The Market Research Society of India (MRSI) hosted its third Wednesday Webinar of the eighth season on April 23, 2025, focusing on “IPL Advertising: Impact, Evolution & Opportunity – How Brands are Playing the IPL Game Across TV, Digital, and On-Ground.” The session explored how IPL has transformed into a key advertising platform, driving brand engagement across multiple channels.
Insights from Industry Experts
The session was led by Sivakumar Somnathan (Consumer Behavior Consultant, Curious Cat Consulting), with contributions from Amitabh Mishra (Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories), Sunder Muthuraman (Independent Consultant), and Mukul Gautam (Independent Consultant). Panelists included:
From TV to Multi-Screen Strategy
Anshu Yardi (TAM) discussed the shift in IPL advertising, noting that ad volume on Linear TV has yet to fully recover post-pandemic, while new sectors like BFSI and F&B have gained ground. She highlighted the growing role of interactive formats and regional customizations in the evolving landscape.
Digital Takes Center Stage
Karthik Shankar (GroupM) emphasized that “Digital is no longer just an add-on.” With brands now investing heavily in OTT and CTV, digital has become central to IPL campaigns, complementing TV and on-ground efforts. Shankar also discussed GroupM’s partnership with JioHotstar to create innovative campaigns.
Data Insights Fueling Brand Strategies
Sandeep Ranade (Hansa Research) shared key findings from the IPLOMANIA tracker, noting a 2.25x jump in CTV viewership in 2024. He stressed that multi-platform campaigns resulted in 35-50% higher brand awareness, with categories like food, fashion, and footwear seeing significant gains.
CEAT’s Strategic Timeout Success
Deepa Mathew (CEAT) explained how the brand has used IPL’s strategic timeout to drive engagement and visibility, saying, “Strategic timeout truly equals strategic impact,” with innovative tactics like QR codes and CGI-driven content.
Summing It Up, Deepa Stated that IPL is no longer just a sporting event but a multi-channel marketing engine, driving brand visibility, engagement, and ROI across TV, OTT, stadium screens, and social media.
The webinar concluded that IPL 2025 is more than just a sporting event—it’s a multi-channel marketing powerhouse, leveraging digital, TV, and on-ground activations to drive measurable impact.
