MAM
CBS to use drug stores to push comedy block
MUMBAI: US broadcaster CBS has come up with a novel way to push its Monday comedy block. It will use drug stores and prescription bags to create water cooler buzz.
For its comedy show Out Of Practice the companmy has come up with the tagline Quench Your Thirst for Comedy. CBS’s marketing group has announced that it will reach viewers by advertising on AquaCell Media’s water cooler systems and cup holders.
The cast of the show will be featured on water coolers in hundreds of Rite Aid and Duane Reade stores. The broadcaster states that the drug store placement is ideal since the comedy is about a family of five doctors.
CBS’s drug store marketing also includes advertising for its Monday comedy line-up on prescription bags. The tagline Prescription-Strength Comedy is being used to plug television’s top comedy block which includes returning hits The King Of Queens and Two And A Half Men and new shows How I Met Your Mother and the earlier mentioned Out Of Practice.
AquaCell Media’s Message On The Bottle advertising program provides unique out-of-home advertising. The company installs its patented self-filling AquaCell Bottled Water Cooler System into various locations free of charge under a multi-year agreement and retains ownership of the billboard water cooler. Revenue is generated through the sale of the advertising space on the bottle band and cup holder of the permanently attached five-gallon bottle to companies that provide products and services pertinent to the demographics and location.
CBS Marketing Group president George Schweitzer says, “At the heart of any promotional campaign is the drive to inspire water cooler buzz. What better way to accomplish this than by putting advertisements for one of our highly anticipated new comedies — Out Of Practice — on AquaCell’s water coolers”.
MAM
T20 WC 2026 ad volumes rise 4 per cent despite fewer brands: TAM report
Fewer brands, bigger bets: India matches and top players drive ad surge
MUMBAI: Advertising during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 may have become leaner in participation, but it certainly packed a stronger punch. A new analysis by TAM Media Research shows that ad volumes per match rose by 4 per cent compared to the 2024 edition, signalling sharper spending even as the advertiser base narrowed.
The numbers tell a tale of two trends. On one hand, the overall count of categories, advertisers and brands dropped steeply by 55 per cent, 63 per cent and nearly 68 per cent respectively versus the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024. On the other, those who stayed in the game appeared to spend more aggressively, driving higher ad intensity across matches.
India’s pulling power remained unmistakable. Matches featuring the Indian team generated 66 per cent higher ad volumes than non-India games, underlining the country’s outsized influence on cricket’s commercial engine. The tournament final also saw an 18 per cent jump in advertising volumes compared to 2024, pointing to stronger monetisation at the business end of the competition.
The shift towards concentration was equally striking. The top five advertisers accounted for 39 per cent of total ad volumes, unchanged from the previous edition, but the names themselves saw a complete shake-up. OpenAI emerged as the leading advertiser with a 12 per cent share, followed by Coca-Cola India at 9 per cent and Mahindra & Mahindra at 8 per cent. Apollo Tyres and Reliance Consumer Products rounded off the top five.
A similar churn played out at the brand level, with no overlap in the top five brands between 2024 and 2026. At the same time, leading categories tightened their grip, with the top five accounting for 53 per cent of ad volumes, up from 42 per cent earlier. The cars category led the pack with a 15 per cent share, followed closely by e-commerce services at 14 per cent and aerated soft drinks at 11 per cent.
When it came to format, brevity ruled. Ads between 11 and 20 seconds dominated commercial breaks, making up over half of all spots, while shorter sub-10 second creatives followed as the next preferred choice.
The broader takeaway is clear. Even as fewer players entered the arena, those that did were willing to spend bigger and smarter. In a tournament where every over counts, advertisers seem to be playing a more focused, high-impact innings, betting on scale, timing and the enduring magnetism of cricket’s biggest stage.
