How Mukesh Ambani is using ‘brain mapping’ to woo IPL advertisers after Disney merger

India’s richest man, Mukesh Ambani, is targeting small businesses and promoting unconventional neuroscience studies to boost its revenues from the Indian Premier League (IPL). It comes days after Reliance struck a USD 8.5-billion media merger with Walt Disney. The Ambani-led company got broadcast rights for cash-rich IPL and other cricketing events nearly for USD 10 billion. IPL 2025, the world’s most valuable cricket league, is set to begin on March 22 this year. The pricey broadcast rights are set to weigh big on the merged group, which is India’s biggest entertainment giant. Earlier this month before the ICC champions trophy, Reliance ended free streaming of IPL on its JioHotstar app, offered since 2023.

Reliance uses brain mapping

Documents revealed Reliance is privately pitching advertising agencies with ‘brain mapping’ research that it says analysed the brain cells, or neurons, of participants to show its streaming ads have a higher engagement rate than Google. According to Reuters, five media executives and Reliance sources, and two company pitch decks, revealed its focus on adding small advertisers. The company is strengthing digital ad inventory to increase streaming revenues, in strategies.

The Reliance-owned venture is holding a month of closed-door seminars in seven Indian cities to woo small companies to become IPL advertisers, offering ad packages worth USD 17,000, Reuters reported. “Ads are integral to IPL coverage,” the company said in one document that set its streaming service a target of reaching 40 million smart TVs and 420 million mobile devices during the IPL.

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