– According to Google, nearly 90% of sports fans use a second screen while watching live matches, turning mobile devices into the centre of real-time engagement.
– According to Comscore data, nearly 90% of IPL streaming consumption during the 2025 season occured via mobile, with 62% of that audience falling within the 18 to 34 age range.
– Over a 10-week run, the 2025 season clocked 1.19 billion viewers across TV and digital, cementing the league’s position as one of the largest sporting events globally.
The signal for marketers is clear. The television may still host the match, but the battle for attention has moved elsewhere. IPL viewers no longer experience the game only on TV, but through short-form video and influencer content across social platforms. As this behaviour accelerates in 2026, brands are leaning into social media campaigns to capture attention beyond the broadcast.
Importantly, an IPL ad remains the most expensive 10-second placement in Indian media. But even at that price, IPL advertising can only deliver visibility, but doesn’t automatically move the needle.
With that in mind brands such as Dabur, Rasna, Panasonic and Mahindra’s Swaraj Tractor have started weaving in humour, celebrity pizzazz and nostalgia into their campaigns.
Dabur has brought back Chaubey-ji, played by actor Manoj Pahwa. “Dabur will be present across categories such as oral care, hair care and beverages, with a strong focus on reach-based planning across TV and digital,” says Rajiv Dubey, media head, Dabur India.
Panasonic and Swaraj Tractors have teamed up with former Indian cricket captain and key Chennai Super Kings resource MS Dhoni for their new campaigns. “IPL and the peak cooling season have been natural allies, and this year, Panasonic is leaning into that intersection harder than ever before,” says Dhiraj Sharma, head of marketing, Panasonic Life Solutions India. If Panasonic is taking forward its ‘India ka captain cool’ campaign for ACs launched this February, Swaraj will leverage Dhoni’s reliability quotient to win the trust of farmers.
Many brands are moving from long format TVCs to bite-sized ads. Brands like Rapido and Parle (Marie Biscuits) have used short, humorous, and high-frequency films, sometimes producing over 40-plus different short commercials to run through the tournament.