Corridor of uncertainty

The Damocles' sword hangs over ₹700 cr worth of ad money

- CHRISTINA MONIZ

CATEGORIES LIKE PAAN masala spent upwards of ₹350 crore across TV and digital last Indian Premier League (IPL) season (around 50% of their annual budgets) with surrogate advertisements for 'mouth fresheners'. Vishnu Packaging (Vimal Elaichi Pan Masala) and K P Pan Foods (Kamla Pasand Silver Coated Elaichi) were among the top five advertisers during the 2024 season. Alcohol brands too, on an average, spend around 30-35% of their annual budgets during the IPL since it is peak summer season.

There's a question mark over all that advertising money this IPL season.

Less than two weeks ahead of the IPL, the Union Health Ministry urged the tournament to ban all forms of tobacco and alcohol advertising, including surrogate promotions within the stadium premises during the games as well as during the broadcast. Citing the ministry's moral obligation to promote public health, the letter sent to IPL chairman Arun Singh Dhumal stressed the need for sportspersons to put a stop to endorsements of products linked to alcohol or tobacco.