The coming of age of IPL (and marketing)

In India, turning 18 is symbolic. It marks adulthood, voting rights, marriage eligibility, and legal autonomy. This year, the IPL turns 18. Like any milestone birthday, it invites reflection, especially for marketers. 

Some of the biggest IPL sponsors, like Dream11, are literally for 18+. But beyond fantasy leagues and firecracker finales, the IPL has emerged as a cultural phenomenon. It draws massive audiences and marketing budgets. Itʼs the Super Bowl of India, but every evening for two months. 

Brands reportedly spent ₹550 crore on IPL influencer partnerships in 2025 alone. Add in performance marketing, digital campaigns, and sponsorships, and weʼre looking at an ad economy worth thousands of crores compressed into just eight weeks. But here's the question: how much of that sticks after the last ball is bowled? 

IPL Is a distribution beast 

Yes, IPLʼs reach is unmatched. Over 426 million viewers tuned in during IPL 2023ʼs early phase. But today, it is also a digital phenomenon splashed across: 

  • Instagram reels and meme pages 

  • Crickbuzz native ads and Google Display banners 

  • Reddit match threads 

  • WhatsApp forwards, meme pages, and influencer plugs 

  • OTT platforms like JioCinema allowing hyper-targeted regional ads 

 You donʼt need an IPL sponsorship to ride the wave. Smart brands hijack moments with clever creatives and aggressive distribution. But moments donʼt equal memorability. 

Why It feels like a win (at first) 

 Letʼs be fair. IPL marketing does work in the short term.  

  • 24% jump in revenue for fantasy gaming and fintech brands 

  • 40% surge in visibility for IPL-linked outdoor campaigns 

  • Campaigns tied to player performance - "Cashback when Kohli hits a six"—can drive conversions. 

During the season, brands scramble to post the most topical tweet or the wittiest meme. 

But ask yourself. How many IPL ads do you actually remember from last season? 

Visibility isnʼt the problem. Memorability is. 

 BFSI enterprises like HDFC, ICICI and others leverage IPL airtime for short-term product pushes , cards, loans, and mobile banking. While a plethora of brands use all creative ways to push narrative on social media, emailers and notifications. Exactly what is happening with a lot of brands who go big with IPL marketing.  

Take Lemonn App. Last year, it generated buzz with cheeky, irreverent IPL creatives. But where was the follow-up? There's no brand narrative to support the wit. Out of sight, out of mind. A short-term spike followed by silence. 

Thatʼs not brand-building. Thatʼs noise. 

IPL campaigns create excitement, not equity. Without a consistent brand story, most become background noise after the match ends.  

So what makes a great IPL campaign? 

Letʼs simplify it. 

Great IPL marketing = Relevance + Consistency + Follow-through Weak IPL marketing = Momentary + Disjointed + Forgettable 

Relevance: Tie the moment back to your brand 

The Calm x Naomi Osaka moment during the 2021 French Open is a masterclass. Osaka skipped a press conference citing mental health and was fined $15,000. Calm publicly supported her, matched her fine, and offered to cover similar fines for others. It wasnʼt just commentary. It reflected the brandʼs core belief in mental well-being. 

Consistency: Show up with the same voice, every time 

Think of Amul. It doesnʼt chase trends. It owns them. Topical, clever, and always in character. Not seasonal. Systemic. 

Or Mutual Fund Sahi Hai. Featuring legends like Sachin and Dhoni talking about investments adds trust and charm. But itʼs the consistent messaging around financial literacy that makes it more than a campaign. 

Follow-through: Donʼt stop after the last match 

 Some brands treat IPL like a loudspeaker, blasting offers, chasing eyeballs. Others treat it like a stage, telling stories, shaping memory. 

CRED did both. Indiranagar ka Gunda wasnʼt just an ad , it was a cultural moment. It wasnʼt about discounts; it was about distinctiveness.  

They followed it up with smart gamification through the 'CRED Powerplay,' pay your credit card bill during the Powerplay, and you could win 100% cashback. But after the season ended, there was no cohesive continuation. It was a brilliant one-act play. But a brand is built over a full season. 

Angel One, on the other hand, went all-in with multi-year IPL sponsorships. But their execution lacks detail. Outdated IPL 2024 mentions on landing pages in 2025 show how quickly momentum can fade when you miss the basics. 

Reserve Bank of India (RBI), in its own understated way, uses IPL seasons to raise awareness on digital scams and financial caution. Not flashy, but deeply necessary, and aligned with public interest branding. 

 All of these have value. But the real impact lies in what follows after the IPL. 

The Regional Relevance Blind Spot 

Most brands still think of IPL as a 'metro' game. But in 2025, that's outdated thinking. 

The real battleground for brand loyalty is regional India. JioCinemaʼs massive digital push has unlocked IPL access in Tier 3 and Tier 4 cities. Brands arenʼt built in Mumbai and Bangalore alone, but in Raigagh, Nalanda, Cuttak, and Reasi. With regional commentary and vernacular ads, IPL is no longer just for the English- or Hindi-speaking elite. 

Brands like Tata Neu and Meesho have started adapting their creatives by running IPL promos in Tamil, Telugu, and Bengali. They create contextual offers for regional festivals that overlap with IPL season. And fintechs must follow suit. This isnʼt just smart media buying. Itʼs smart culture mapping.  

If your IPL campaign doesnʼt account for regional languages, local humor, or platform behavior outside metros, you're leaving massive brand equity on the table. 

So should brands skip IPL? 

No, because IPL isnʼt the villain here. Itʼs a fantastic launchpad. 

But if you're spending 70% of your annual marketing budget over an 8-week period, you need to connect that activity back to your long-term brand narrative. This can only happen when you pace your marketing.

Sure, run an IPL campaign to remain top-of-mind for your viewer, but make sure the landing page, the email nurture, and the follow-up content all reinforce who you are.

The final word 

In marketing, itʼs tempting to equate eyeballs with impact. But attention is fleeting. Reputation sticks. 

So yes, ride the IPL wave. Get your memes out. Roll out the memes. Activate your discounts. But also ask: 

  • Will this make someone trust us more? 

  • Remember us better? 

  • Recommend us later? 

 

Because in the long run, your brand isnʼt what you post during the Powerplay. Itʼs what people recall in the off-season. 

This article is penned by Divyank Jain, Co-founder of The Wise Idiot.

Disclaimer: The article features the opinion of the author and does not necessarily reflect the stance of the publication.

 

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