"As the 19th edition of the Indian Premier League comes to a close, IPL 2026 once again saw extensive participation from advertisers across categories, including FMCG, consumer technology, gaming, D2C, paints, logistics, and beverages.

Brands continued to use the tournament as a high-visibility media property across television, streaming, social media, and on-ground integrations.

However, alongside the expected increase in sponsorships and campaign activity, this year"s tournament also reflected a shift in how marketers approached visibility and audience engagement.

Instead of relying primarily on high-frequency exposure and broad branding exercises, several companies appeared to focus more closely on contextual placements, franchise alignment, audience behaviour, and regional targeting.

The season indicated how sports marketing strategies are increasingly being shaped by fragmented media consumption patterns and the growing challenge of sustaining recall in an advertising-heavy environment.

The logo placement game became more targeted IPL sponsorship inventory has historically been driven by visibility.

Jerseys, dugouts, timeout segments, LED boards, digital overlays, and broadcast integrations have all functioned as high-competition branding spaces where marketers attempt to maximise exposure during the tournament.

Over time, team jerseys themselves have become increasingly crowded with sponsor logos, often leaving limited visual distinction between one brand and another.

Against this backdrop, several marketers this season appeared to move away from prioritising only the largest or most prominent placement assets and instead focused on placements that could deliver stronger recall during specific gameplay moments and digital consumption formats.

HMD"s partnership with Rajasthan Royals reflected this approach.

Rather than opting for front-facing jersey inventory, the company placed its branding on the back of the helmet, a position that frequently appears during batting close-ups and replay shots.

Ravi Kunwar, CEO and Vice President - India and APAC, ANZ at HMD Global, says the decision was influenced by how audiences visually engage with cricket broadcasts.

“The opportunity to focus, especially during some of the shots which the batsman is playing, becomes very high.

Anything which is below chest level or eye level, it's very, very difficult to get your focus on,” he says.

The placement strategy also aligns with changing viewing behaviour, particularly among younger audiences consuming matches through reels, highlights, and short-form video clips instead of full broadcasts.

Radico Khaitan adopted a similar approach through its partnership with Sunrisers Hyderabad under the 8PM Packaged Drinking Water extension.

Instead of investing in premium upper-body branding placements, the company chose trouser branding, positioning the move as a balance between visibility and broader marketing allocation.

Kunal Madan, Chief Marketing Officer, Radico Khaitan, says the focus was on identifying placements that could generate repeated visibility during gameplay without concentrating spending on a single sponsorship asset.

“The trouser placement offers strong on-field visibility in key match moments while allowing us to deploy resources more efficiently toward broader consumer engagement,” he says.

Nippon Paint India also moved away from larger front-facing sponsorship placements through its partnership with Punjab Kings, opting instead for sleeve branding.

While sleeve placements have traditionally been viewed as secondary sponsorship inventory, marketers increasingly appear to be evaluating such spaces through the lens of broadcast consistency rather than prominence alone.

Mark Titus, President, Decorative Coatings Business at Nippon Paint India, says the company viewed sustained visibility and surrounding engagement opportunities as more important than occupying the largest branding surface.

“The sleeve sponsorship offers consistent on-screen visibility while allowing flexibility to invest in broader engagement initiatives.

Nippon Paint has successfully leveraged similar placements in past cricket associations, demonstrating that impactful storytelling and stakeholder engagement deliver stronger brand equity than logo size alone,” he says.

FedEx"s association with the Chennai Super Kings reflected a comparable line of thinking.....