Celebrity-driven advertising saw significant growth during IPL 2026, with ad volumes featuring celebrities increasing 34% year-on-year, according to TAM’s latest Sports Celebrity Endorsement Report.
The report found that celebrity-endorsed commercials accounted for 61% of total advertising volumes during live IPL broadcasts, up from 53% in IPL 2025, underscoring the growing role of star power in one of India’s biggest advertising properties.
Film celebrities continued to dominate the endorsement landscape, contributing 77% of celebrity-endorsed ad volumes. Film actors accounted for 55% of the share, while film actresses contributed 22%. Sports personalities represented 22% of celebrity-led ad volumes, with television actors making up the remaining 1%.
Among individual endorsers, Shah Rukh Khan emerged as the most visible celebrity during the tournament, accounting for 10% of celebrity-endorsed ad volumes. He was followed by Ishaan Khatter with 9%, while Ajay Devgn, Amyra Dastur and Tiger Shroff each accounted for 7%.
In the sports category, Rohit Sharma led the endorsement rankings with a 22.1% share of sports celebrity ad volumes, followed by Hardik Pandya at 16%. Other leading sports endorsers included Virat Kohli and several other cricketers.
The report also highlighted a broader increase in celebrity participation. The total number of celebrities featured in IPL advertisements rose 17% compared to the previous season, while the number of sports personalities appearing in campaigns increased by 52%.
Mouth fresheners, e-commerce services, paints, financial institutions and air conditioners emerged as the top five categories leveraging celebrity endorsements during IPL 2026, collectively accounting for 71% of celebrity-endorsed ad volumes.
Among advertisers, Vishnu Packaging, Google, Havells India, Grasim Industries and Reliance Consumer Products were the leading contributors, together accounting for 68% of celebrity-endorsed ad volumes.
The findings reinforce the IPL’s position as a key platform for celebrity-led marketing, with brands continuing to rely on a mix of film stars and sports personalities to maximise visibility and consumer recall during the tournament.
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