New Delhi: Chrome DM COTT has released its Advertising Recall Efficiency Report for IPL 2026, offering an analysis of how digital advertising exposure translated into brand recall during the tournament period across categories and brands.
The report is based on Chrome DM COTT | Chrome Digital Ad Track (Digital Panel) + Primary Survey | IPL 2026 and covers campaign activity between 28 March and 31 May 2026.
The study measures the relationship between impression share and recall percentage through the Recall Efficiency Index (REI) — a metric designed to evaluate how effectively ad exposure converts into consumer recall. An REI score of 1.00x indicates parity between impression and recall share, while scores above or below indicate over-conversion or under-conversion respectively.
Automobiles Lead Digital Exposure, BFSI Tops Recall Efficiency
Across the Total Digital cohort, the report found that impression volume and recall performance did not always move proportionately across categories.
Automobiles emerged as the largest category by digital impression share at 16.23%, generating 13.02% recall and an REI of 0.80x.
FMCG & Consumer Goods followed with 13.04% impression share and 10.17% recall, resulting in an REI of 0.78x.
Consumer Durables, including air conditioners and appliances, delivered 9.70% impression share but generated 6.89% recall, recording the lowest efficiency score among the top categories at 0.71x.
Digital/E-commerce/Internet Services recorded an REI of 0.91x, while Banking, Finance & Fintech (BFSI) delivered the strongest recall efficiency among the top categories with an REI of 0.97x, despite having the lowest impression share in the group at 7.25%.
SBI Leads Scale; IDFC First Bank Leads Recall Efficiency
Within the BFSI category across Total Digital, SBI generated the highest impression share at 25.63% and the highest recall at 23.40%, translating into an REI of 0.91x.
IDFC First Bank emerged as the most recall-efficient brand in the cohort, delivering 18.50% impression share, 19.23% recall, and an REI of 1.03x, becoming the only BFSI advertiser in the study to cross the 1.00x benchmark.
Other brands in the cohort included:
- Groww: 14.62% impression share, 13.56% recall, REI 0.92x
- HDFC Bank: 11.25% impression share, 9.56% recall, REI 0.84x
- Angel One: 9.63% impression share, 8.40% recall, REI 0.87x
The findings suggest that while higher exposure supported overall recall generation, efficiency levels varied depending on the ability to convert impressions into memory.
Metro Banking: IDFC First Bank Narrows Recall Gap
In metro markets, SBI recorded the highest impression share among banking advertisers at 45% and achieved 38.00% recall, resulting in an REI of 0.83x.
IDFC First Bank followed with 37% impression share and 36.00% recall, delivering the highest REI in the metro banking cohort at 0.96x.
The recall gap between SBI and IDFC First Bank stood at only 2 percentage points, despite an 8 percentage-point difference in impression share.
HDFC Bank and ICICI Bank recorded REIs of 0.73x and 0.79x respectively.
Regular IPL Viewers Deliver Higher Recall Efficiency for IDFC First Bank
Among Regular IPL Viewers, IDFC First Bank again emerged as the most efficient performer in BFSI.
The brand delivered 24.65% impression share, 25.71% recall, and an REI of 1.04x, making it the only advertiser in the cohort to exceed the parity benchmark.
SBI followed with 21.36% impression share, 20.31% recall, and an REI of 0.95x.
Groww, Angel One and HDFC Bank all remained below 0.90x in recall efficiency.
Key Findings
According to the report:
- Higher impression share does not automatically translate into higher recall efficiency.
- BFSI delivered the strongest category-level recall efficiency among top digital advertisers.
- IDFC First Bank recorded the highest recall efficiency across multiple cohorts.
- SBI maintained leadership in scale and absolute recall across BFSI and metro banking segments.
- Creative quality, messaging clarity, contextual relevance and brand fit continue to influence recall outcomes alongside media exposure.
Chrome DM COTT said the findings underline the growing importance of evaluating not only reach and impressions, but also how effectively campaigns create lasting brand memory within premium digital environments such as IPL.
