tactics to maximize ROI. As Ritesh Ghosal of CrispInsight notes, “Strategic brand integration is key as ad volumes alone may not aid recall.” With IPL 2025 continuing until May 25, marketers must refine strategies to cut through the noise, ensuring investments translate into lasting consumer connections.

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