Reliance plans to dominate Indian Premier League ads post-Disney merger using neuroscience

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With IPL broadcast rights costing nearly $10bn, the merged entity is strategising to monetise its investment amid fierce competition from Netflix and Amazon in India’s $28bn media market.

According to reports, Reliance is hosting closed-door seminars in seven Indian cities to attract small advertisers, offering IPL ad packages starting at $17,000. Internal documents reveal a focus on streaming ads, with a goal of reaching 40 million smart TVs and 420 million mobile devices during the IPL season, running from March 22 for 60 days. The company is privately pitching advertising agencies using "brain mapping" research, claiming higher engagement rates for its ads than those on Google.

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The IPL, launched in 2008, remains highly lucrative, with teams—including one owned by the Ambanis—engaging in a $74m bidding war for players for the 2024 season. With TV advertising facing regulatory constraints, Reliance is betting on digital, using user data to deliver targeted ads based on age, income, and location, while raising ad rates.

At a February seminar in Bengaluru, small businesses and executives were pitched IPL advertising as more affordable than ever, highlighting Reliance’s aggressive push to dominate India’s digital ad space against rivals Google and Meta.