Industry Odisha Bureau, Oct 15: Cricket endorsements are holding firm despite a slowdown in celebrity-led advertising. Film stars face sharper competition from digital creators. Brands are moving budgets towards targeted, measurable campaigns.
India’s brands are rethinking how they spend on famous faces. Cricketers, however, are largely escaping the squeeze. Film stars are finding it harder to defend their share of marketing budgets. Digital creators are steadily claiming more of that money.
Industry estimates value the sports celebrity endorsement market at ₹1,350 crore in 2025. Cricketers accounted for almost 90% of it. The market is expected to cross ₹1,500 crore in 2026. Nearly a dozen cricket deals are reportedly in the pipeline before festive campaigns.
These figures remain estimates rather than audited earnings. Pipeline deals may yet fall through or change shape. Still, recent signings show continued appetite.
OpenAI recently signed Sachin Tendulkar to promote ChatGPT in India. The National Payments Corporation of India enlisted MS Dhoni for its BHIM app. Tendulkar, Dhoni, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma remain among the top cricket endorsers. Shubman Gill, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant and Hardik Pandya are also in demand.
Sebastian Shaji, who manages Gill, credits cricket’s resilience to performance. OTT and social media have pushed actors and creators into closer competition, he said. Cricketers, by contrast, earn relevance on the field. That relevance cannot be manufactured on demand, Shaji argued. Regular exposure through the IPL and international matches keeps players visible. That visibility spans television, streaming and social media.
Bollywood’s position looks less secure. Advertisers are reassessing their reliance on film celebrities. Digital creators offer targeted audiences and engagement that brands can measure. Celebrity-led shoots, meanwhile, demand substantial production spending. This is a redistribution of budgets, not an abandonment of stars.
Lalatendu Das, CEO for South Asia at Publicis Media, described the shift in practical terms. Companies now ask whether to cut that spend and use 1,000 nano-creators instead, he said. Spreading money across many small voices can offer more flexibility.
The trend is sharpest in FMCG, personal care and fashion. Hindustan Unilever’s annual report says it has stepped up investment in creators and communities. It also cited credible voices as central to digital brand storytelling. A global personal care brand has replaced its actress ambassador with influencers, a marketer said.
The Indian Influencer Governing Council surveyed more than 100 brands and marketers. It found 15–25% of brand marketing budgets moving towards creators. That range will not apply uniformly to every company. IIGC chairman Sahil Chopra said creators are becoming deeper brand partners. They help businesses tackle specific marketing challenges and lift consideration, he said. Chopra added that creators connect with audiences more authentically.
Reach, engagement and sales remain different measures, however. A large following does not guarantee purchases. Nor does measurable engagement always translate into better returns.
For now, brands appear to be blending both approaches. Cricketers offer national recognition that few creators can match. Creators offer precision and cost flexibility that celebrity campaigns often lack. Film stars, caught between the two, must now compete harder for budgets.
