 "Government advertising soars in 2016")
The government has emerged among the top advertisers on television for the year according to data collected by the Broadcast Audience Research Council of India (BARC). The number of insertions made by the government in the category of social advertising is the second largest, just a shade below that of toilet soaps that tops the list.
Experts say that the numbers indicate that social advertising spends are among the highest ever under the present regime. Among the three non-FMCG categories in the list of top 10 advertisers by BARC, social awareness and government advertising accounted for 663,179 insertions from July 30 to November 25, 2016 (week 31 to week 47). The top advertiser for the same period has been toilet soaps. (One insertion refers to one advertisement shown by the company, irrespective of the duration of the commercial.)
Since winning the election in 2014, the Modi government has been aggressive in promoting various schemes and campaigns about issues such as cleanliness, sanitation, and digitisation of cable connections. It comes as no surprise then that the Ministry of Health and Welfare is the most aggressive among government bodies with 142,035 insertions, followed by the ministry of Information and Broadcasting (I&B) with 52,825 insertions. While the former has been involved with campaigns like tobacco control and the Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana, the I&B ministry has been urging people to switch-over from analogue to digital cable.
Other active ministries with TV ad insertions include the Department of Income Tax (promoting black money awareness and relaying the government’s clean-up exercise), Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation, National AIDS Control Organization, the Indian Army, and the Ministry for Women and Child Development. The only state government on the list of top advertisers within the category of social advertising is the Government of Punjab, largely on account of the approaching elections in the state.
Other non-FMCG advertisers include Internet Services and online shopping at number three (605,852 insertions) and auto, cars and jeeps, at number eight (420,882 insertions). While American e-commerce giant Amazon leads the list of e-commerce advertisers on television, One97 Communications, the company that runs the e-wallet brand Paytm is at number nine. This is in line with the e-payment company’s strategy to focus on on-ground campaigns, print and digital promotions.
Amazon has been aggressive on television right through the year, with decibel levels rising during festive season sales. The festive sales period saw big spending by all marketplace and e-commerce players and as a consequence, competitors Jasper Infotech (Snapdeal; 124,683 insertions), Flipkart (72,911 insertions), and Myntra (36,783 insertions) followed at number two, three and four respectively.
While the auto sector has been an aggressive advertiser category over the past one and a half years, it does seem that the sector is rethinking its promotion strategies. Its efforts are more aligned towards on-ground associations, digital engagements and print advertising if one tracks recent trends in the sector. On television too, the sector has been seen integrating itself with shows in non-fiction and fiction genres rather than buying ad-spots on air.
For example, auto companies are big advertisers when it comes to big ticket general entertainment channel properties such as Bigg Boss, Roadies and 24, but the sponsorship went beyond television commercials. When Renault associated with Roadies as the title sponsor, participants were seen driving the company’s SUV on the show. The association also came at a time when the show itself was undergoing a metamorphosis and shifted from bikes to car as the mode of transport.
For example, auto companies are big advertisers when it comes to big ticket general entertainment channel properties such as Bigg Boss, Roadies and 24, but the sponsorship went beyond television commercials. When Renault associated with Roadies as the title sponsor, participants were seen driving the company’s SUV on the show. The association also came at a time when the show itself was undergoing a metamorphosis and shifted from bikes to car as the mode of transport.
Maruti has tied up with Bigg Boss and 24 (both on Colors) in a similar fashion. It also leads the list of auto advertisers for the time under consideration with 79,183 insertions, followed by Renault (53,935 insertions) and Nissan Motors (51,371 insertions). Hindustan Unilever was the most aggressive company when it came to ad insertions on TV, and by a huge margin, with 3,424,754 insertions in all, followed by Reckitt Benckiser at 716,504 insertions and Procter and Gamble in third place at 606,750 insertions.
