Why Mouth Freshner brands invested heavily in IPL 2025?

1. Mass Appeal, Mass Market

Mouth fresheners (like Rajnigandha, Vimal, Tulsi, Pan Bahar, etc.) are mass-market products with strong penetration in Tier 2, Tier 3 towns and rural India — the same demographic that forms a major chunk of the IPL audience.

• IPL’s Tier 2+ viewership accounts for more than 60% of its TV and digital audience.
• Mouth freshener brands see IPL as the best vehicle to reach these audiences during the summer.

2. Association with Masculinity & Swagger

Many of these brands position themselves as symbols of confidence, style, and “desi” masculinity—qualities often embodied by cricket heroes.

• Think of the famous “Zubaan Kesari” campaigns — often featuring swagger-filled celebrity ambassadors like Ajay Devgn or Shah Rukh Khan.
• IPL offers a cultural and emotional fit for this tone of messaging.

3. Regulatory Bans on Tobacco – IPL Offers Surrogate Branding

Mouth freshener brands, especially those from pan masala, gutka or supari-linked companies, use IPL for surrogate advertising.

• Since direct advertising of tobacco products is banned, brands push mouth fresheners, cardamom seeds, or elaichi variants with similar branding.
• IPL provides high-frequency, high-visibility inventory to keep these brand cues top-of-mind.

4. Hyper-Competitive Category

The category is flooded with players fighting for shelf space and brand recall. The IPL’s daily repetition and multiple touchpoints (TV, digital, team partnerships, influencer content) give them an edge in recall-building.

• Brands invest to outspend rivals, dominate SOV (share of voice), and occupy premium positions during ad breaks.

HOW MOUTH FRESHENER BRANDS INVEST IN IPL

1. TV Advertising (Star Sports & Regional Feeds)

This is where most of the spend goes — with multiple ad spots per match, especially in:

• Hindi, Bhojpuri, Tamil, Telugu feeds.
• Targeting the exact belt where mouth fresheners dominate.

2. Digital (JioCinema Sponsorships & Ads)

They also invest heavily in JioCinema, which now dominates IPL streaming:

• Pre-roll, mid-roll ads.
• Branded content integrations.
• Interactive banners or watch-and-win contests.

3. Team Sponsorships

Many mouth freshener brands become associate or sleeve sponsors of IPL teams:

• E.g., Vimal Elaichi has previously partnered with franchises for logo placement, LED visibility, and social media co-promotions.

4. Celebrity & Player Endorsements

Post-IPL, many of these brands onboard cricketers as brand ambassadors, using their IPL presence to build familiarity before rolling out endorsement campaigns.

5. In-Stadium Branding

From perimeter boards to branded “player of the match” awards, these brands invest in stadium activations to drive visibility during live telecasts.

Strategic Outcome

• Mouth freshener brands gain cultural relevance and mass-scale familiarity.
• With millions of daily impressions, they reinforce surrogate product branding, stay top-of-mind for lower-funnel retail purchases (especially impulse buys).
• They also use IPL as a springboard for year-round sales growth, especially during the wedding and festival seasons.

Final Insight

Mouth freshener brands use the IPL not just to advertise, but to legitimize and glamorize themselves in Indian pop culture. The league’s massive reach, deep regional influence, and entertainment-first packaging make it a perfect fit for brands that need both recall and aspirational value without being able to directly advertise their core products.