The 20-second hurdle: Why IPL ads haven't reached Super Bowl iconic status

Every February, a curious phenomenon unfolds in the advertising world. Brands throw their weight (and wallets) behind a single night of American football, crafting commercials that spark conversations for years. The Super Bowl isn’t just a sporting event—it’s advertising’s grandest stage, where ambition and creativity collide in spectacular fashion.

Consider the folklore surrounding Apple's ‘1984’ Super Bowl commercial. A dystopian vision shattered by a burst of colour and a promise of liberation, it was a cinematic event in itself. As Sumanto Chattopadhyay, Independent Creative Director, recounts, "The most iconic of Super Bowl ads—Apple’s 1984 commercial—almost didn’t run. Apple’s board of directors found it too risky and ‘weird’. They wanted to cancel the ad and sell off their Super Bowl ad slot. But founders Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak stepped in." This anecdote isn't just a historical footnote; it's a testament to the audacious spirit that often fuels Super Bowl advertising – a willingness to bet big on unconventional ideas, even in the face of internal resistance. This gumption, Chattopadhyay believes, is a crucial ingredient often missing in the Indian advertising landscape. "Doing truly breakout advertising requires gumption and guts—which most Indian advertisers, including founders, lack."  

The roar of the crowd, the dazzling lights, the high-stakes drama unfolding on the field – both the Super Bowl and the Indian Premier League (IPL) command a captive audience of millions. These sporting extravaganzas are not just about touchdowns and sixes; they are also prime real estate for advertisers, a battleground for brands vying for attention and a slice of the consumer's mind. Yet, while Super Bowl commercials have ascended to the pantheon of pop culture, often becoming talking points long after the final whistle, IPL ads, barring a few memorable exceptions, largely fade into the background noise of the tournament. This isn't a mere difference in geography; it's a chasm carved by divergent approaches, varying levels of creative ambition, and the unique cultural and structural landscapes that shape these advertising spectacles.

Meanwhile, in India, the IPL—a cricketing behemoth with a captive audience for two months—offers an equally massive platform. Yet, while Super Bowl commercials have ascended to the pantheon of pop culture, often becoming talking points long after the final whistle, IPL ads, barring a few memorable exceptions, largely fade into the background noise of the tournament. Sure, we had the Vodafone ZooZoos and the Cred ads, but where are the IPL equivalents of "1984" or "The Man Your Man Could Smell Like"?

What explains this creative chasm? Is it structural—ad rates, media planning, or brand strategy? Or does it boil down to mindset—a reluctance to take creative risks? We spoke to industry leaders to get a ringside view of why IPL ads, with a few exceptions, haven’t quite entered the global hall of fame.

The pitch imperfect: Deconstructing the divergent approaches

While the IPL undoubtedly witnesses significant ad spends and celebrity endorsements galore, the creative output often feels…safe. Functional benefits are highlighted, jingles are catchy but rarely groundbreaking, and the reliance on familiar faces often overshadows the originality of the message. It's as if Indian advertisers are playing for singles and doubles when the Super Bowl demands a relentless pursuit of sixes.

Adarsh Atal, Group Chief Creative Officer at Quotient Ventures (Tilt Brand Solutions and Vector Brand Solutions), offers a nuanced perspective on the fundamental differences in approach. "Honestly, it differs from brand to brand. There are still many brands that don’t necessarily buy into the IPL-Superbowl comparisons. IPL for them is mainly a sure-shot way to get the reach they want for their core message. For some other brands, it’s a platform to create spectacular buzz for the brand." 

This highlights a key divergence: for many Indian advertisers, the IPL is primarily a vehicle for unparalleled reach, a guaranteed audience for their existing messaging. The ambition, as Atal points out, lies in the "disproportionate returns" on investment, but this ambition doesn't always translate into a burning desire for groundbreaking creative work.  

Kuber Chopra, Founder & Creative Director of Rasta, echoes this sentiment, suggesting a deeper structural issue. "Very few advertisers understand the value of branding. The new age brands are under pressure to show return on any ad spend making them cautious of sinking money into the IPL hole. If you are not exceptionally creative that is the risk as the ad rates cannot be reasonably justified unless you are a brand with pan India presence not just ambition." 

The sheer cost of advertising during the IPL acts as a double-edged sword. While it guarantees eyeballs, it also breeds a certain conservatism. Brands, having shelled out exorbitant sums, may be hesitant to gamble on truly experimental creative, fearing a lack of immediate, measurable returns. This contrasts with the Super Bowl, where the understanding of long-term brand building through impactful advertising seems more deeply ingrained. 

As Chattopadhyay notes, "Coming back to the Apple 1984 ad—one may have seen that once in one’s youth, but it had such an impact that it influences you to buy a MacBookPro decades later. Most managers have short term targets on which they are evaluated, so they are not interested in taking the risk of creating such iconic advertising which may be more of a slow burn."

Furthermore, the media planning and ad rates themselves play a significant role. 

Atal points out, "My biggest gripe is that not too many brands use the time just before the IPL. Owing to the ad rates involved, there isn’t much duration to play with during the tournament." 

The limited airtime available during the IPL matches, coupled with the high cost per second, often forces advertisers into shorter, more direct messaging. 

Suyash Khabya, CCO of The Womb, puts it bluntly: "One of the biggest reasons for the low creative quality of IPL ads is the duration—20s. They don't even take 25 seconds. It's only 10s, 15s, 20s. Because if the next over starts and the ad is still playing, they have to cut the ad. Which means they make no money on a cut ad and have to compensate with secondage for that too. So in 20 seconds, you can only explain a feature or tell a joke. Emotions, drama need secondage." This constraint severely limits the scope for storytelling, emotional resonance, and the kind of visual spectacle that defines many iconic Super Bowl commercials, which often enjoy longer run times.

This year, Dream11 came up with a campiagn featuring Aamir Khan, Ranbir Kapoor, Rohit Sharma, Hardik Pandya, Jackie Shroff, and more, that was lauded across the industry. The first film of the star-studded campaign clocked 2.26 minutes in establisihing its premise, unfolding the story and meta-humour, and setting up the plot for follow-up films. The follow up films are 20-seconders that take the story of the rivalry between Khan and Kapoor ahead. While the follow-up films can be played during IPL matches, the main establishing film is restricted in its use due to live-matches' time constraints. This is a glaring example of the limitations caused by the time duration. However, the Dream11 campiagn offers a silver lining in how it can be bypassed to create an engaging narrative. 

The spectacle and the scorecard

Super Bowl ads are renowned for their willingness to embrace humour, emotion, and sheer visual spectacle. They are designed not just to sell, but to entertain, to become part of the cultural conversation. Think of Budweiser's heartwarming Clydesdale commercials, or the laugh-out-loud celebrity cameos that often grace the Super Bowl screen. These ads aim for an emotional connection, a memorable moment that transcends the product being advertised.

IPL ads, while not entirely devoid of humour or emotion, often lean towards a more functional approach, heavily relying on celebrity endorsements to cut through the clutter. While a popular celebrity can undoubtedly grab attention, it doesn't automatically translate into a creatively groundbreaking or enduring ad. The message often becomes secondary to the messenger. 

The question then arises: how can India elevate the creative bar of IPL ads to achieve a similar global status and recognition, perhaps even making a mark at prestigious events like Cannes? Atal believes a crucial opportunity lies in the pre-tournament buzz. "But I feel that there is a clear opportunity for brands to create buzz and excitement just before the tournament. There is enough chatter and excitement on the internet by then and I feel advertisers can harness that better. There’s more room to manoeuvre, the ideas can have scale, become more of a spectacle," he says. By leveraging the anticipation and online conversations leading up to the IPL, brands can potentially create more elaborate and engaging campaigns that aren't constrained by the tight time slots during the matches themselves.

Chattopadhyay echoes this, suggesting a shift in financial priorities. "You have to spend obscene sums to air your ad on the IPL. To offset that expenditure, the client often wants to save money on the production budget. Perhaps if they spent more on creating the ad and ran it fewer times on IPL, they might get a better impact. If an ad gets talked about with a few IPL releases, it can enjoy a longer, stronger second life on social media as well. So the combined effect is bigger." Investing more in the creative execution, even if it means fewer on-air slots, could lead to more impactful and memorable advertising that gains traction beyond the television screen.

“Some of our most iconic films—‘Pyaasa’, ‘Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro’—flopped on release because they were different. It’s the same with advertising. You need guts to create something hatke,” adds Chattopadhyay suggesting that creativity often struggles initially. 

However, Chopra points to a more fundamental cultural difference. "This is cultural, America is a hyper consumerist society. India's getting there but not there yet. The advertising industry here has created subcultures, and the super bowl ad is the top zeitgeisty moment in the calendar. Brands want to be a part of it to show that they have arrived. That they can be taken seriously now." The Super Bowl has become a cultural phenomenon in the US, and its advertising is an integral part of that experience. Brands see it as a platform to make a statement, to showcase their creativity and cultural relevance. While the IPL enjoys immense popularity in India, the advertising around it hasn't yet achieved the same level of cultural significance or critical analysis. Chopra also highlights the role of "evolved trade and allied media" in dissecting and celebrating Super Bowl ads, further amplifying their impact – something that could be more rigorously cultivated for IPL advertising.

The long innings vs. the sudden death

The Super Bowl is a singular, high-intensity event, a pressure cooker for both the teams on the field and the advertisers vying for attention during the breaks. This one-night spectacle demands a big, impactful splash. The IPL, on the other hand, is a marathon, a tournament spanning several weeks with a diverse, pan-Indian audience. This difference in format has a significant impact on creative strategies.

As Atal explains, "Honestly, IPL is now a SEASON in this country. It is a long tournament; 65 days. So going in, the idea should rarely be to make a single big impact with one piece. In fact, often advertisers decide to be present at different points of the tournament, with multiple assets." The extended duration allows for a more phased approach, with brands potentially rolling out different creatives or evolving their messaging over the course of the season.

However, this also presents a challenge: crafting universally appealing narratives for a diverse, pan-Indian audience. Cultural nuances, regional preferences, and varying levels of brand awareness across the country can make it difficult to create a single message that resonates with everyone. Atal believes that brands often miss a trick by focusing solely on on-screen presence: "The issue is that brands often confuse being present during IPL as being present on the IPL screen. I feel that leveraging the buzz about the tournament online; before, during and after the matches, is something that not too many brands have been doing too well. It’s a long tournament in length for sure. But it’s a tournament with buzz that has great breadth too. Not just on TV. It’s time we leverage it better offline and online."

This brings us to the crucial aspect of engaging with consumers beyond the traditional 30-second spot. Super Bowl advertisers have become adept at leveraging second-screen experiences, creating interactive campaigns, and generating meme-worthy content that extends the life of their ads. As Atal notes, "Consumers today engage with advertising beyond TV—through memes, second-screen interactions, and digital extensions. Do Super Bowl advertisers leverage these trends better than IPL advertisers? What are some innovative ways IPL advertisers can amplify their campaigns beyond the traditional 30-second spot?" While some Indian brands, like CRED, are doing a commendable job of this, there's vast untapped potential for IPL advertisers to create more integrated and engaging campaigns that live beyond the broadcast.

Chattopadhyay's point about the system stifling creativity is also pertinent here. "In fact, some of the stand-out advertising that has come out of big corporates saw the light of day because of the ambition of an individual manager who, to make it happen, found a way around their own system—the testing, the nod from the grey hairs, and so on. The system is not geared to produce great advertising, but rather ‘safe’ advertising that ticks a number of boxes." Overcoming this ingrained conservatism and fostering a culture that encourages risk-taking at all levels, from the client's boardroom to the agency's creative department, is essential for unlocking the true creative potential of IPL advertising.

In conclusion, the creative disparity between Super Bowl and IPL ads isn't simply a matter of budget or audience size. It's a complex interplay of structural constraints, differing brand priorities, varying levels of creative ambition, and distinct cultural contexts. While the IPL offers unparalleled reach and a passionate audience, its advertising landscape is often characterised by a cautious approach, driven by high costs and the pressure for immediate returns.