IPL 2025 kicked off with a 29% surge in active advertisers during its opening five matches (March 22–25), with 55+ brands on board compared to 40+ in the same period last year, according to TAM Sports data. The number of advertising categories also grew from 40+ to 45+, marking a 12% year-on-year increase, as 20+ new sectors, including digital-first and regional brands, joined the fray.
Despite the higher advertiser turnout, the number of individual celebrity endorsers across film and sports declined compared to IPL 2024. However, the share of ads featuring celebrities rose by 2%, suggesting a sharper focus on a smaller pool of high-impact personalities. The overall ratio of celebrity to non-celebrity ads remained steady at 61:39.
Actor Ananya Panday emerged as the most visible celebrity of the season so far, claiming a 9% share of all celebrity-backed ad volumes, displacing Shah Rukh Khan, who led last year with 12%. Khan remains the only celebrity to appear in the top five in both seasons, reflecting his sustained brand appeal.
In the sports segment, MS Dhoni led with a 15.1% share, while Mohammed Siraj, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and Rinku Singh followed with 9.8% each. Interestingly, none of last season’s top sports endorsers retained their spots this year, indicating shifting brand preferences.
More than 70% of the celebrity-endorsed ad volume came from five product categories, chief among them ecom-gaming, biscuits, and pan masala. Meanwhile, five advertisers, led by Dream11 and Playgames 24×7, accounted for 60% of all ad volume.
The data points to a recalibrated advertising strategy for IPL 2025—brands are leaning into fewer but stronger celebrity associations while expanding across new product categories and platforms.