8PM Makes a Splash with SRH IPL Sponsorship Move

In a move that proves cricket and branding go together almost as perfectly as bat and ball, 8PM Packaged Drinking Water has officially joined hands with Sunrisers Hyderabad as the lead trouser sponsor for the IPL 2026 season. Because apparently, in today’s marketing world, even your water bottle needs stadium-level visibility.

The partnership will place the 8PM branding prominently on SRH’s team trousers throughout the tournament, giving the packaged drinking water brand a front-row seat in one of India’s most watched sporting spectacles. The Indian Premier League continues to remain the holy grail for brands seeking nationwide eyeballs, and 8PM seems more than ready to quench its thirst for visibility.

But this is not just about logo placement and camera flashes. Alongside the sponsorship, the brand has rolled out a campaign titled “Rise in Orange, Celebrate with Black,” cleverly tying SRH’s iconic orange jersey with 8PM’s black-themed branding identity. The campaign aims to connect thrilling on-field performances with celebratory post-match moments, creating an emotional and visual bridge between cricket fandom and brand recall.

For those wondering why brands continue to pour big money into IPL sponsorships, the answer is simple: reach. Massive, unbeatable, nation-stopping reach. IPL remains one of the largest entertainment and sporting properties in India, delivering unmatched engagement across television, streaming, digital platforms, and social media. For a consumer-facing brand like 8PM, getting featured during match highlights, celebrations, close-ups, and broadcast shots is essentially marketing gold dressed in cricket whites.

Speaking on the collaboration, Kunal Madan, Chief Marketing Officer of Radico Khaitan, expressed excitement over the partnership, stating that associating with Sunrisers Hyderabad offers the company a strong platform to connect with consumers nationwide. He highlighted IPL’s unmatched scale and the team’s loyal fan following as key reasons behind the decision, adding that the partnership aligns with the company’s broader ambition to contribute to India’s vibrant cricket ecosystem.

Sunrisers Hyderabad echoed the enthusiasm, welcoming 8PM into the franchise’s growing sponsorship family. A team spokesperson noted that the collaboration brings together shared values of resilience, energy, and excellence, adding that the franchise looks forward to building a successful season both on and off the field.

This move is also part of Radico Khaitan’s larger sports marketing strategy, suggesting that the company is doubling down on sports-led brand building to strengthen consumer engagement. The beverage and FMCG space has increasingly leaned into sports partnerships over the past few years, recognising that fandom-driven marketing can often build stronger emotional recall than traditional advertising alone. And when your audience is emotionally invested in sixes, wickets, and dramatic last overs, your brand tends to stick better too.

Interestingly, SRH has been actively expanding its sponsorship roster ahead of IPL 2026, onboarding multiple brands across different sectors to create a diversified commercial ecosystem. With partnerships spanning everything from industrial brands to gaming and sustainability, the franchise is clearly building an increasingly robust sponsorship lineup this season.

For 8PM, the association is more than a sponsorship. It is a statement that says the brand wants to be present where India celebrates the loudest. And few places deliver louder celebrations than an IPL stadium after a winning six.

As IPL 2026 gears up for another blockbuster season, expect to see 8PM riding alongside SRH’s every boundary, wicket, and victory dance. Because in the business of modern advertising, sometimes the smartest way to stay relevant is to simply follow the cheers.