IPL 2025 ads shift sees SRK and Dhoni shine while celebrity spots drop 13%: TAM

IPL 2025’s ad game saw a twist, with celebrity-endorsed commercials dropping 13% from IPL 17, signaling a pivot to diverse strategies, per TAM Sports’ IPL 18 Celebrity Endorsement Report. The ratio of celeb to non-celeb ads shifted from 59:41 in IPL 17 to 53:47 across 74 matches on 28 channels, measured in TV ad secondages.

Film actors ruled endorsements, grabbing 50% of ad volumes, while sports stars like M.S. Dhoni held 32%, together dominating 80% of celeb-driven ads. Shahrukh Khan topped the charts with an 8% share, his star power unmatched for two seasons. Dhoni, a consistent top-five name, kept sports celebs relevant, though their overall count dipped from IPL 17’s 35+ to fewer in 2025.

Ecom-Gaming and Pan Masala led categories, with biscuits, finance, and paints rounding out the top five, accounting for 67% of celeb ad volumes. Sporta Technologies, Parle Biscuits, and Vishnu Packaging drove 53% of advertiser share among 40+ players. Food and beverage categories, like biscuits and pan masala, leaned heavily on star endorsements.