Digital media drives political advertising to record high

Political advertising this year does not mirror corporate trends. GroupM estimates suggest 6.5 per cent of the total advertising spend of Rs 38,500 crore went into the online medium in 2013. With heavy political spending this year, digital platforms could corner eight per cent of all advertising revenue.

Not just the pattern, the amount of political advertising has also changed significantly. "Political parties this year have spent around Rs 2,000 crore on advertising and publicity. They spent a fourth of that in 2009," said Harish Shriyan, chief operating officer, Omnicom Media Group India.

"The ruling party (Congress) is fighting a strong anti-incumbency factor, so it has to invest in advertising and promotion. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), on the other hand, is riding a wave, so it has to invest as well to keep the momentum going. And, the regional parties have to ensure their respective constituencies in their states are intact. It is a do-or-die situation for many," he added.

The Congress began its campaign almost two months ago. BJP, which started last month, has peppered major cities with billboards carrying images of its prime ministerial candidate, Narendra Modi. The Modi wave is also visible online - YouTube, Twitter and Facebook are bombarded with messages and videos by Modi's campaign team. Voters are also treated to television advertisements and text messages celebrating Modi's work in Gujarat and BJP's policies in general.

"The strategies used by the two national parties are vastly different," said Swaroop. "The Congress opted for a gradual build-up. BJP chose to wait till the end. The idea was to catch the voter as polls neared," he added.

Political parties have also used below-the-line activities - from rallies to roadshows to door-to-door canvassing - to reach out to voters. While this is common in political campaigning, media experts said the number of rallies addressed by politicians in elections this time was much higher.