The 18th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) has kicked off with a notable uptick in advertising momentum. According to TAM Sports data covering the first five matches (March 22–25), IPL 2025 has already clocked a 29% increase in the number of advertisers compared to the same period last year. The count of active advertisers rose from 40+ in IPL 17 to 55+ this year, signaling early-season confidence from marketers across categories.
The number of advertising categories also increased from 40+ to 45+, representing a 12% jump year-on-year. Notably, the report highlights the entry of 20+ new categories, suggesting that brands which previously sat on the fence—particularly in digital-first and regional sectors—are now testing the waters with India’s biggest tentpole property.
Familiar Categories, New Spends
Despite this infusion of new players, the top categories remain consistent with past trends. Three categories featured among the top five in both IPL 17 and 18: E-commerce Gaming, Mouth Fresheners, Smartphones
Together, these reflect India’s evolving consumption habits—digital, impulse-driven, and mobile-first.
While exact numbers for E-commerce Gaming were not listed, the top categories included smartphones (7.8%), food products (7.2%), and sharebroking services (6.9%), reflecting a mix of lifestyle and financial players making early ad pushes.”
Who’s Spending Big?
In terms of top advertisers, Parle Biscuits leads the pack with an 8% share of ad volumes, followed by Vishnu Packaging (Vimal Elaichi) and Apple India. Notably, Reliance Consumer Products and Dream11 also feature in the top five, showing a mix of legacy FMCG and digital-first disruptors.
Parle Biscuits led the advertiser leaderboard with an 8% share of total ad volumes. Vimal Elaichi (marketed by Vishnu Packaging) followed with 6.1%, while Apple India secured third place with a 5.7% share. Reliance Consumer Products came in fourth at 5.5%, and Dream11 (via Sporta Technologies) rounded out the top five with 4.4%.
Sporta Technologies (Dream11.com) is listed as the 5th top advertiser in IPL 18, contributing 4.4% of total ad volumes in the first 5 matches.
More Channels, More Coverage
IPL 2025 is also being broadcast across 28 channels, compared to a smaller footprint in IPL 17—signaling a push for wider syndication and deeper regional reach. The indexed ad volume for the first five matches also saw a 7% growth year-on-year, a moderate but steady indicator that the ad market’s IPL appetite remains robust.
While the early data doesn’t suggest a record-breaking surge, it does confirm one thing: advertisers still bet big on IPL, especially for visibility-led categories. With 20+ new categories jumping in and digital-native advertisers continuing to dominate, the tournament remains a powerful cultural and commercial stage.
Read More:Beyond the sixes: What’s driving the IPL 2025 ad spend frenzy?
Read More:Summer of IPL: Brands battle for eyeballs, not just sixes in ad blitz