Tag: RCS India

  • India’s ad market rebounds in H1 2025 as TV steals the show: Excellent Publicity report

    India’s ad market rebounds in H1 2025 as TV steals the show: Excellent Publicity report

    MUMBAI: Here’s one report which is not talking of doom and gloom as far as ad spends in India are concerned. India’s advertising market kicked off 2025 on a high according to a half-yearly report by ad-tech and media planning agency Excellent Publicity, citing data from TAM Media Research, TAM AdEx and RCS India, reported Business Standard. The report said that  television powered ahead as the biggest gainer in the first half of the year, outspending print and radio, while digital was the lone laggard.

    Ad spends on TV per channel jumped 27 per cent year-on-year. Sports channels hoovered up 68.5 per cent of TV spends, trailed by general entertainment with 15.7 per cent. The e-commerce media, entertainment and social media category led volumes with a 25.6 per cent share. Star India kept its crown with 16.8 per cent of volumes, while Jio Hotstar topped the brand charts. Cellular services were the fastest risers, ballooning 17 times over the year.

    Print was no pushover either, posting a robust 26 per cent growth. Cars took pole position with 8.9 per cent of spends, while two-wheelers zipped ahead with a 31 per cent surge. Maruti Suzuki India was the top advertiser; Allen Career Institute, the top brand. Rajasthan led among states with 15.6 per cent of spends, and Delhi among cities with 7.1 per cent.

    Radio barely moved the needle, inching up 4 per cent. Properties and real estate dominated, cars followed, and pan masala muscled into the top 10. Maharashtra accounted for 19.3 per cent of radio spends, Delhi 18.1 per cent. Maruti Suzuki India again led advertisers, while Jeena Sikho Lifecare was the top brand.

    Digital, by contrast, shrank 12 per cent – the only medium to contract – though it logged the highest number of advertisers in three years. E-commerce online shopping led with an 11.2 per cent share. Amazon Online India was the top advertiser, Amazon.in the top brand. Programmatic buying made up 88.3 per cent of spends. Some niches bucked the trend: washing powders and liquids soared 21 times, perfumes and deodorants six times.

    “What’s really interesting is how brands are navigating a delicate balance,” said Excellent Publicity co-founder and director Vaishal Dalal.. “TV still captures attention, radio keeps the connection local and relatable, print is earning back trust, and digital is becoming sharper and more targeted.”

    Strangely the report did not talk about  outdoor spends. Was the situation hunky-dory in the sector like TV?

  • Ad volumes tune up as TV, radio and print steal the show in H1 2025

    Ad volumes tune up as TV, radio and print steal the show in H1 2025

    MUMBAI: Lights, camera, action, India’s advertising pie in 2025 is anything but half-baked. The first half of the year has seen TV, radio, and print rise with renewed swagger, even as digital took a cautious breather, according to a trends report by Excellent Publicity in partnership with TAM Adex and RCS India.

    Television strutted confidently, clocking a 27 per cent surge in ad volumes and a 64 per cent jump in spends over 2023. Unsurprisingly, Star India ruled the charts, while Jio Hotstar topped brand visibility. Together, Sports and GECs claimed 84 per cent of ad time, proving that prime time still makes advertisers shine. Entertainment, e-commerce, and social media alone accounted for 25.6 per cent of volumes.

    Radio kept its local beat alive, growing 10 per cent in revenues over 2023. Real estate and cars dominated the airwaves, with Maruti Suzuki India the top advertiser and Jeena Sikho the loudest brand. The real showstopper? Commercial vehicles, which roared with a 24x spike in ad spends, underscoring radio’s rural and tier-2 pull.

    Print, once counted out, flipped back into relevance with 26 per cent growth YoY. Cars led the page with 8.9 per cent of spends, while Retail Departmental Stores made a debut in the top 10. Allen Career Institute continued to hold the spotlight, and two-wheelers raced ahead with a 31 per cent surge in spends, showing print’s enduring power in suburban and semi-urban India.

    Digital, meanwhile, had a paradoxical season. Though overall spends dipped 8 per cent YoY, the platform saw its highest number of advertisers in three years. Online shopping led the charge with 11.2 per cent of total spends, Amazon India as the top advertiser and Amazon the most visible brand. Quirky shifts included washing powders and liquids exploding by 21x and perfumes/deodorants by 6x, while programmatic accounted for 88.3 per cent of spends, cementing automation’s dominance.

    As Excellent Publicity co-founder Vaishal Dalal put it: “TV still captures attention, radio keeps it local, print earns back trust, and digital is sharper than ever. The winners are those who embrace each medium’s strengths while staying innovative.”

    India’s ad world, it seems, is learning to juggle tradition with tech – and in 2025, every medium is fighting for its close-up.