FMCG brands keep ad spending steady in FY2025

New Delhi: Amid rising costs and a dip in urban demand, FMCG brands maintained strong advertising and promotional spending in FY2025. 

While HUL scaled back its ad budgets, companies like Dabur, Marico, Emami, GCPL, and Colgate-Palmolive increased ad spend this quarter.

Despite its reduction, HUL remained the top ad spender in Q2. Marico led in growth, with ad spending surging 18.5% year-over-year.

Historically, approximately one-third of the annual spends in the Indian advertising industry has been attributed to the FMCG category. As per Indian adex predictions by India's top media agencies, FMCG will continue to be the growth driver for Indian ad spends in FY2026.

Companies are shifting incremental budgets to data-driven, lower-cost digital and omnichannel activations, partially displacing traditional TV-heavy line items.

With commodity prices stabilising, brands are calibrating spends to protect operating margins while keeping share of voice intact.

Historically, approximately one-third of the annual spends in the Indian advertising industry has been attributed to the FMCG category.

FMCG brands’ adex in FY2025 in comparison to FY2024