TV ad volumes of India's top 10 advertisers drop by 14.6% in a year

In May 2024, the top 10 advertisers clocked an average of 15.30 million seconds of TV ad time per week but fell to 13.07 million seconds in May this year

India’s top 10 television advertisers cut back on television commercial (TVC) volumes significantly over the past year, with average weekly TV ad time dropping by 14.6 per cent, according to the latest data from the Broadcast Audience Research Council (Barc) India. The decline points to a possible shift in marketing strategies, cautious spending, or seasonal budgetary adjustments across sectors.

 

Based on Barc's metric of average weekly ad volume, measured in million seconds assuming one insertion equals 15 seconds, the chart, as given by research firm Thurro, shows a clear tapering off in ad insertions from mid-2024 levels.

 

In May 2024, the top 10 advertisers clocked an average of 15.30 million seconds of TV ad time per week. This figure rose slightly to 15.71 million seconds in June, the highest recorded in the 12-month period, but began trending downward thereafter. By July, the number dropped to 13.77 million seconds, followed by 15.12 million seconds in August and a marginal increase to 15.29 million seconds in September.   

India’s top 10 television advertisers cut back on television commercial (TVC) volumes significantly over the past year, with average weekly TV ad time dropping by 14.6 per cent. (Photo/Thurro)

   

 

However, a more consistent slowdown set in from October, with ad volumes sliding to 14.56 million seconds that month, and then to 13.98 million seconds in November. The steepest decline was seen in December, when volumes plunged to 11.45 million seconds, the lowest in the year-long dataset.

 

Some recovery followed in early 2025, with volumes ticking up to 11.72 million seconds in January and 13.92 million seconds in February. The figure peaked again at 14.50 million seconds in March before falling back to 12.74 million seconds in April and 13.07 million seconds in May 2025.

 

The data tracks weekly averages and reflects the total advertising time purchased by India’s top 10 TV advertisers. These include major players from fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG), telecom, e-commerce, and automobile sectors. A 14.6 per cent annual drop suggests that despite a few monthly rebounds, the overall sentiment remains muted compared to the previous year.

 

While the Barc data does not disclose advertiser names or sector-specific breakdowns, analysts believe the decline may also reflect a diversion of advertising budgets towards digital platforms, especially with the continued growth of OTT consumption and targeted online campaigns.

 

As advertisers continue to recalibrate their outreach strategies across media platforms, the shift in television ad volumes will be closely watched in the quarters ahead, especially with the upcoming festive and sports seasons potentially influencing future trends.