The spotlight battle between brands in an overcrowded kumbh of IPL

IPL advertisements have gone through a creative and financial metamorphosis through the years. It’s like India has created its very own Superbowl Sunday, except it lasts for more than a month. Since its inception, brands have been obsessed with IPL ad slots, and the obsession has grown exponentially in 15 years.

Total Ad Revenue:

IPL 2008 – ₹400cr – ₹2.50 lakh/10-second ad spot
IPL 2022 – ₹4,000cr – ₹16.5 lakh/10-second ad spot

But the increase in ad rates made little to no difference because the IPL ad slots (digital and broadcast) provide a level of visibility that cannot be achieved at any other time of the year.

From ₹400 to ₹4,000cr in 15 years, it’s no surprise that IPL advertising has had a massive impact on Indian consumers and businesses alike.

More insights for IPL 2022:

Co-presenting sponsors: ₹200cr – 180 seconds/match
Associate sponsors: ₹90-105cr – 80-90 seconds/match

“This is going to be the biggest IPL ever, both in terms of viewership and revenue,” says Nitin Bawankule, head, ad sales at Disney Star.

With two new teams being added to the roster- Gujarat Titans & Lucknow Super Giants, the incoming revenue for Star India and the outlay for every sponsor has increased by 25%. In terms of marketing, the 14 extra games combined with the viewership of Live TV and Hotstar+ make a significant impact.

In this crowded IPL market, brands and advertisers are being pushed to think out of the box. Advertisements during the IPL seasons have always been major crowd-pullers, but the level of creativity keeps rising every year. Smarter and more creative advertisements are crucial for standing out in the IPL season.

IPL promotions rely on powerful slogans- ‘Kanna, keep calm,’ which in the year 2014 signified that watching IPL matches can be a pleasant escape in uncomfortable situations. This year, Disney Star’s slogan is ‘Ye ab normal hai,’ normalising the fact that everything is fair when you’re watching IPL.

Over the 15 years, there have been countless other ad campaigns that hold a special place in Indians’ hearts. The first one that comes to mind is the ‘ZooZoo’ campaign by Vodafone launched in 2013, featuring cute animated characters that all of India still adore and reminisce. Other notable ad campaigns include Pepsi’s ‘Crash the IPL’, Kingfisher’s ‘Oo La La La Le O’ and Amazon’s ‘Chonkpur Cheetahs.’

Brands have evolved through the years, coming up with new, exciting and relatable content for the viewers. Nothing works better than featuring Bollywood stars to attract the Indian audience, and Vimal Pan Masala is continuing this trend splendidly. Along with Ajay Devgan and Shahrukh Khan, they have introduced yet another Bollywood celebrity- Akshay Kumar. Other examples include Zepto (Kailash Kher) and A23 (Shahrukh Khan).

Another groundbreaking trend in advertisements is ‘Nostalgia,’ and nobody does it better than Cred. They have recreated some unforgettable moments of our past like the ancient “Nirma ad” and the celebrated show, ‘Antaakshari.’

Cadbury is making great strides in inclusive marketing. Their off-beat ad campaign revolves around the importance of the ground staff in cricket matches, providing uniforms, hotels and daily commute as the ‘Proud Sponsors of the Ground Staff.’

Dream11 has already excelled in funny and trendy with the “ye mai karleta hu, aap Dream11 pe team banaao” campaign. Now they’re emotionally moving the Indian audience with inspirational stories in the ‘Dream Big’ campaign- featuring short stories of different Indian cricketers like Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, Rishab Pant and many more.

There is no doubt that the IPL will keep growing, unlocking limitless marketing opportunities for advertisers. The only way for brands to succeed in such a crowded market is by presenting unique and original ideas that resonate with their audience as many brands have already demonstrated.

The IPL has set off an exciting marketing era for Indian brands.

About the author:

Chirag Dagli, Co-Founder and Director, Communication Crafts