Little wonder then that brands looking to cash in on the cricket fever are exploring influencer marketing as an alternative advertising vehicle this IPL.

The Indian Premier League (IPL) is the biggest eyeball generator already so every brand worth its salt would love to join the party. But with ad rates reaching 16-18 lakh per 10 seconds on TV and 350 per mille on digital, the cost of advertising on the IPL has also become prohibitively expensive.

Little wonder then that brands looking to cash in on the cricket fever are exploring influencer marketing as an alternative advertising vehicle this IPL. According to a report by influencer marketing and intelligence platform Qoruz, brands are expected to invest `550 crore in influencer-led campaigns this season. The top segments expected to drive this spending are entertainment and streaming platforms (30%), FMCG (25%), consumer electronics (15%), D2C brands (15%), auto (10%) and others (5%).

Neelesh Pednekar, co-founder and head of digital media at Social Pill, observes that the IPL has evolved into something more than a cricket tournament. It is now a cultural juggernaut that dominates screens and conversations. “The shift is clear. Marketers are betting big on creators who speak the language of their audiences in real time. Influencer marketing isn’t just an alternative to broadcast anymore – in many ways, it’s becoming the default choice for digital-first advertisers,” says Pednekar. He adds that AI-powered performance tracking and culturally resonant content are redefining the way brands, especially smaller ones, tap into IPL’s massive attention economy.

The golden rule of advertising is to spend wherever there is maximum attention and that’s where the advertisers are going, observes Shubham Singhal, co-founder & CEO of Dot Media. “While consumers may be sitting in front of their TV screens or other devices, most of them are browsing through YouTube, Instagram or X. If you’re not reaching your consumer on social media, you’re losing out,” says Singhal.He adds that while large advertisers may be devoting a large chunk of their budgets towards TV and digital broadcast of the games, influencers play a significant role in amplifying their advertising and messaging on social media.

During the IPL season last year, sports-related content had the highest share of voice at 47.46%, followed by arts and entertainment (23.60%) and meme content (7.27%). This is likely to continue during this season, with advertisers pushing the envelope by creating cricket-related content with influencers. The brands that succeed in finding their way into IPL discussions will be able to make a real impact this season.

Last year, brands like JioCinema, Star Sports India, Dream 11, Puma, Swiggy, Zomato, Cricbuzz and Paytm dominated influencer-driven engagements.

Win for small advertisers

Influencer-led campaigns can bring relatability and engage with younger audiences in a more authentic way than broadcast, notes Sajal Gupta, CEO, Kiaos Marketing. “It emulates a one-on-one conversation, giving it an edge over broadcast especially during high decibel events like the IPL. Smaller advertisers will look at deep engagement activity with a focus on cricket,” says Gupta. He adds that another major advantage is the potential to engage with interactive content.

Unlike mass-market TV ads, influencers create personalised, narrative-driven content that resonates with niche audiences, points out Aman Narula, COO, Mad Influence. “Influencer campaigns are most cost-effective, allowing small and mid-sized brands to participate. Localised and region-specific content also gives influencer marketing an edge, as brands tailor messages in local languages and cultural contexts. While TV ads guarantee massive reach, influencers drive deeper audience connections,” explains Narula.

Broadcaster JioStar is also training its attention on SMBs (small and medium sized businesses) this IPL. In an earlier interview with Financial Express, Ishan Chatterjee, chief business officer, sports revenue, SMB and creator, JioStar, said that the broadcaster is for the first time sharpening location targeting capabilities and making the IPL’s overall value proposition into something that is bite-sized with simpler assets, much lower outlay and simpler channel targeting. Unlike with other forms of marketing, it can be more challenging to measure ROI from influencer marketing.

While influencer marketing is expected to grow exponentially this IPL, experts caution that it is not wise to compare it with the kind of reach that broadcast can offer. At the end of the day, a lot depends on the advertiser’s objectives and their budget limitations. “Traditional platforms or legacy media have massive reach, high credibility, impressions and high-tech capabilities that they can leverage. Social media influencers have limitations and concerns in the form of credibility and limited reach,” remarks professor Khyati Jagani from the marketing faculty at FLAME University.
ROI measurement, creative control and content saturation are other factors that might cause brands to look towards broadcast advertising over influencer marketing.

In conversation with Financial Express:  Prof. Khyati Jagani, Faculty of Marketing, FLAME University.