A bold play: Asian Paints teams up with BCCI
Asian Paints was recently announced as the Official Colour Partner of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). With the agreement covering 110 matches across men’s, women’s, and domestic cricket over the next three years, the brand is entering uncharted territory for its industry—embedding colour deeply within India’s most beloved sport.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with SportsMint Media, Mr. Amit Syngle, Managing Director and CEO of Asian Paints, explained the thought process behind the landmark collaboration.
“As a brand, our focus has always been on strengthening our corporate positioning of ‘Har Ghar’. Cricket is one of the few mediums in India that truly cuts across geographies, languages, and cultures; it reaches every home. We believed this partnership would give us unparalleled access to Indian households by leveraging the emotion, celebration, and universal appeal of cricket. Becoming the Official Colour Partner of India Home Cricket perfectly fit our goal of being part of every Indian home,” Mr. Amit Syngle explained.
‘Har Ghar’ meets every boundary line
The company’s widely celebrated “Har Ghar” campaign found natural synergy with the values and emotional resonance of Indian cricket. With homes serving as the emotional theatre for millions of cricket celebrations, the connection was unmistakable.
“This is the first time in the industry that a brand from the paints, home décor, and waterproofing category has partnered at this scale. The essence of Har Ghar is celebrating the Indian home, and cricket celebrations naturally happen inside every home. As India’s definitive colour authority across art, design, and décor, this partnership allows us to integrate our storytelling with the emotions cricket evokes. It strengthens the Har Ghar narrative by connecting the joy of the game with the joy of beautifying one’s home,” he added.
A partnership built on strategic alignment
Mr. Syngle stressed that the partnership wasn’t simply a media placement but the result of intentional, strategic thinking aimed at creating lasting impact beyond the cricket field.
“This partnership wasn’t a standard, off-the-shelf sponsorship. We weren’t looking for a conventional jersey placement or in-stadium branding opportunity. Instead, our team went through an extensive ideation process to identify a space where Asian Paints could bring something differentiated and emotionally resonant. That exploration led us to the idea of becoming the Official Colour Partner, a role that goes beyond visibility and taps into the emotional power of colour. Colour isn’t just visual; it represents expression, optimism, celebration, and joy. We wanted to create a partnership that could connect with people at a deeper level, touch their everyday lives, and feel meaningful far beyond the cricket field. In that sense, the deal was built on strategic alignment, linking the cultural force of cricket with the universal language of colour,” he stated.
Strengthening a growing cricket portfolio
Asian Paints is no stranger to cricket. From earlier partnerships with Star Sports during the World Cup and IPL to having Virat Kohli as a brand ambassador, the brand’s cricketing associations have only grown stronger. The BCCI deal, however, takes it to a new level.
“This partnership complements every other association, ambassador, tournament sponsorship, and media collaboration. Colour cuts across everything. The innovations we introduced, like the Colour Cam and Colour Countdown, show how seamlessly cricket and colour-based storytelling can coexist. So rather than sitting alongside our other partnerships, this BCCI deal strengthens and unifies the entire brand ecosystem,” he elaborated.
Tapping into Tier 2 and Tier 3 India through cricket
Mr. Syngle highlighted that cricket’s reach offers a bridge to new and previously untapped audiences, particularly in non-metro markets.
“Our visual identity, AMP, stands for infinite. That’s how we view this partnership’s potential, reaching infinite homes and driving infinite ROI. The aim is to strengthen brand awareness, widen consideration, and deepen penetration across Tier 2 and Tier 3 markets. Cricket’s scale allows us to reach audiences we may not reach through traditional media alone,” he pointed out.
Activations that bring colour and cricket to life
The partnership will come alive through multiple touchpoints, both during live matches and beyond.
“First, initiatives like the Colour Cam ensure the partnership reaches every Indian during live matches. Beyond that, all our colour-led properties, ColourNext, Chromacosm, and retail innovations, seamlessly integrate with the “Official Colour Partner” positioning. Whether through store branding, channel activations, or digital experiences, this partnership strengthens our status as the definitive colour authority in India,” he noted.
Calculated investment with a long-term vision
The scale of the investment is significant, but so are the expected returns—both tangible and intangible. For Asian Paints, this is not just a sponsorship, it’s a long-term brand architecture decision.
“These decisions always involve careful ROI evaluation. Since the partnership spans multiple years, we assessed long-term media value, brand lift, and business outcomes. By consolidating our presence across major cricket properties, we reduce fragmentation in our marketing spend. In the long run, this deal enhances efficiency while maximising reach and brand impact,” he emphasized.
As the BCCI partnership takes off, Asian Paints isn’t just colouring walls—it’s colouring the very fabric of how India celebrates cricket.
