Brands and IPL sponsorships: Inside billion dollar game of trust and market share

In Indian sport, sponsorships are everywhere. Logos flash across LED boards, players front campaigns during tournaments, and brands rush to capitalise on the next viral sporting moment. Yet only a handful of companies manage to move beyond visibility and become deeply associated with the sport itself.

For decades, CEAT has been one of the most recognisable brands in Indian cricket.

From the Strategic Timeout in the Indian Premier League (IPL) to bat sponsorships carried by some of the game’s biggest names, CEAT’s presence in cricket has evolved beyond a conventional advertising exercise.

But what actually prompts a brand to associate with cricket in the first place? And why do some companies stay invested for decades while others disappear after a season?

According to CEAT Chief Marketing Officer Lakshmi Narayanan B, the answer lies in understanding sports partnerships as long-term brand investments rather than short-term campaigns.

Beyond awareness: When sponsorship becomes trust

Most sponsorships are built around visibility. Cricket guarantees eyeballs, emotional investment and national attention, making it one of the most commercially attractive platforms in India.

But the real marketing challenge begins after awareness.

“Consistent presence during high-stakes moments subconsciously flags the brand as reliable,” Lakshmi Narayanan said in an exclusive interaction with financialexpress.com while discussing CEAT’s long-standing association with cricket.

That insight cuts to the heart of sports psychology. Fans may initially notice a logo because of repeated exposure, but trust is built when the brand repeatedly appears during emotionally charged moments that matter to audiences.

In CEAT’s case, the association is layered carefully. Bat sponsorships place the brand alongside elite performers. Strategic Timeout branding embeds it into the structure of the IPL itself. Over time, the consumer stops viewing the brand as an outsider advertising around the sport and starts seeing it as a familiar presence within the ecosystem.

That distinction matters.

In categories like tyres, where purchases are deeply trust-led and infrequent, familiarity alone rarely converts into preference.

Cricket, especially in India, offers brands a way to build emotional credibility because fans often transfer values they admire in sport: consistency, performance under pressure and dependability, onto associated brands.

The era of short-term virality versus long-term memory

Modern marketing increasingly rewards speed. Brands chase trending moments, meme culture and short tournament bursts designed to maximise immediate engagement.

Yet CEAT’s approach remains fundamentally different.

“We don’t look at sports partnerships as campaigns but more as long-term assets,” Narayanan said.

That philosophy explains why CEAT continues investing in cricket properties that span decades rather than weeks.

The logic is strategic. Short-term tie-ups generate visibility. Long-term associations build memory.

For marketers, memory is often an underrated competitive advantage. A consumer may not immediately need tyres but when the purchase moment finally arrives, the brand occupying mental space usually gains the first consideration.

This is where cricket delivers significant value in India. Unlike many entertainment properties that fragment audiences, cricket creates repeated, nationwide cultural moments year after year. Associating with those moments consistently allows brands to build what marketers call “mental availability”, the likelihood of being remembered when buying decisions are made.

The CEAT Cricket Ratings Awards are one example of that long-term strategy. Running for nearly three decades, the property has helped the company maintain a visible presence in cricket beyond tournament sponsorships.

Why athlete persona now matters as much as performance

There was a time when brands primarily signed athletes for trophies, statistics and popularity.

That equation has changed dramatically.

Today, a player’s off-field personality can be just as important as their on-field achievements.

When CEAT partners with cricketers like Rohit Sharma or Harmanpreet Kaur, the company looks beyond runs and records.

“Performance gives visibility and relevance; persona builds relatability and trust,” Lakshmi Narayanan explained.

That shift reflects the changing nature of celebrity culture in the digital era. Fans no longer engage with athletes only during matches. They follow interviews, training routines and personal values across social media every day.

For brands, this means ambassadors are no longer just faces for campaigns. They increasingly function as extensions of brand identity.

A cricketer associated with calmness, dependability and consistency can reinforce the same emotional cues an automotive brand may want consumers to associate with its products.

Cricket is no longer just television

The transformation of sports consumption has also fundamentally changed sports marketing.

The rise of OTT platforms and connected TV has fragmented audiences, creating new opportunities for targeted campaigns. Brands are no longer buying pure mass reach. They are also buying contextual relevance.

Lakshmi Narayanan acknowledged that CEAT’s media strategy has evolved significantly with the rise of digital streaming platforms like JioHotstar.

“While linear TV still delivers mass visibility, digital allows us to layer that with precise and interest-based targeting, regional customization, and real-time optimization,” he said.

That evolution mirrors a wider industry shift. Cricket remains a mass spectacle, but brands increasingly want personalised engagement within that mass environment.

CEAT is also experimenting with AI-assisted workflows and audience-specific creative adaptation.

Still, Narayanan argues technology should support storytelling rather than replace it.

From cricket fans to lifestyle communities

One of the more notable shifts in CEAT’s strategy is how it increasingly uses cricket not just to market tyres, but to position itself within a broader driving and mobility lifestyle.

The company’s “Built for Grip” campaign, launched during the India-Pakistan clash at the World Cup, targeted aspirational consumers ranging from performance drivers to motorcycle touring communities.

The Ceat Executive, himself a Bullet rider, said personal riding experiences influence how he thinks about marketing.

Long rides create a direct understanding of what consumers value grip, confidence, stability and comfort.

That insight also explains why sports partnerships continue to matter for automotive brands. Cricket delivers scale but it can also create emotional connections to broader lifestyle aspirations such as travel, adventure and performance.