Mumbai: The Indian Premier League is no longer just a cricketing spectacle—it’s a high-stakes battleground for brands. The latest TAM report (covering March 22 to April 1, 2025) reveals a staggering 113% increase in ad volumes during the first 13 matches of IPL 18, compared to the same period in IPL 17. With a remarkable influx of new advertisers and categories, the league continues to solidify its status as the ultimate advertising goldmine.
IPL 18 Sees Surge in Brand Participation with Notable Shifts in Category and Advertiser Trends
IPL 18 recorded a 12% increase in the number of advertising categories and a substantial 29% rise in advertisers compared to IPL 17, indicating a significant surge in brand engagement during the tournament.
The Mouth Freshener category emerged as the top contributor to total ad volumes, cementing its dominance this season. Collectively, the top five categories accounted for 44% of the overall ad volumes. Consistently strong performers such as Ecom-Gaming, Mouth Fresheners, and Cellular Phones–Smart Phones maintained their leadership positions across both IPL 17 and 18.
Notably, two of the top five categories in IPL 18 belonged to the Food & Beverages (F&B) sector, signaling growing interest from the FMCG domain in leveraging IPL’s mass appeal.
On the advertiser front, the top five advertisers contributed 30% of total ad volumes, with Parle Biscuits Pvt. Ltd. emerging as the leading advertiser throughout the season—dominating every match except the opener. Sporta Technologies and Vishnu Packaging also sustained their presence among the top advertisers for two consecutive seasons.
IPL 18 also witnessed 20 new categories and 67 new brands entering the ad arena over just five matches—compared to the same number of matches in IPL 17. Among these, ‘Parle Platina Hide & Seek’ led the charge, followed closely by ‘Apple iPhone 16E’, underlining the increasing diversity and competitiveness among new entrants.
