From metro billboards to meme pages, brand jingles to match-day filters, the Indian Premier League has long been more than just cricket- it’s a marketing juggernaut that seamlessly fuses sports with commerce, creating an advertising spectacle like no other. But IPL 2025 didn’t just stick to the script; it amplified the playbook.
As India’s obsession with the league deepened, brands doubled down not only on visibility but on inventiveness, moving past traditional logo placements to deeper integrations, smarter category plays, and regional channel bets. In a season where cricket remained the draw but marketing was the real game-changer, the numbers tell a compelling tale of growth, reinvention, and strategic ambition.
And as the dust settles on yet another high-octane season, IPL 2025 emerges as a defining moment for how advertisers are now playing their own version of T20- fast, focused, and fearlessly experimental.
Advertiser and Brand Presence Hit New Highs
According to TAM Sports – IPL 18 Advertising Report, covering the first 70 matches of the league, IPL 2025 saw advertising volumes grow by 0.4% over the previous season, but the more telling stat was the surge in advertiser count. The number of advertisers increased by a striking 27%, while the brand count went up by 28%- indicating not just breadth, but deeper belief in IPL’s power to drive ROI.
The league maintained a steady 70+ advertising categories, but introduced 27 new ones. As many as 141 new brands advertised in 70 matches of IPL 18 compared to the same number of matches in IPL 17. Among the 141 new brands, ‘Parle Platina Hide and Seek’ was the leading brand followed by ‘Rapido Bike Taxi and Auto Appi’.
Top Advertisers Hold Their Ground
Parle Biscuits emerged as the top advertiser during the first 70 matches. Also continuing their dominance from last season were KP Pan Foods, Vishnu Packaging, and Sporta Technologies. Together, the top five advertisers contributed nearly 29% of the total ad volumes, reflecting both legacy muscle and sustained faith in IPL as a high-impact property.
A major storyline this year was the consistency in F&B dominance as three of the top five categories in IPL 18 were from the F&B sector.
Dominant Categories
The TAM report shows that the top five categories made up over 40% of the total ad volumes. E-commerce gaming and mouth fresheners were clear leaders, appearing in the top five across both IPL 18 and 17. Interestingly, the rise of Paper Boat’s Swing Coconut Water as the most advertised exclusive brand on Hindi+English sports channels reveals how niche beverage brands are now finding mainstream play via IPL.
On regional language sports channels, IPL Sunrisers Hyderabad team secured the first position, underscoring the importance of vernacular strategies and hyperlocal loyalty in regional ad markets.
Top 178 brands advertised on both regional and Hindi+English sports channels during 70 matches of IPL 18. ‘Vimal Elaichi’ dominated the Top 5 Brand List for Common Brands on both Hindi+English language sports channels.
A Format That’s Shaping the Future of Indian Advertising
IPL 2025 wasn’t just a showcase of cricketing talent, it was a masterclass in how modern marketing is evolving. In a country where cricket already borders on religion, brands are learning to preach through new-age channels, storytelling formats, and data-backed precision. From legacy advertisers to first-time entrants, from metro fans to regional viewers, the tournament provided a sandbox for experimentation that’s set to influence festive, regional, and digital campaigns in the months ahead.
The IPL may last two months, but for India’s advertisers, its impact is now year-round.
