A new brand with 30% awareness might see a 10% uplift with just a 1Cr spend in IPL: Hansa Research's Sandeep Ranade

After a brief pause due to the escalating situation between India and Pakistan, the IPL is all set to resume on May 17. So far, in the 18th season of the league, there have been some scintillating displays of high-octane cricket. Off the field, brands have been vying for the spot to hammer in their messaging and consolidate recall. But as the floodlights blaze with ever-increasing intensity and the financial stakes soar to new heights, is the well-thumbed advertising playbook keeping pace with this relentless evolution? Or is it gathering dust? 

We engaged in an insightful conversation with Sandeep Ranade, Executive Vice President and Head of Qualitative Research Division at Hansa Research, to decode the intricate dance between brands and the IPL.

The multi-channel orchestra

Cast your mind back to the nascent days of the IPL. The strategy was relatively clear-cut: brands jostled, sometimes elbowing fiercely, for those coveted seconds of airtime during an over, the fall of a wicket, or a strategic timeout. It was a game of visibility largely played on a single screen. Fast forward to today, and the advertising arena, Ranade elaborates, has undergone nothing short of a metamorphosis, primarily orchestrated by the disruptive and dynamic rise of Over-The-Top (OTT) platforms.

"The advent of OTT platforms has significantly changed how brands engage with the IPL," Ranade states unequivocally. "Earlier, it was straightforward TV advertising... Now, with OTT, the engagement is much richer." He conjures a vivid image of the modern fan: multi-screening, catching the live action on their smartphones while commuting, with platforms like Jio and Hotstar serving up commentary in a veritable Tower of Babel—up to 10 languages. "That kind of personalisation wasn’t available earlier," he underscores, pointing to interactive features like viewer-selected camera angles and the ability to message fellow fans during the live stream. "So even though the screen is smaller," Ranade notes, "the interactivity is far greater." This isn't passive consumption; it's active participation.

This explosion of interactivity is fundamentally compelling brands to graduate beyond the traditional jingle and the fleeting logo slap. The challenge, and indeed the opportunity, lies in crafting "immersive campaigns to engage viewers more deeply." And this isn't just marketing speak; the data, according to Hansa Research, emphatically validates this multi-platform strategy. Ranade unveils a statistic: "When brands diversify their media spend—say, combining TV with digital or on-ground—there’s a significantly higher uplift. For example, if you get an uplift of X on TV alone, you get 1.45X with TV plus digital, and 1.35X with TV plus on-ground." The message is loud and clear: in the contemporary IPL ecosystem, an integrated media approach isn't a luxury; it's the foundational cost of entry for achieving genuinely impactful engagement. Brands are now tasked with conducting an entire orchestra, not just playing a solo instrument. This means "they might run longer ads on general entertainment channels and shorter edits during IPL to maintain impact while optimising spend," a sophisticated calibration of message, medium, and moment.

The golden goose still lays (lavishly)

One might reasonably wonder if, amidst the deafening cacophony of media fragmentation, the ever-present threat of ad fatigue, and the eye-watering escalation in sponsorship costs (from DLF's reported ₹400 crores in its inaugural avatar to Tata's colossal ₹2,500 crores), the IPL is perhaps losing its Midas touch. Is the golden goose feeling a bit strained? Ranade is swift and decisive in dispelling such notions. "Despite rising costs, the impact of advertising during IPL hasn’t diminished—this is why brands keep returning," he asserts with confidence. The sheer, unadulterated visibility, the prestige, and the tangible impact on brand metrics remain a potent, almost irresistible lure for advertisers big and small.

Intriguingly, Ranade posits that the often-decried "clutter" during a live IPL match is, in fact, relatively low when benchmarked against other platforms. "Ad slots are fixed—between overs, at wickets, or during timeouts. Unlike OTT shows, where you can have forced breaks, IPL offers limited and predictable ad space, which maintains its effectiveness." This structured, almost rhythmic, insertion of ads provides a degree of predictability in an otherwise chaotic media world, allowing brands to plan with more assurance. Add to this potent mix the tournament's serendipitous timing—kicking off in the Indian summer, a peak season for many consumer goods, and neatly coinciding with the commencement of India's financial new year in April. This confluence makes the IPL "an ideal launchpad for campaigns," Ranade explains. It's a well-oiled springboard that many brands use to kickstart their annual marketing offensive. The IPL, it would seem, is less of a speculative gamble and more of a calculated, albeit high-stakes, investment with a track record of robust, proven returns.

Fresh faces, shifting loyalties, and new categories

The initial fortnight of this year's IPL has already served up a spicy platter of fascinating curveballs, not merely on the hallowed turf but reverberating through the branding arena as well. While Ranade confirms that "the most recalled brands remain consistent," a testament to their long-term association and sustained campaign presence, the tournament also sees "new entries in categories like food and beverages—some biscuit brands, for example, are advertising this year." These newcomers are "testing the waters," understanding that recall, like a good innings, needs time to build, especially when competing against established giants with an 80% baseline awareness. For a new brand with, say, 30% awareness, Ranade notes, even a modest "1 crore spend might see a 10% uplift," a significant jump that established players wouldn't experience proportionally.

The real on-field drama, which invariably spills into off-field brand dynamics, lies in the ever-shifting team compositions and player allegiances. "Shreyas Iyer moved from Kolkata to Punjab, Rahul moved from Lucknow to Delhi, and Rohit is no longer a captain. These shifts impact team loyalties and player popularity," Ranade elaborates. This churn has had a tangible effect, with Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) having "edged ahead" of the perennially popular Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in fan estimation during the early weeks, with Mumbai Indians completing the formidable top trio. On the individual player front, while MS Dhoni’s iconic star still burns brightly, his popularity has seen a marginal dip. "This year, Virat has taken the lead, followed by Dhoni, Rohit, and then Hardik Pandya, who has seen significant growth in popularity—he wasn’t even in the top five last year." Even the digital battlefield of social media reflects this, where "RCB has also overtaken CSK in social media metrics," indicating a broader, more dynamic shift in fan engagement.

And what of the age-old question of celebrity endorsements, an almost non-negotiable staple in the IPL advertising cookbook? Are audiences finally growing weary of seeing famous faces hawk everything from sodas to steel? "We’ve never directly asked audiences whether they still want to see celebrities," Ranade clarifies, but notes the undeniable reality: "every second ad in India features a celebrity-be it from sports, Bollywood, or among influencers." It's a trend that transcends the IPL. The crux, however, isn't the mere presence of a celebrity but the strategy behind it. "What matters more is how brands select celebrities. The basics still hold: is the celebrity popular? Are they already endorsing 20 other brands? Does their personality align with the brand?" These are crucial filters. He cautions against the temptation to simply "load up on big names," suggesting that "selecting one well-aligned celebrity can often be more effective." A poorly chosen star, no matter how bright, can be a costly misstep, failing to connect or even actively alienating consumers. "Just featuring a celebrity doesn’t guarantee creative success," he wisely points out.

Furthermore, the types of brands flocking to the IPL are also diversifying. While traditionally dominated by male-targeted categories like "BFSI, online gaming, auto," Ranade observes, "Now, we’re seeing more diversity. E-commerce brands like Myntra, fashion, beauty, and even some FMCG brands are entering the space." This broadening advertiser base suggests the IPL's appeal is expanding, reflecting its penetration into diverse household segments and its power to influence a wider array of purchasing decisions.

The digital echo chamber and navigating the long haul

As the tournament, with its 70-odd matches, stretches over two months, the challenge of maintaining viewer interest and, crucially, brand recall amidst potential fatigue looms large. "Consistency is key," Ranade advises, especially for the "hardcore IPL fans" who "stick around till the end." Fringe viewers may drop off, but the loyalists remain. This doesn't mean brands "need to be present in all 70 matches, but they should maintain a strategic presence from start to finish." It's about "spending smartly," not just spending more. This smart spending often involves leveraging "multiple media—TV plus digital, or digital plus on-ground assets," which, as previously noted, "can increase ROI." Visibility on "jerseys, helmets, or visible during commentary or post-match interviews can add value," creating a symphony of touchpoints.

However, perhaps the most captivating and rapidly evolving dimension of IPL engagement, as Ranade personally observes, is the incredible power of the digital zeitgeist and social media. "Personally, the way social media amplifies moments has been fascinating," he muses. "What Ajinkya Rahane says to Shreyas Iyer, or memes about a 27-crore player underperforming—these get picked up instantly and shape public conversation." This real-time, fan-driven narrative, this digital echo chamber, "wasn’t the case a few years ago." For brands that are nimble, attentive, and brave enough to join the conversation authentically, "social buzz, team Instagram content, behind-the-scenes clips—all of that could become the next big opportunity for advertisers to break the clutter." This is where digital-first or emerging brands, currently still building their IPL presence, might eventually find their standout moments.

Ranade also touches upon the practicalities: match dynamics can influence ad delivery. "Quick finishes—like a team chasing down a target in 11 overs—can result in ad slots being lost." While a close finish or a Super Over "definitely affects viewership," and an ad running at such a critical juncture might benefit by sheer chance, the core creative still needs to resonate independently. And while brands are reaching widespread audiences in "Tier II and III cities" through various platforms, truly understanding differentiated responses will "need more time and a deeper cut of the data."

The IPL, therefore, continues its reign not just as a premier sporting spectacle but as a dynamic crucible for marketing innovation. It demands more than just deep pockets; it demands strategic acumen, creative bravery, and an adaptive mindset. For brands willing to evolve, to listen intently to the evolving consumer pulse, and to play the long, integrated game, the IPL pitch remains exceptionally fertile ground for scoring spectacular goals.

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