The Indian Premier League is no longer just a cricket tournament. Over the years, it has positioned itself as a cultural platform, one where brands compete as much for attention as teams do for the trophy. For categories like alco-bev, where direct advertising remains restricted, IPL becomes a critical stage. For Radico Khaitan, this moment is less about visibility and more about cultural recall.
“IPL is not just about cricket. It is about the ritual of gathering. It is watched among friends, debated across families, and celebrated in distinctly Indian ways,” says Kunal Madan, Chief Marketing Officer, Radico Khaitan.
With over 15 brands in its portfolio, including 8PM Whisky, Magic Moments Vodka, and Old Admiral Brandy, the company has partnered with Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) for the 19th edition of the tournament.
The association is rooted in aligning with the right cultural and consumer energy. “Our partnership with Sunrisers Hyderabad is a key part of our strategy to engage consumers through high-impact platforms like the IPL. The franchise’s youthful energy and performance-led identity make it a natural fit for our portfolio,” Madan explains.
Given regulatory constraints, the partnership is activated through 8PM Packaged Drinking Water, an extension that carries the parent brand into a permissible category. “8PM Packaged Drinking Water is a contemporary, consumer-facing brand with strong mass appeal that aligns well with the ethos of the IPL,” he adds.
Beyond compliance, the move plays a strategic role in brand architecture. “8PM Packaged Drinking Water allows us to carry the familiarity of the parent brand into a category with everyday relevance, keeping it visible in mainstream spaces and strengthening recall through regular touchpoints,” says Madan.
As the partnership takes shape, the focus shifts from presence to participation.
Campaign and on-ground strategy
Radico Khaitan’s IPL campaign, ‘Rise in Orange, Celebrate with Black’, attempts to move beyond match-day moments and tap into the larger cultural fabric of the tournament.
“With ‘Rise in Orange, Celebrate with Black’, we wanted to capture the excitement, colour, and sense of shared celebration that the season brings,” Madan explains, adding that the effort was to ensure the campaign “feels familiar to fans, not something imposed from outside the moment.”
This thinking extends to on-ground visibility as well. Instead of opting for more obvious branding assets, the company chose trouser sponsorship for SRH players.
“Our decision was driven by strategic effectiveness, not just asset prominence,” he says. “The trouser placement offers strong on-field visibility while allowing us to invest more meaningfully in consumer engagement beyond logo presence.”
For the brand, success in IPL is not defined by visibility alone. “For us, IPL success goes beyond visibility. It is about recall built through storytelling, fan engagement, retail activations, and culturally relevant moments,” Madan notes.
Beyond metros: Lessons from Tier II & III
While IPL offers national scale, its resonance varies across markets, something Radico Khaitan is paying close attention to.
“Aspiration is high in Tier 2 and Tier 3 markets, but so is discernment,” Madan says. “These consumers are deeply aware of brands and are no longer passive participants in the market.”
He adds that what metros often overlook is the role of trust and community. “Purchase behaviour here is strongly shaped by trust, local relevance, and community influence. Brand loyalty runs deeper when communication feels authentic, not manufactured.”
These nuances, he notes, make non-metro markets critical not just for growth, but for learning.
Beyond IPL: Experience-led marketing
Outside IPL, Radico Khaitan is also investing in another fast-growing cultural space, the live events ecosystem.
“Live events allow brands to be experienced, not just seen,” says Madan. “Consumers today value participation and memory far more than passive exposure.”
From A.R. Rahman concerts to Cocktail Week and The Spirit of Kashmir with Sonu Nigam, the brand is building associations that extend beyond traditional media. For Radico Khaitan, these platforms offer a way to stay culturally relevant while deepening engagement. “They give us a way to build cultural relevance that feels immersive and contemporary,” he adds.
In the short term, the focus remains on strengthening 8PM’s legacy while adapting to evolving consumer expectations. “That means driving deeper engagement, strengthening visibility across contemporary platforms, and building stronger connections with newer audiences without losing the trust and familiarity the brand has earned,” Madan says.
Over the long term, the ambition is steady evolution. As Madan puts it, the brand is focused on continuing to evolve as one of India’s most enduring and progressive brands.
