Brands, restaurants and cinemas are padding up for the “Super Sunday” cricket clash between India and Pakistan at the ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025. Official broadcaster and streaming platform, JioStar had, according to sources, already sold 90-95 per cent of ad inventory for the match, and was expecting more brands to pick up space last minute.
Meanwhile, restaurants and theatres have edged into the action screening of the big match anticipating good footfalls. As part of its agreement with JioStar, PVR INOX will be screening the India-Pak match in over 150 cinemas across the country.
“The India vs Pakistan match is a highly anticipated game, not just among fans but also advertisers. While JioStar has sold a significant part of its inventory, there is still strong interest from brands eager to be part of this historic event. In fact, even existing sponsors are looking to bump up inventory for the game beyond what they have committed to, for enhancing brand visibility during the iconic clash,” said a senior executive at a media buying agency. The ad spots are being sold at a premium compared to other matches.
Despite muted advertising sentiment, brands are shifting a significant part of their ad budgets to be part of the India-Pak match, said Santosh N, Managing Partner of D&P Advisory.
Key sponsors that have come on board include Dream11, Pernod Ricard India, Suntory Global Spirits, Kohler, Birla Opus, Vodafone Idea, ICICI Bank, LIC Housing Finance Limited, Eicher Motors and Indira IVF.
Sarfaraz Ansari, Senior VP, Mudramax said that India -Pakistan has always been a tentpole match and with it being scheduled on Sunday, it is expected to attract massive eyeballs. He added that larger brands are expected to be more aggressive in terms of spending than smaller brands due to sluggish market conditions.
Brands like Coca-Cola are looking to strategically leverage the match through innovative activities. For instance, Coca-Cola will be doing an interactive halftime experience where viewers can scan a QR code displayed on the Aston band during the live broadcast to unlock an exclusive limited-time offer — Coca-Cola at half price.
Mother Dairy’s managing director, Manish Bandlish, said that the brand would have a strategic presence across broadcast mediums and prominent placement during Super 6, particularly during the highly anticipated India matches, including the one against Pakistan.
Meanwhile, restaurants and bars are also gearing up for the match. Rahul Singh, Senior VP of the pubs & taproom division, B9 Beverages said, “ It’s a super Sunday and a high stake match, and we are doing watch parties at our outlets.”
Divya Aggarwal, Chief Growth Officer, Impresario Entertainment & Hospitality Pvt Ltd said, “We’ve lined up live screenings and great beer bucket deals so people can kick back, cheer together, and experience the game the way it’s meant to be.”