Star Sports and Tata Play launch targeted ads for affluent viewers for IPL 2024

Star Sports, the official broadcaster of Tata Indian Premier League (IPL), announced an association with Tata Play, a DTH operator. Together, they are pioneering the introduction of targeted advertising on linear TV, during live sports broadcasts, beginning this IPL season, marking a significant first for the industry.

This collaboration aims to provide advertisers with unprecedented access to premium audiences in the top eight metro cities, an important milestone in the realm of television advertising.

Advertisers will have the opportunity to precisely target their ads to the most premium cohorts during live IPL matches on key Star Sports channels. Leveraging the targeting capabilities facilitated by Tata Play, brands can now connect with affluent viewers in metro markets like never before.

"We are thrilled to join forces with Tata Play in revolutionising the way advertisers engage with audiences during live sports broadcast, raising the bar for industry standards. The convergence of the largest DTH provider and the biggest TV network presents a significant advantage for advertisers. Tata Play’s affluent viewer base in metropolitan areas, coupled with the precision in reaching these audiences, unlocks exciting advertising opportunity on the grand stage of IPL on Star Sports,” said Ajit Varghese, head – network advertising sales at Disney Star.

“Addressable Ads capability for unconnected boxes is a groundbreaking global first in Pay TV that will be introduced for the first time on live sports during Tata IPL. Our association with Disney Star has brought this to life and provided advertisers with opportunities never before. With this initiative, brands can now achieve even sharper targeting on live TV, setting a new standard for advertising effectiveness on linear TV,” said Harit Nagpal, MD & CEO, Tata Play.

Tata Play coupled with its extensive market penetration, offers advertisers an avenue to connect with audiences at scale. Unlike other mediums, television ensures completed views, eliminating the ambiguity associated with partial impressions. This, combined with the inherent accessibility and reliability of television infrastructure, positions the medium as the platform for advertisers seeking engagement.

This offering caters to a diverse spectrum of advertisers, including premium brands across categories such as QSR, online services, travel, consumer products, and more. For advertisers targeting metro markets, this presents an opportunity to amplify brand presence and drive new product launches among affluent viewers.

Additionally, for Pan-India advertisers, this offering serves as a strategic enhancement to their existing plans, enabling sharper targeting in key metro markets.

The addressable advertising capability allows advertisers to reach their targeted audience at scale, making advertising more engaging, effective and cost-efficient. Tata Play has partnered with INVIDI and TAM for this initiative. While INVIDI will manage the tech aspect of addressable ads, TAM will facilitate audience measurement and monitoring.