Vikas Shah on the changing dynamics of brand engagement during IPL

After India’s thrilling win at the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, stage is now set for the 18th edition of the Indian Premier League 2025 from March 22. Over the years, IPL has transformed into more than just a sporting event – it is a marketing spectacle that offers unparalleled engagement opportunities. As brands gear up for yet another season of high-energy cricket, the focus is shifting beyond traditional advertising to interactive and immersive consumer experiences. With the digital landscape evolving rapidly, IPL sponsorships are no longer just about visibility; they are about creating meaningful, real-time connections with fans.

In conversation with Adgully, Vikas Shah, Co-founder of BigCity Promotions, sheds light on the changing dynamics of brand engagement during the IPL and how gamification, digital activations, and real-time rewards are redefining the way consumers interact with brands. As technology plays a bigger role in shaping fan experiences, brands are moving beyond passive advertising to drive participation through AR/VR, fantasy sports, influencer collaborations, and AI-driven personalization. In this exclusive conversation, Shah explores the latest trends, successful engagement strategies, and how brands can maximize their IPL investments in an increasingly digital-first world.

IPL is one of the biggest marketing platforms in India. What key trends have you observed in brand engagement during the tournament?

IPL has evolved into more than just a cricket tournament – it is a cultural phenomenon. As the tournament’s influence grows, we’ve seen significant shifts in how brands engage with fans and consumers. Over the years, there have been three key trends that have reshaped brand engagement during the IPL:

• From Visibility to Interaction – Brands are moving beyond logo placements to real-time engagement through digital activations, contests, and interactive experiences.
• Gamification & Rewards – Consumers don’t just want to watch—they want to play, predict, and win. Gamification-led campaigns are seeing higher participation and recall.
• Seamless Omnichannel Engagement – With digital and mobile consumption at an all-time high, brands are integrating TV, social, e-commerce, and on-ground activations to create a holistic consumer journey.

IPL is no longer about just being seen. It’s about being experienced.

How has consumer behaviour evolved in terms of sports marketing and fan engagement over the years?

Sports fans today demand participation. They don’t just watch a match; they want to engage, predict, and celebrate wins with their favourite teams. Much has changed about how they engage with the brands during a sports event.

• Second-Screen Behaviour:Fans are engaging on mobile apps, streaming platforms, and social media while watching matches.
• Gamification & Fantasy Sports: The rise of fantasy leagues and interactive prediction games has transformed passive viewership into an active immersive experience.
• Expecting Value from Brands: Consumers now expect personalized offers, instant rewards, and real-time engagement, making one-way advertising less effective.

In today’s digital age, do you think traditional logo placements still hold value, or have digital activations taken over?

While logo placements still have recall value, they are no longer enough. Digital activations have become the real differentiator in IPL marketing.

Brands that combine high-visibility placements with interactive fan engagement create lasting impact. A predict & win contest, gamified rewards, or AR-powered activations ensure that IPL campaigns drive transactions, not just views.

BigCity Promotions emphasizes gamification in sports marketing. Can you elaborate on how gamified fan engagement enhances brand recall?

Gamification has transformed IPL into a dynamic, interactive experience, with brands leveraging real-time engagement, transactional incentives, and discoverability mechanics. Here’s how brands are taking advantage:

• Gamifying Purchases - Imagine earning ‘runs’ with every purchase, which can then be traded for match tickets or rewards. This drives repeat purchases and builds customer loyalty.
• Match-Moment Engagement - Gamification can trigger brand interactions during key moments, like a six or a wicket, making brands a part of the most exciting moments of the IPL.
• Targeting New Audiences - Instead of relying on passive ads, brands are engaging new audiences with interactive trials, AR-led challenges, or digital, reward-based experiences that invite first-time consumers to participate.

Gamification creates deeper interactions, higher recall, and stronger brand associations, making it a powerful tool for brands during the IPL.

What are some successful examples where interactive experiences like AR/VR or prediction games have driven deeper consumer engagement?

AR & VR have made IPL activations more interactive and accessible, eliminating barriers like app downloads or high-speed internet requirements. We’ve worked with a popular biscuit brand ITC Sunfeast, where AR experiences were executed for an at-home AR filter which allowed fans to virtually support their teams. These filters were based on the teams that the customers chose. Fans spent 60+ seconds actively engaging, extending the match-day experience digitally. 

With brands investing heavily in IPL sponsorships, how can they maximize their returns beyond traditional advertising?

Brands with IPL sponsorships have a unique opportunity to go beyond just visibility and turn key moments into meaningful purchases. Here are some effective techniques we have seen:

• Integrating Real-Time Rewards - Tying instant rewards to match events, such as OTT subscriptions, cashback, match tickets, or even player meet-and-greets, creates an exciting and immediate incentive for fans.
• Creating shareable moments - Encouraging fans to share predictions, score updates, and brand interactions on social media helps increase the brand’s share of voice and enhances its reach.
• Engaging Technology - Leveraging sponsorship rights to incorporate team colours, logos, and names into interactive campaigns – like games or AR/VR experiences – creates deeper brand engagement with fans.

These strategies help brands drive post-match engagement by extending campaigns beyond IPL season through loyalty programs and exclusive offers, delivering long-term results.

What are some common mistakes brands make when planning their IPL campaigns, and how can they avoid them?

One of the things we have seen is brands focusing only on visibility, and not on engagement. Brands want to be seen with IPL or any such sports activity, but seldom end up capitalising on the same. Integrating interactive campaigns like instant rewards that convert views into actions and into purchases is what they can do. 

The second thing we see is brands not leveraging data generated for personalising the experience. With all the data collated, there is so much insights available on behaviours that brands can now customize fan rewarding to get the maximum bang for the buck.

Lastly, the approach of one-size-fits-all reward programs. Brands need to dissect their audience based on regions, demographics and regional preferences and do targeted programs. That way the money that you put in performs better. 

With emerging technologies like AI and blockchain, how do you foresee digital innovations shaping IPL brand activations in the future?

As we speak, if not already, AI is being used for a host of things in today’s life. It is no surprise that brands around IPL would have started implementing some of them. But the main thing AI helps you with is personalisation. Understanding a consumer and targeting them with real-time relevant rewards for the fan behaviours is where the game is at. And that AI can do very well. AI can ace these interactions with WhatsApp bots and voice assistants.

Adding AI to rewarding techniques like predict and win or quiz/ trivia kind of gamification will make the campaign a lot more exciting for consumers. All done without much human intervention and fully automated. 

What unique challenges and opportunities do summer-focused brands face when marketing during IPL?

With the IPL taking centerstage during the summer, the competition for consumer attention is at an all-time high. Brands are facing significant clutter, and standing out will require highly engaging and relevant campaigns. For industries like beverages, personal care, travel, and heat-driven products such as ACs and refrigerators, this presents a unique challenge, but also an incredible opportunity.

Summer brands should look to tap into IPL’s emotional and social triggers to make a lasting impact. The tournament’s high-energy environment and its connection to social moments create the perfect backdrop for brands to position their products in a way that resonates with consumers. For example, tying rewards to key match moments – such as runs or specific milestones – can create an interactive experience that connects the product with the excitement of the game.

Ultimately, IPL gives brands a chance to “beat the heat” while integrating their summer products seamlessly into the cricket context, driving relevance and consumer engagement. It’s all about using the tournament to create emotional connections and offer rewards that enhance the overall fan experience.

What role do influencer collaborations play in boosting brand promotions during IPL?

Influencer marketing plays a crucial role in amplifying IPL campaigns by adding authentic storytelling and organic engagement to brand promotions. Micro-influencers help drive regional engagement, creating hyper-localized content around specific IPL reward programs, which resonates deeply with fan bases. 

Live match reactions, predictions, and interactive watch parties further fuel excitement, keeping the conversation alive beyond just the game. 

Additionally, exclusive brand challenges and giveaways initiated by influencers encourage participation, extending brand visibility far beyond traditional advertising. 

All these help in increasing purchases and driving engagement.

With rising concerns about sustainability, how can summer brands ensure eco-friendly IPL promotions?

Sustainability is no longer just a trend – it is essential to brand strategies. We’re excited to introduce eco-friendly initiatives that enhance the fan experience while making a positive impact:

Gamified Recycling: Fans earn rewards for recycling PET bottles at stadiums, turning sustainability into a fun, interactive activity.

Digital-First Activations: Say goodbye to printed materials – our AR-powered promotions offer a fully digital experience, reducing waste and boosting engagement.

Sustainable Merchandise: Our biodegradable IPL jerseys and eco-friendly giveaways help fans show their support while promoting sustainability.

Green Stadiums: We’re sponsoring solar-powered stadium zones and offering electric transport options to reduce emissions and create a greener game-day atmosphere.

These initiatives reflect our commitment to sustainability, driving both positive environmental change and deeper fan engagement.