The Indian Premier League (IPL) has long evolved beyond the realm of sports. What started as a cricketing competition has transformed into a grand spectacle that merges high-stakes matches with mass entertainment, celebrity glamour, and cultural moments. It’s not just about runs, wickets, or trophies anymore—it’s about eyeballs, emotions, and engagement.

Every IPL season, brands flock to the cricketing extravaganza with their most creative marketing arsenals. It’s a once-in-a-year opportunity to capture the attention of a nation obsessed with the game. The atmosphere is electric. Fans cheer passionately for their favorite franchises, social media feeds are flooded with real-time reactions, and broadcasters mint record-breaking viewership. In the middle of this massive attention economy, advertising becomes not just a necessity but a show in itself.

From Stadium Cheers to Ad Reels: The Marketing Bonanza of IPL
Over the years, IPL campaigns have become part of pop culture. Take Dream11’s recent blockbuster, for example. The fantasy sports platform pulled off a casting coup with “Aapki Team Mein Kaun?”—a playful showdown that brought together Ranbir Kapoor and Aamir Khan in a rare appearance. Alongside them stood cricket titans like Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Jasprit Bumrah, Hardik Pandya, Suryakumar Yadav, and R Ashwin, not to mention the unmistakable presence of Bollywood veterans Jackie Shroff and Arbaaz Khan.

The campaign didn’t just promote fantasy cricket; it celebrated the joy of team-building, rivalry, and banter—all values that resonate with IPL’s ethos. But even that cinematic affair now has competition, thanks to an unexpected (and hilariously charming) contender—Google India.

Enter “Googlies”: Where Cricket Meets Curiosity
This IPL season, Google has bowled over fans with a unique blend of nostalgia, wit, and tech-driven playfulness. Their campaign, aptly titled “Googlies”, is anchored around the idea of making search fun again. And who better to drive that message home than some of the greatest cricketing legends of the 2000s?

In a quirky two-minute film, Google has assembled an all-star cast of retired cricket icons: Virender Sehwag, Anil Kumble, Shane Watson, Ricky Ponting, and Mohammad Kaif—all of whom seem to be suffering from the same strange problem. They’re being harassed by an unusually enthusiastic Sourav Ganguly, who’s gone off the deep end with his new obsession: Googlies.

And no, we’re not talking about deceptive leg-spinners.

Dada’s Digital Spin: Sourav Becomes “Sourav Gangoogly”
In the film, Ganguly, known for his fiery captaincy and unmatched charisma, has discovered the joy of answering (and asking) oddball trivia using Google’s “Googlies” feature. This new product is a series of curiosity-piquing questions designed to make everyday users fall back in love with search.

What makes the campaign so effective is how Ganguly fully leans into the role. He dubs himself “Sourav Gangoogly” and turns into a relentless trivia machine. His unsuspecting victims—his former teammates—find themselves ambushed by calls, quizzes, and teasing insults.

He mocks Sehwag as “a nawab without a jawab,” and jests at Watson with the now-viral line: “Watto, you don’t know squatto.” It’s lighthearted, nostalgic, and brimming with warmth. But most importantly, it brings users back to something they may have forgotten: the joy of looking things up.

What Are Googlies, Really?
At the heart of the campaign is a clever concept: Googlies by Google. Originally launched in October 2024 in collaboration with Ogilvy, Googlies is a curiosity-based product experience. It presents users with seemingly simple questions that, when searched, unlock unexpected answers. It’s an attempt to revive search not as a utility, but as a discovery tool—reminiscent of the early days of the internet.

From bizarre facts like “Why don’t penguins get cold feet?” to practical queries like “Do carrots really improve vision?”, each Googly is a digital spin that invites exploration and learning.

The first campaign aimed at Gen Z, encouraging young users to reengage with Google Search instead of turning straight to e-commerce or AI tools for information. But with this latest iteration, conceptualized by Bare Bones Collective, the brand is targeting a slightly older, nostalgic demographic—millennials who grew up watching these cricketing greats dominate the world stage.

Influencers Add Local Flavor
Google hasn’t stopped at TV ads. To expand the campaign’s reach and deepen engagement, the tech giant has partnered with popular Indian influencers like Sakshi Keswani, Diksha Rawat, and Dhruv Shah. These creators are using short-form videos to demonstrate the everyday utility of Googlies—searching for affordable wedding outfits, charging points in malls, or even DIY coffee recipes.

This influencer-led push brings the concept to the grassroots level, reaching audiences in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities who may not resonate with cricket nostalgia but definitely relate to everyday search use cases.

Standing Out in an AI-Dominated Era
It’s no coincidence that Google has decided to revamp its focus on Search. The tech world has entered a new phase where AI-driven tools like ChatGPT, Google Gemini, Perplexity, and Elon Musk’s GrokAI are redefining how people access and interact with information.

With the rise of generative AI, search engines face a new challenge: staying relevant and exciting. Rather than going head-to-head on features, Google is choosing a more human, emotional approach—reminding users of the simple pleasure of typing in a question and stumbling upon something amazing.

Cricket, Comedy, and Connection
The emotional core of the campaign lies in its ability to bring together three powerful forces: cricket, comedy, and connection. For Indian audiences, cricket isn’t just a sport—it’s a shared memory. By bringing back the faces that defined a generation of cricket, Google taps into that collective nostalgia.

At the same time, the campaign cleverly uses humour and self-deprecation—especially through Ganguly’s over-the-top personality—to make the message sticky. The film ends with the cricketers pleading with Google to distract Dada, only to realise that not even Google can stop him. The punchline lands perfectly: Dada is still out there… throwing Googlies.

The Final Word: A Masterstroke of Marketing
What makes this campaign a standout is not just its creativity, but its timing and intention. By turning search into a game, giving it a voice (and a face), and wrapping it in the emotional blanket of cricketing nostalgia, Google has delivered a campaign that is:

Relatable to users across ages and regions

Effective in re-engaging audiences with its core product

Memorable thanks to strong character-led storytelling

And most importantly, fun, which in a world of AI overload, feels like a refreshing change.

As the IPL season continues to unfold with big hits and bold moves, Google’s “Googlies” stands as a perfect example of how brands can connect with audiences not just by being present—but by being playful, purposeful, and profoundly human.

Author: Kashish Ghosh