MUMBAI: In what industry observers are calling a watershed moment for cricket broadcasting, JioStar is orchestrating a comprehensive transformation of the Indian Premier League (IPL) advertising ecosystem ahead of the 2025 season. Ishan Chatterjee, the company's chief business officer for sports revenue, SMB & creator, recently outlined the ambitious strategy that leverages the newly merged digital-linear platform to create what he described as "the most sophisticated sports advertising vehicle in the global marketplace."
The sweeping changes come at a pivotal moment for both the IPL and India's media landscape, with JioStar aggressively positioning itself as the premier destination for brands looking to connect with the country's massive cricket audience. Even as the IPL last year generated 525 million viewers, the aspiration this year that it will just around double that by the time the tournament ends, making it the amongst the most watched sports spectacles globally. A billion viewers for the IPL? No one in the BCCI or ICC would have imagined this kind of viewer engagement when the league was conceived.
The cornerstone of JioStar's 2025 IPL strategy is the full integration of what were previously separate digital and linear broadcast operations, creating what Chatterjee calls "a unified ecosystem that eliminates the traditional boundaries between viewing platforms."
"Previous IPL seasons required advertisers to navigate separate buying processes, measurement systems, and creative specifications for digital and television," explained Chatterjee. "The merged JioStar platform fundamentally reimagines this approach, offering brands a synchronised presence across all viewing environments while streamlining the entire process from initial planning through post-campaign analysis."
"The days of platform-specific advertising strategies are rapidly fading," Chatterjee noted. "Our integrated approach acknowledges the reality that viewers move fluidly between large-screen and mobile experiences, often within the same match or even the same over."
To capitalise on this consolidated approach, JioStar has completely restructured its sales operation, moving away from the platform-centric model that previously separated digital and television teams.
"We've implemented a category-first organisational structure," revealed Chatterjee. "Each vertical is staffed with specialists who deeply understand both the specific industry dynamics of their assigned categories and the full capabilities of our merged platform."
The new structure includes dedicated teams focusing on:
* High-value partnerships: Targeting India's largest advertisers with customised, multi-faceted campaigns spanning both platforms
* SMB development: Creating accessible entry points for medium-sized brands previously priced out of IPL advertising
* Digital-native brands: Specialised solutions for direct-to-consumer companies seeking performance-based outcomes
* Regional activations: Localised advertising options leveraging JioStar's language-specific feeds
* Industry Verticals: Category specialists in FMCG, automotive, finance, technology, and other key sectors
This restructuring has enabled more strategic conversations with potential advertisers, according to Chatterjee. "Rather than beginning with platform selection, we now start by understanding the brand's specific business objectives, then architect solutions that leverage the appropriate mix of touchpoints."
Early advertiser commitments suggest strong market reception to JioStar's new approach. Chatterjee confirmed significant early adoption across several categories: "We're seeing particularly strong momentum in FMCG, beverages, and seasonal categories like air conditioners and fans that benefit from the IPL's alignment with early summer," he said. "The fantasy sports and fintech sectors continue their aggressive expansion, while we're also seeing renewed interest from automotive and consumer electronics brands."
Industry sources familiar with IPL advertising rates suggest that JioStar is commanding premium pricing for the 2025 season, with integrated packages reportedly 15-20 per cent higher than comparable separate buys in previous years. Despite these increases, Chatterjee indicated that demand remains robust.
"Early conversations with partners indicate exceptionally strong confidence in IPL's ability to drive business outcomes at scale," he noted. "The tournament's combination of massive reach and deep engagement remains unmatched in the Indian media landscape."
Perhaps the most significant development in JioStar's 2025 offering is the implementation of Nielsen's comprehensive analytics dashboard, providing advertisers with unprecedented visibility into campaign performance across both digital and linear environments.
"This represents a fundamental shift in sports advertising measurement," emphasized Chatterjee. "For the first time, brands have access to independent third-party validation covering both digital and traditional broadcast exposures within a unified reporting framework."
The Nielsen partnership addresses what has historically been a significant pain point for advertisers—the inability to consistently measure cross-platform campaigns. The dashboard provides real-time data on:
* Total deduplicated reach across all platforms
* Frequency distribution by viewer segment
* Engagement metrics specific to ad format
* Brand lift measurements
* Attribution modeling for direct response campaigns
* Audience composition analysis
* Competitive share of voice
Several major advertisers have cited this measurement capability as decisive in their spending allocations. "The transparency and actionability of the data have been game-changers in our conversations with brand partners," said Chatterjee. "The ability to optimise campaigns mid-tournament based on real-time performance insights creates an entirely new dimension of value."
JioStar's 2025 IPL coverage will showcase an extensive array of advertising formats designed to maximise engagement across viewing environments. Chatterjee highlighted several breakthrough innovations which
the platform's digital offerings leverage advanced technology to create highly targeted and interactive experiences:
* AI-Powered Audience Segmentation: Utilising over 100 different targeting parameters including demographics, geography, language preferences, viewing history, and first-party data
* Dynamic Creative Optimisation: Automatically tailoring ad creative based on viewer attributes and behaviors
* Interactive Overlays: Enabling viewers to engage directly with brand content without leaving the match stream
* Click-to-Engage Units: Creating immediate pathways to brand websites or app downloads
* Lead-Generation Formats: Capturing viewer information within the viewing experience
* Sequential Messaging: Delivering progressive brand narratives across multiple ad exposures
* In-Stream Commerce: Enabling direct purchases within the viewing environment
"Our digital capabilities enable precisely targeted messaging that connects brands with high-intent consumers at exactly the right moment," explained Chatterjee. "This level of personalisation dramatically increases both engagement and conversion rates."
For linear broadcast, JioStar has developed several proprietary formats designed to break through the traditional commercial break paradigm:
* Brand spotlight: Exclusive placements during the strategically important first five overs of matches
* CGI-led live interventions: Seamlessly integrating brand messaging into broadcast graphics and virtual elements
* Scannable action replay: Technology that makes television content directly interactive with mobile devices
* 3D breakout billboards: Immersive graphical elements that extend beyond standard screen boundaries
* Strategic time-out sponsorships: Premium integrations during the match's natural breaks
* Synchronised second-screen experiences: Coordinated messaging across television and digital platforms
* Contextual trigger activations: Ad deployments tied to specific match events or performance milestones
"These innovations fundamentally reimagine what's possible within the traditional broadcast environment," Chatterjee said. "We're creating opportunities for brands to engage viewers during the most compelling moments of match coverage rather than relegating them exclusively to commercial breaks."
A major focus of JioStar's 2025 strategy is the seamless integration of commerce capabilities directly into the viewing experience. Chatterjee identified this as a pivotal growth area, particularly for quick commerce and mobile commerce advertisers.
"The ability to convert viewership into immediate purchase opportunities represents the holy grail for many advertisers," he explained. "We've developed several capabilities specifically designed to collapse the traditional funnel and enable instant commerce conversions."
These capabilities include:
* Interactive elements within the viewing stream that reveal product information and purchase options
* Voice-activated commerce: Enabling viewers to initiate purchases through voice commands on compatible devices
* One-click purchasing: Streamlined checkout for registered users
* Real-time inventory integration: Live availability updates for limited-time offers
* Geo-targeted delivery options: Customised fulfillment messaging based on viewer location
* Post-purchase attribution: Connecting sales outcomes to specific ad exposures
Particularly innovative is the "scannable action replay" technology, which Chatterjee described as "creating commerce opportunities during the most engaging moments of match coverage." The feature enables viewers to instantly interact with products featured during replays without the need for traditional QR codes.
When questioned about potential internal competition between JioStar's digital and television sales teams, Chatterjee emphasised that the company's approach is collaborative rather than competitive, focusing on the unique strengths of each platform.
"We've moved beyond the outdated notion of platform competition," he stated. "Each viewing environment offers distinct advantages that can be strategically leveraged as part of a comprehensive campaign architecture."
According to Chatterjee, television excels at establishing broad reach and emotional impact, while digital platforms enable precise targeting and interactive engagement. "The most sophisticated advertisers are recognising that these capabilities are complementary rather than competitive," he noted. "Our integrated planning approach helps brands identify the optimal balance based on their specific objectives."
Looking toward the future, Chatterjee outlined JioStar's commitment to continued measurement innovation, including plans to incorporate attention metrics, emotional response data, and advanced attribution modeling into future advertising packages.
"We're investing heavily in next-generation measurement capabilities that will provide even deeper insights into how advertising impacts both brand perception and purchase behavior," he revealed. "These advancements will further enhance the strategic value of IPL as an advertising platform."
As IPL 2025 approaches, JioStar appears positioned to capitalise on the tournament's massive viewership with what Chatterjee confidently predicted will be "record-breaking commercial performance across all metrics."
Industry analysts suggest that if successful, JioStar's integrated approach could serve as a template for sports broadcasting globally, potentially influencing how major properties like the NFL, Premier League, and Olympics structure their commercial offerings in coming years.
"What we're building goes beyond simply selling advertising inventory," concluded Chatterjee. "We're creating an entirely new model for how brands can engage with sports audiences across the full spectrum of viewing experiences—a model that delivers unprecedented value for advertisers, viewers, and the broader cricket ecosystem."
