 "Lucknow stadium")
Advertising agencies are putting on hold new campaigns related to the Indian Premier League (IPL) after the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Friday suspended the remaining IPL matches of the season for one week owing to the India-Pakistan conflict.
So far 16 IPL matches are left, and they consist of four prime matches from the point of view of advertisement slots — three playoff matches and one final match.
This comes after the BCCI halted the match between Punjab Kings and Delhi Capitals on May 8, “considering the security of the players, officials and spectators,” according to media reports.
According to an executive at a media-buying agency, it is too early to draw conclusions on the impact on advertisers. Since further updates regarding the new schedule and venues of the tournament are yet to be announced, decisions by the advertisers and broadcasters have not yet been made. “Some (brands) may have stopped their (advertisement) campaigns (on the IPL) but some are checking what steps to take,” the executive noted.
Another person said all the eyeballs and TRPs (television rating points) were with the news channels.
If the pause on IPL matches is short, the broadcaster will shift the booked ad slots, and in dire situations (if the IPL is suspended for long) advertisers have the option to claim a refund.
In most cases, advertisers tend to divert their investment and focus on other areas with high viewership, the person added.
“Overall, this one-week pause is not going to significantly impact the advertisers,” the person added.
Another executive at a media-buying agency said it was too early to say whether the advertisement campaigns for the upcoming matches would be reallocated to other matches.
“We (the industry) have to wait for formal guidance from both broadcasters (JioStar Network and JioHotstar) because it is too early now to decide on any logistics. Now we (advertisers) are waiting for some guidance from the BCCI and the government,” the executive said.
In agreement with the above-quoted persons, another executive said all advertisers would understand the situation and wait till a final decision is taken on resuming the league.
“If matches are rescheduled, the option of continuing or withdrawing needs to be given to advertisers, considering that this is force majeure (circumstances beyond one’s control),” the executive said.
Rohan Mehta, chief executive officer (CEO), FCB Kinnect, which is in the Interpublic Group, said from the business side pausing the IPL did create a vacuum because the cricket league was a “tentpole media moment for brands,” and it forced advertisers to rethink large-scale plans almost overnight.
“It serves as a reminder of the need for agility, empathy, and purpose in our industry. At FCB Kinnect, we’re guiding our brand partners to pivot thoughtfully and repurpose investments while staying sensitive to national sentiment,” Mehta added.
Russhabh R Thakkar, founder and CEO, Frodoh, a CTV (connected TV) Adtech (advertisement technology) company, said this had left advertisers and audiences in uncertainty.
“Brands that planned campaigns around Frodoh’s premium mastheads and first-screen CTV placements for IPL now face a pivotal decision. With households across India tuning into news channels for updates, reassurance, and context, in this time of widespread concern, advertisers have two thoughtful paths forward: Pause campaigns to honour the gravity of the situation or gently shift budgets to news platforms, where audiences are actively engaged,” said Thakkar.
