Celebrity endorsements outshine emotional storytelling in IPL 2025 ad campaigns?

In the high-octane advertising arena of IPL 2025, star power is proving to be the ultimate game-changer. Industry experts observe that brands leveraging celebrity endorsers—particularly cricketers—are outperforming those relying solely on emotional storytelling. Endorsements featuring familiar faces like Rohit Sharma, Hardik Pandya, and Ranbir Kapoor aren’t just grabbing eyeballs—they’re doubling recall and tripling digital engagement.

Onboarding celebrities has become the go-to strategy for most brands during IPL. For example, Dream11's IPL campaign showcases a star-studded lineup including Bollywood actors Aamir Khan, Ranbir Kapoor, Shraddha Kapoor, and Varun Dhawan, along with cricketers Rohit Sharma, Hardik Pandya, and Jasprit Bumrah. Whether it’s Dream11’s ensemble cast or other celebrity-driven campaigns, experts agree that in the fast-paced IPL season, stars do more than promote—they command attention, go viral, and significantly boost brand visibility.

Analyzing brand visibility and recall this IPL season, industry leaders noted that while most brands have employed celebrity endorsers, only a few opted for emotional storytelling. A larger number of brands chose to deliver a compelling promise.

Sudarshan Viswanathan, CEO of Synchronize India, shared insights from a recent analysis of the top 20 brands just two weeks into the tournament. “Two brands stand out in the race for visibility and consumer recall—one banking on emotional resonance, the other leveraging a ?3 crore reward. The latter’s promise-driven strategy slightly edged out emotional appeal in terms of effectiveness,” he said.

Manesh Swamy, Digital Creative Leader, emphasized how celebrities cut through the clutter like nothing else. “During IPL, attention spans are shorter than a T20 powerplay. Whether it’s Aamir vs. Ranbir or Dhoni in animal mode—celebrities are human billboards. They offer speedy attention in a time when viewers juggle fantasy leagues, memes, and match highlights,” he said.

According to Swamy, Digital Creative Leader, during the IPL season, attention spans are shorter than a T20 innings powerplay and nothing cuts through the chaos like a celebrity face.

“Whether it’s Aamir vs Ranbir fighting for your attention or Dhoni flexing his animal avatar, celebs act as human billboards, instantly recognizable, instantly shareable. They aren’t just selling products, they are selling speedy attention in a time when everyone’s juggling fantasy leagues, memes, and match recaps. In a high-decibel IPL environment, celebrities become that volume knob that cranks your brand from ‘meh’ to ‘mast watch’.?

“Brands like Dream11, MMT aren’t just slotting stars into 30-seconders, they're turning these unusual collabs into running narratives. It’s the MCU’s Desi version. As for metrics the impact is loud and clear. My assumption is that these celebrity-led ads are showing 2x higher aided recall in brand lift and 3x engagement rates on digital vs. non-celeb counterparts. Significant search spike trends during match windows are the proof,” he said.

Swamy noted a strategic shift in the use of celebrities: “Brands like Dream11 and MMT are moving beyond 30-second cameos, creating running narratives—India’s version of the MCU. These campaigns are delivering 2x higher aided recall and 3x engagement on digital platforms compared to non-celebrity ads. Spikes in search trends during match windows validate their impact.”

With celebrities driving IPL 18 engagement, how are media buyers prioritizing them in media buys over emotional storytelling, and what’s the audience payoff? Swamy shared, “According to me it’s not either/or anymore, it's ‘superstars meet storytelling. The audience today wants superhits with a right dose of humour, a hook of familiarity, and just enough emotion to keep their thumbs from scrolling away. Celeb equals attention, emotion equals retention.”

“And the payoff? When done right, right celebs will help create mini-IPLs within the IPL, branded universes people actually follow across matches. Where it’s no longer about running ads but more like staging cameos in the audience’s multiverse of cricket, content, and culture. The celebs will definitely deliver eyeballs under pressure but remember, even the biggest face will need a good script,” he said.

Yasin Hamidani, Director at Media Care Brand Solutions, echoed this sentiment, stating that celebrity endorsers play a pivotal role in bridging sports and pop culture. “Cricketers and Bollywood stars with massive followings ensure instant visibility. From meme-worthy moments to branded search spikes, the payoff is higher engagement, faster recall, and strong online conversations.”

Hamidani added that campaigns are being crafted with celebrities front and center—integrated into humorous skits, gamified formats, and regional flavors. Platforms like Dream11 and Cred use ensemble casts for episodic narratives, while FMCG brands use star power for immediate product connect. Metrics like video completion rates and click-through rates (CTR) consistently show 2x to 3x higher lift for celebrity-led campaigns.

Ambika Sharma, Founder and Chief Strategist at Pulp Strategy, pointed out that while using celebrities during IPL isn’t new, this season has brought a strategic evolution. “Celebrities anchor brands in chaos. In a noisy, hyper-competitive environment like IPL, a familiar face can buy you three extra seconds of attention—and on digital, that’s gold.”

Sharma emphasized the importance of pairing celebrities with strong storytelling. “Fame alone isn’t enough. Brands like Dream11 stack fame on familiarity—Rohit and Hardik are already emotionally tied to the IPL. Adding Ranbir or Aamir bridges the gap between cricket and pop culture. But without a solid narrative, even the biggest name won’t hold the audience.”

She added, “The most successful campaigns of this IPL embed celebrities into the world of the brand rather than using them as punchlines. That integration creates lasting impact—beyond just impressions.”

Supporting this view, the TAM Celebrity Endorsement Report for 2024 showed a 3% rise in ad volumes for celebrity-led commercials compared to 2023. IPL season from April to June saw peak ad activity, with May witnessing the highest number of TV celebrity endorsements. Male movie actors dominated 42% of the total ad endorsement market, with film stars featuring in 77% of TV ads, followed by sports personalities (14%) and TV actors (9%).

Food & Beverages, Personal Care, and Household Products were the top categories endorsed by celebrities, accounting for over 50% of such ads. The F&B sector was driven by male celebrities, while personal care saw dominant female endorsements, reflecting gendered advertising trends. Male celebrities are also exclusively featured in ads for Agriculture, Telecom, and Media sectors.

In conclusion, using a celebrity—especially one associated with cricket—alongside a compelling brand promise has proven to enhance IPL 2025’s engagement strategies most effectively. While emotional storytelling still has a place, it is the strategic fusion of star power with narrative depth that is delivering the highest brand payoff this season.