o use a cliche, cricket is a religion in India. Worldwide too, it is one of the top three popular sports. Therefore, for a marketer, using cricket as a backdrop for brand building is the simplest way of reaching the audience. That hypothesis seems to be changing. Slowly, but surely, other sports such as golf, soccer, tennis, hockey, football - even Formula 1 racing are attracting sponsorships from Indian brands.

According to AdEx India, a division of TAM Media Research, cricket garners 48 per cent share in terms of sports advertising followed by soccer and wrestling.... more