Mumbai: As the Indian Premier League (IPL) continues to be one of the most coveted advertising platforms in India, brands are leveraging its massive viewership to maximize visibility. The latest data from TAM Sports provides valuable insights into how advertising trends have evolved between IPL 2024 (IPL 17) and the first five matches of IPL 2025 (IPL 18). With a 7% increase in ad volumes and 29% growth in advertisers, IPL 2025 is witnessing a new wave of brand engagement.
Ad Volume Growth on Television
According to the TAM Sports report, indexed ad volumes on television saw a 7% rise in IPL 2025 compared to IPL 2024. The indexed ad volume for IPL 17 stood at 100, while IPL 18 climbed to 107, indicating a strong preference among advertisers to invest in IPL’s unmatched reach.
Growth in Advertisers and Categories
One of the key takeaways from the report is the surge in both the number of advertisers and categories participating in IPL 2025:
- Advertisers increased by 29%, growing from 40+ in IPL 17 to 55+ in IPL 18.
- Categories increased by 12%, rising from 40+ to 45+.
This growth suggests an expanding interest from diverse industry sectors, with more brands recognizing IPL as a prime opportunity for consumer engagement.
Top Advertising Categories: What Changed?
While some advertising categories remained dominant, new entrants have reshaped the landscape.
IPL 2025’s top categories:
- Mouth Freshener (11%)
- Ecom-Gaming (10%)
- Biscuits (8%)
- Cellular Phones-Smart Phones (8%)
- Cars (6%)
IPL 2024’s top categories:
- Ecom-Gaming (19%)
- Mouth Freshener (10%)
- Cellular Phones-Smart Phones (9%)
- Food Products (7%)
- Securities/Sharebroking (7%)
The Mouth Freshener category dominated IPL 18, accounting for 11% of total ad volumes, a notable shift from IPL 17, where Ecom-Gaming led with 19%. This change signals evolving consumer interest and strategic shifts in brand positioning.
Top Advertisers: New Leaders Emerge
The list of top advertisers also witnessed key shifts:
IPL 2025’s top advertisers:
- Parle Biscuits (8%)
- Vishnu Packaging (Vimal Elaichi) (6%)
- Apple Computer India (6%)
- Reliance Consumer Products (5%)
- Sporta Technologies (Dream11) (4%)
IPL 2024’s top advertisers:
- Sporta Technologies (Dream11) (11%)
- Parle Products (7%)
- Playgames 24*7 (My11Circle) (6%)
- Vishnu Packaging (Vimal Elaichi) (5%)
- Bharti Airtel (5%)
Parle Biscuits emerged as the top advertiser in IPL 18, overtaking Dream11, which dominated IPL 17. Apple Computer India also made a strong entry, indicating a growing push for premium tech advertising during IPL.
New Categories and Brands in IPL 2025
The evolution of IPL advertising is further reflected in the introduction of 20 new categories and 67 new brands in IPL 18. Some notable additions include:
Top 5 new categories: Biscuits, Corporate-Financial Institutes, Ecom-Other Services, Ecom-Auto Rental Services.
Top 5 new brands:
- Parle Platina Hide & Seek
- Apple iPhone 16E
- Rajshree Silver Coated Elaichi
- Campa Energy Drink
- AMFI (Association of Mutual Funds in India)
At the same time, 15 categories from IPL 17 did not make it to IPL 18, including Parle Food Products, Airtel Xstream Fiber, Fogg, Kamla Pasand Silver Coated Elaichi, and Cadbury Dairy Milk Chocolate.
Key Takeaways
- Ad volumes increased by 7%, showing continued advertiser confidence in IPL.
- The number of advertisers surged by 29%, with more brands leveraging IPL’s massive reach.
- Mouth Freshener took over as the leading category, replacing Ecom-Gaming.
- Parle Biscuits became the top advertiser, overtaking Dream11.
- 67 new brands and 20 new categories entered IPL 18, reflecting a dynamic shift in brand strategy.
ith newer categories and brands making their presence felt, IPL advertising is set to continue its growth trajectory. The trends from IPL 18 suggest that brands are diversifying their IPL strategies, shifting from gaming dominance to FMCG and technology-driven promotions. As the season progresses, it will be interesting to see how these trends evolve and shape the future of advertising in sports.
