IPL 2026: Under-10-sec ads rule linear TV as brands compress storytelling

Shorter ads dominated IPL 2026’s commercial breaks, underlining how brands are compressing communication in India’s most expensive and competitive advertising property.

According to TAM Sports’ commercial advertising report for IPL 2026 shared exclusively with e4m, ads of less than 10 seconds were the most preferred format during commercial breaks, accounting for 50% of ad insertions on linear TV. They were followed by 11–20 second ads, which contributed 41%, while 20–40 second commercials accounted for 10%.

Since TAM has started collating Sports data this year itself there is no data for the previous years to compare with to understand the trend. Industry experts however say less than 10 second ads have gained popularity among advertisers over the last couple of years. This helps them to remain visible on the TV media in lesser budgets. 

The shift is significant because IPL has traditionally been a high-stakes platform for big-ticket brand films, celebrity-led campaigns and launch communication. The dominance of sub-10-second ads suggests that advertisers are increasingly using the tournament not only for storytelling, but for repeated brand reminders, offer messaging and high-frequency visibility. “This is not simply a creative change. It is a media-efficiency signal,” industry experts say. 

“In a property where inventory is expensive and attention is fragmented across TV, CTV, mobile and social platforms, shorter ads allow brands to stay visible without necessarily buying longer spots. They also work better for categories that need recall, frequency and tactical messaging rather than detailed persuasion,” an ad executive said. 

Meanwhile, the share of 20–40 second ads rose to 10% in IPL 2026 from 6% in IPL 2025, indicating that brands still used longer creatives where campaigns required deeper storytelling, product explanation or launch impact. The larger point is that IPL advertising is becoming more layered: short bursts for frequency, longer films for brand narrative.

More ad volume, fewer advertisers

TAM Sports data shows that average ad volume per channel per match increased 4% in IPL 2026 compared to IPL 2025. Overall ad volumes were up 5% over IPL 2024, with the index rising from 100 in IPL 2024 to 104.9 in IPL 2026.

However, the increase in ad volume came with a smaller advertiser base. The number of categories on linear TV fell from 70-plus in IPL 2025 to 60-plus in IPL 2026. Advertisers dropped from 110-plus to 65-plus, while brands declined from 200-plus to 125-plus.

That makes the IPL 2026 advertising story more nuanced. The tournament generated higher ad pressure, but with fewer participating brands. For advertisers that stayed in the game, this could have meant better visibility and lower clutter. For the market, it also suggests that some categories may have stayed cautious amid higher media costs, macro uncertainty or shifting digital priorities.

The report also shows that commercial activity intensified during key tournament stages. Indexed ad volume grew across most stages of IPL 2026 compared to similar stages of IPL 2025, except the Eliminator. The first play-off match saw the sharpest growth, rising nearly 40% over the comparable match last season.

This reinforces the continuing premium attached to high-stakes IPL moments. Brands may be rationalising participation, but they are still willing to increase pressure around marquee matches where audience intensity and advertiser recall are highest.

Services, ecommerce and Google dominate

Services led the sector mix on both linear TV and CTV. On linear TV, Services and Food & Beverages each accounted for 28% share among the top sectors, followed by Auto at 10%, BFSI at 9% and Durables at 7%. On CTV, Services led with 19%, followed by Auto at 13%, Food & Beverages at 9%, BFSI at 7% and Telecom Products at 6%.

The category picture shows both overlap and divergence across screens. Ecom-Other Services topped both linear TV and CTV, with 14% share on linear TV and 11% on CTV. On linear TV, Mouth Fresheners followed with 13%, while Two Wheelers, Energy Drinks and Paints made up the rest of the top five. On CTV, Cars ranked second with 8%, followed by Smartphones at 6%, Ecom-Online Shopping at 4% and Paints at 4%.

The data suggests that linear TV remains strong for mass-market categories, while CTV is pulling in more auto, technology and premium consumer categories. Paints maintaining a top-five position on both screens also shows how some categories are using IPL as a full-funnel, multi-screen property.

Google emerged as the top advertiser on both linear TV and CTV. It accounted for 11% share of ad volume on linear TV and 13% on CTV. Reliance Consumer Products and Havells India were also common among the top advertisers across both platforms. On CTV, Tata Motors, Maruti Suzuki India and Reliance Consumer Products were among the top five advertisers, while on linear TV, Vishnu Packaging and K P Pan Foods featured among the leading spenders.

At the brand level, Google Search Engine led on both linear TV and CTV with a 7% share. Google Gemini also featured among the top brands across both platforms, reflecting how technology and AI-led products are now using mass sports properties for visibility.

CTV also showed a wider long tail. The platform recorded 35-plus exclusive categories and 60-plus exclusive advertisers, compared with 20-plus exclusive categories and 30-plus exclusive advertisers on linear TV. Exclusive CTV categories included Credit Cards, Adhesives, Fast Food Outlets, Corporate-FMCG and Astrologers. Exclusive CTV advertisers included Tata Motors, Vivo Mobile India, Renault India, Colgate Palmolive India and Pidilite Industries.

Linear TV, meanwhile, retained categories such as Chocolates, Internet Service Providers, Perfumes/Deodorants, Televisions and Cement as exclusive categories.