IPL is goldmine for brands looking to dominate OOH and DOOH space: Experts

With the IPL 2025 season off to a rocking start, it’s a ‘run’ for the brands’ money as they try to ‘catch’ the eye of millions glued to the action. Even as digital ads are spinning a ‘web’ of engagement, OOH and DOOH are stepping up to the ‘crease’, delivering a ‘boundary’ of impact right on the streets. This season, it’s not just about ‘hitting sixes’ on the field, but also ‘scoring big’ with dynamic billboards and transit ads that are truly ‘out of this world’.

In this report, Adgully dives into the ‘pitch’ of OOH strategies, exploring how brands are ‘bowling’ over audiences with real-time updates and interactive experiences that are anything but ‘leg before wicket’.

Forget ‘googlies’ and ‘yorkers’, this IPL it is all about OOH’s ‘power play’. From FMCG giants ‘batting’ for brand recognition to fintech companies ‘stumping’ the competition with innovative DOOH campaigns, the streets are alive with ‘fielding’ a barrage of messages. It’s a ‘match’ made in marketing heaven, with QR codes ‘running’ engagement and AI ‘delivering’ personalized ‘spin’. We’re ‘umpiring’ the evolution of OOH, examining how it is ‘knocking’ it out of the park, bridging the gap between digital and physical, and ensuring brands don’t get ‘caught behind’ in the IPL advertising frenzy.

OOH/DOOH advertising trends during IPL 2025

Nandini Nayyar, Regional Head West, GroupM OOH Solutions believes that during the IPL season, OOH (Out-of-Home) and DOOH (Digital Out-of-Home) advertising see some clear trends that differentiate this period from the rest of the year, especially in the top 10 cities representing the teams. “There is a massive surge in outdoor advertisement spending, which encounters a spike in OOH & DOOH budgets with categories like FMCG, consumer durables, BFSI & e-commerce. There is also programmatic DOOH adoption to display real-time content triggers during the matches, breaks, and post-match celebrations across the cities. A lot of focus on lead engagement activities like QR code scans on DOOH inventories and offline-to-online integrations to engage viewers beyond passive exposure has also been witnessed over the last few years. There is also a surge in demand for premium inventory in & around stadiums & key arterial routes by brands.”

According to Jayesh Yagnik, CEO, MOMS, the IPL season isn’t just about cricket – it’s a goldmine for brands looking to dominate the OOH and DOOH space. “Unlike the rest of the year, the demand for high-impact outdoor locations surges, with brands across FMCG, e-commerce, fintech, ed-tech, and beverages vying for premium placements. Metro cities, stadium peripheries, airports, and high-footfall urban centres become the battleground for visibility, with advertisers willing to pay a premium to capture attention. What makes IPL-driven OOH campaigns unique is the shift from static billboards to hyperlocal and stadium-centric activations. Brands strategically deploy DOOH screens outside stadiums, seamlessly syncing real-time match updates with their advertising. Interactive installations and transit branding – on cabs, metros, and buses – create a 360-degree engagement model that extends visibility far beyond the stadium gates.”

Vaishal Dalal, Co-Founder & Director, Excellent Publicity, notes, “The Indian Premier League (IPL) season adds considerable strength to the impact of Out-of-Home (OOH) and Digital Out-of-Home (DOOH) advertising. Brands use this season extensively to improve market presence and consumer recall with well-planned OOH campaigns. DOOH, as well, witnesses a boom thanks to some new integrations like live match news updates, QR codes enabling interactive activity, and gamification components. Programmatic DOOH further maximizes impact with dynamic real-time creatives remotely triggering advertisements to joyously celebrate sixes, fours, or wickets keeping brands fresh and interesting throughout the tournament.”

DOOH Vs traditional OOH

When asked about the key advantages of using DOOH over traditional OOH during the IPL, particularly in terms of flexibility and dynamic content delivery, Nandini Nayyar replies that DOOH’s role is flexible depending upon the brand. “DOOH offers measurement, enablement of creative optimizations, trigger-based content placements at relevant touchpoints, and overall a faster turnaround preferred by brands in comparison to the traditional flex on frame model; however, this could completely be dependent on brand objectives & the markets of operation,” she adds.

Jayesh Yagnik points out few of the key advantages of DOOH over traditional OOH:

Real-Time & Dynamic Content Delivery

Unlike traditional OOH, DOOH allows brands to change creatives instantly, making it ideal for IPL-related promotions such as match-day offers, live score updates, and contextual messaging tied to game moments. Brands can trigger specific ads based on team performance, milestones (e.g., a player hitting a century), or real-time fan engagement trends.

Dayparting & Audience Targeting

With DOOH, advertisers can schedule ads to run at peak IPL engagement times, such as pre-match hype, live match hours, and post-game analysis windows, ensuring higher visibility and recall. Geo-targeting can be leveraged to push city-specific campaigns, like team-specific promotions in key IPL markets.

Interactivity & Engagement Boost

Integration with mobile tech (QR codes, social media activations, gamification) can drive engagement beyond passive viewing, encouraging users to participate in contests or access exclusive IPL content.

Amplification Through Omni-Channel Strategy

DOOH screens sync well with digital and social media campaigns, allowing brands to extend their IPL narratives seamlessly across platforms. Smart screens can be used for influencer-led content, interactive polls, and real-time social media feeds, amplifying IPL buzz.

Vaishal Dalal adds here, “DOOH provides an interactive advantage over static OOH advertising for IPL 2025. Through live scores and player statistics updates in real-time, it keeps the audience captivated in a manner that static signage cannot. Programmatic measurement makes it possible to measure footfall and engagement with accuracy, while dynamic pricing adjusts ad expenditure based on peak-traffic match days. For example, Shrigo Hotel employed branded live scoreboards across Delhi Airport and reached 78% viewer involvement, while HDFC Bank was reached by 70% in malls through corresponding activations. By its flexibility, measurability, and economical nature, DOOH is now transforming IPL marketing strategies.”

Challenges and opportunities for OOH/DOOH advertising

Speaking on the challenges and opportunities for OOH/DOOH advertising, Jayesh Yagnik notes:

Challenges

Fragmented Audience Consumption: IPL viewership is now split across TV, OTT (Jio Cinema), and social media, making it harder for traditional OOH to capture a singular, mass audience like in the past. Brands need a hybrid strategy that connects DOOH with digital and mobile for an integrated experience.

High Competition & Premium Pricing: IPL season sees a cluttered ad space, with brands aggressively competing for key locations, driving up costs. DOOH networks need to innovate with unique placements (e.g., transit media, stadium peripheries, premium high-footfall locations) to justify ad spend.

Regulatory & Infrastructure Challenges: Not all cities in India have a well-developed DOOH ecosystem; many key IPL markets still rely heavily on traditional hoardings.

Opportunities

Hyperlocal Fan Engagement: Brands can leverage DOOH for city-based fan zones, team-specific messaging, and regional activations that drive deeper engagement. For example, a campaign that adapts content dynamically based on which IPL team is playing at a given time in a metro city.

Integration with Smart Cities & Transit Media: IPL-related DOOH campaigns can tap into metro stations, airports, railway stations, and smart bus shelters for high-impact exposure. Transit DOOH, particularly in ride-sharing vehicles and e-rickshaws, can help reach IPL viewers on the move.

Data-Driven, AI-Powered Personalization: AI-backed DOOH can enable brands to tailor IPL content based on demographics, footfall, and even weather conditions (e.g., pushing beverage ads in hot cities during matches).

According to Vaishal Dalal, “IPL offers a singularly effective platform for brands to push visibility to its limits, and outdoor advertising serves to enhance that impact. Although digital media and television lead live interactions, OOH and DOOH serve as effective complementary platforms that take the reach of a brand beyond the screen. Combining static and digital OOH guarantees constant exposure, reaching eyeballs in hotspots and emphasizing brand messages consistently across the tournament. With the mass appeal of IPL, brands investing in DOOH also utilize traditional OOH to fuel recall and create a more pervasive presence. The audience engagement boom that kicks in during the season boosts market share potential, and strategic locations enable.”

Nandini Nayyar remarks, “The out-of-home formats function as a bridge between online engagements and the offline environments. As the IPL continues to grow as one of the world’s most-watched sporting events, the landscape of audience engagement is shifting across digital and physical platforms. Traditional and DOOH formats ensure brands stay present in the most relevant outdoor and ambient environments with smarter media buys leveraging the high urban mobility for mass awareness, fostering the emotional connections through impactful creatives and thereby enhancing the overall brand performances along with other media assets like TV & digital.”

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