As the Indian Premier League 2025 enters its third week, it’s clear that the tournament continues to be more than just a cricketing spectacle. With platforms like Star Sports and JioCinema (JioHotstar) battling for viewer attention, and brands vying for resonance across a highly fragmented audience, the latest data offers fascinating insights into what’s truly cutting through the clutter.
According to the Week 3 highlights report and the ongoing eDART-IPL25 study conducted by CrispInsight and Kadence International, IPL’s advertising ecosystem is witnessing a clear demographic divide in terms of brand recall, engagement, and content preferences.
Gender-Based Brand Recall Patterns
The study, based on inputs from over 20,000 viewers across 60+ cities, reveals striking differences between male and female viewers in terms of brand association:
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21% of men recalled automobile brands, while
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17% of women recalled food and snack brands.
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Women were also more likely to recall ads related to two-wheelers (6%) and personal care (3%).
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Meanwhile, men displayed high recall for fantasy sports (48%), tyres (16%), and financial services (6%).
These findings highlight how different categories resonate based on lifestyle and values, not just ad frequency.
Age-Based Recall Trends
Audience age also plays a key role in brand recall:
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15–19-year-olds showed high responsiveness to fantasy sports (39%) and beverage brands (23%).
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In contrast, the 45+ demographic recalled brands in banking (29%), liquor (21%), and e-commerce (18%), reflecting their consumption priorities and lifestyle preferences.
Platform & Format Engagement
While Star Sports retained its leadership in TV viewership with a 10.3% market share, JioCinema (JioHotstar) made notable strides in digital engagement, especially through its regional language offerings. Languages such as Tamil and Bhojpuri saw significant spikes in consumption, driven by vernacular commentary and second-screen features like live polls and AR overlays.
Brand Campaign Performance
Some standout campaigns from Dream11, CRED, and Swiggy Instamart leveraged interactive formats like gamification, fantasy leagues, and influencer activations to boost recall—especially among Gen Z.
However, as the study points out, relevance is emerging as a stronger driver of recall than just visibility. “Even within the same telecast, brand impressions vary drastically across demographics,” said a CrispInsight spokesperson. “Brands that align with the viewer’s identity—especially among women and younger audiences—tend to outperform expectations.”
A Call for Inclusive Advertising
Aman Makkar, Partner at Kadence International, emphasized the opportunity brands have with women as an under-leveraged demographic in sports marketing. “Categories like snacks, wellness, and mobility should adopt a more inclusive approach. The ROI is evident when messaging is targeted and authentic.”
The key insight from Week 3 is clear: in IPL 2025’s fiercely competitive ad landscape, the winners will be brands that go beyond broad-based visibility to create deeper, more meaningful connections. With more matches to come and an increasingly diverse IPL audience, the message for marketers is unambiguous—relevance beats reach.
