Mumbai: Advertising during IPL 2026 witnessed a notable shift in media strategy, with Connected TV (CTV), technology brands, and regional audiences emerging as key growth drivers, according to the latest TAM Sports IPL 19 Commercial Advertising Report.
The report highlights how IPL continues to evolve beyond a traditional sports property into one of India’s most influential advertising platforms, shaping both mass-market and precision-led media strategies.
One of the most significant findings from the report was the growing diversification of advertiser participation across Connected TV. While the top five brands continued to account for a substantial share of ad volumes across platforms, CTV recorded a broader mix of categories and advertisers compared to Linear TV.
Google maintained a dominant presence during IPL 2026, with both Google Search Engine and Google Gemini featuring among the leading advertisers across Linear TV and CTV platforms.
According to the report, the top five brands contributed 23% of ad volumes on Linear TV and 19% on Connected TV, indicating a relatively wider distribution of advertiser participation on digital viewing environments.
CTV also emerged as a platform for experimentation and category expansion. The report noted that Connected TV recorded more than 35 exclusive categories and over 60 exclusive advertisers, compared to Linear TV’s 20+ exclusive categories and over 30 exclusive advertisers.
Categories such as credit cards, adhesives, fast food outlets, corporate FMCG, and astrology services showed strong exclusive presence on CTV, while Linear TV remained stronger in categories including chocolates, internet services, perfumes, televisions, and cement.
The report also highlighted evolving advertiser preferences compared with the previous IPL season. New categories entering IPL 2026 included chocolates, wires and cables, auto rental services, televisions, and laptops, while categories such as e-commerce gaming, real estate, lubricants, furniture, and travel platforms witnessed reduced participation.
Regional broadcasting continued to play a growing role in advertiser outreach. TAM Sports found that while several brands advertised across both national and regional sports channels, regional feeds attracted significantly higher exclusive brand participation, underscoring the increasing importance of localised communication strategies.
On the creative front, shorter formats remained the preferred advertising approach during commercial breaks. Advertisements under 10 seconds accounted for 54% of total ad insertions, followed by 11–20 second formats at 39%, reinforcing the continued demand for high-frequency, short-duration brand messaging.
The report concludes that IPL’s advertising ecosystem is becoming increasingly platform-specific, with Connected TV accelerating innovation, AI-driven brands strengthening visibility, and regional targeting emerging as a critical lever for audience engagement.
As media consumption patterns continue to fragment, IPL remains a key destination for brands seeking both scale and precision in India’s evolving advertising landscape
