INDIA'S ADLAND TO RADIATE STRONGLY IN 2025

By embracing technological innovations, understanding regional market nuances, and adapting to regulatory changes, marketers prep to build a healthy year for their brand and the overall market

- By Soumya Sehgal Bhutani

THE first half of 2024 (H1 FY24) was rather eventful for the Indian advertising industry, with favourable winds that cleared a grim period we saw around the same time in 2023. Automobiles, FMCG, durable goods and pharma outshined other sectors, along with Pepsi and Coke raking in good moolah. Overall, the numbers panned out well for the industry and aligned with the projections made in the beginning of the year.

Industry reports indicated a significant jump in India's ad revenues for 2024, estimating a 9-10.5 per cent growth rate. While the TAM report anticipated a growth rate of 9.5 per cent, GroupM's TYNY forecast a 10.2 per cent increase in ad revenue to $18.5 billion in 2024.

Globally, the report stated, the advertising industry will surpass, for the first time, $1 trillion in revenue in 2024 and climb 7.7 per cent in 2025 to $1.1 trillion. Overall, the advertising sector—powered by digital innovation—gained momentum in 2024 across regions.

The Media Rundown

Giving us an overview of all the different media, Gaurav Sinha, Head of Marketing & PR, Audi India, comments, “The growth in 2024 was driven by digital advertising, which now accounts for nearly half of the total ad spend. Digital media dominated by formats like social media, search, video, and ecommerce ads are growing rapidly. OOH advertising also reaped its benefits with digital formats like DOOH.

Television, on the other hand, benefitted from events like the ICC T20 Cricket World Cup and general elections. However, despite moderate growth in certain quarters, print remained below pre-pandemic levels.”