Advertising trends during Indian Premier League 2026 have shown a clear split between Connected TV (CTV) and Linear TV, with digital-first categories dominating one and traditional FMCG categories leading the other.
The data has covered the first 31 matches of IPL 2026 across 25 channels on Linear TV and CTV combined. The analysis has excluded promos, fillers, and short programs, focusing only on commercial advertising inventory.
On CTV, e-commerce-led categories have accounted for the highest share. Ecom-media, entertainment, and social media have contributed 38.9% of ad share, followed by ecom-other services at 11.3%. The category mix has remained heavily skewed towards digital-native businesses.
In contrast, Linear TV has been led by traditional consumption categories. Mouth fresheners have held the top position with a 13.7% share, followed closely by ecom-other services at 13.1%. The category distribution has reflected a more mass-market, FMCG-heavy advertiser base.
Advertiser concentration has also differed across platforms. On CTV, Star India (JioHotstar) has held the largest share at 38.8%, followed by Google at 17.3%. Havells India and Renault India have featured among the top advertisers with smaller shares.
On Linear TV, Google has emerged as the leading advertiser with a 12.2% share. Reliance Consumer Products has followed with 9.9%, while Vishnu Packaging and Havells India have also ranked among the top contributors.
The data has indicated a platform-specific strategy shift, where digital-first brands have prioritised CTV inventory, while traditional categories have continued to rely on Linear TV for reach.
