With BCCI deal under the belt, Apollo Tyres set to be top auto ad spender on cricket

Industry data shows advertising activity in the auto category has been rising. As per TAM AdEx’s cross-media auto report for 2024, TV ad volumes increased by 7% compared to 2020 and surged 18% year-over-year versus 2022. In Q4 2024, ad volumes jumped 40% over Q1, indicating a strong recovery. 

As one of the leading players in this segment, Apollo Tyres looks set to top in terms of auto spends in the auto sector. This is in lieu of the sponsorship agreement with the BCCI to become the lead sponsor of the Indian men’s and women’s cricket teams. 

Read e4m report on the BCCI-Apollo Tyres' sponsorship

The deal, valued at around Rs 575–579 crore, was finalised earlier this month and spans two and a half years, concluding in March 2028. The partnership succeeds the previous sponsorship held by Dream11.

Under the terms of the agreement, the Apollo Tyres logo will be featured on the jerseys of the Indian men’s and women’s national teams across all formats. The deal will give Apollo visibility across bilateral fixtures, ICC events, and associated broadcast inventory for the duration of the contract.

Read e4m exclusive interview on the BCCI deal with Apollo Tyres' Udyan Ghai

According to the company’s FY25 filings, Apollo’s consolidated advertising and sales promotion expenses rose to Rs 655.3 crore from Rs 631 crore in FY24. On a standalone basis, advertising and publicity spend increased 14 percent year-on-year to Rs 380 crore, representing about 2.1 percent of standalone sales. The company’s advertising outlay is higher than that of most domestic tyre makers.

Apollo’s consolidated financial results for FY25 show revenue from operations at Rs 26,123.4 crore, compared with Rs 25,377.7 crore in FY24. Other income declined to Rs 88.1 crore from Rs 153.6 crore a year earlier. Total income stood at Rs 26,211.5 crore in FY25 against Rs 25,531.3 crore in FY24.