GroupM, Dentsu and Madison paint their versions of Indian adex pictures

New Delhi: It is that time of the year again! Media agencies have crunched the numbers and have churned out their reports on the Indian advertising industry. 

GroupM’s TYNY, Dentsu, and Madison’s report depicts a drastic difference in their calculations as well as the forecasts. While some vectors align, some face each other dissonantly. 

And it is understandably so. The reports media agencies produce every year have some inherent limitations that paint a curious case of India’s ad spends. While one sees TV rising from the ashes like a phoenix, the other predicts a further decline. While one bets dedicatedly on digital, the other treads with prudence. 

In total, the reports suggest that marketers must adopt a digital-first approach by investing in high-growth platforms to maximise ROI. While TV viewership is slowing, it remains essential for mass reach and should be leveraged strategically. 

The overall picture

According to GroupM, the overall advertising revenue in India is expected to grow by 7%  to reach Rs 1,64,137 crore, adding Rs 10,730 crore to the previous level of the ad chest. The Dentsu digital report estimated the ad revenue to reach Rs 1,07,664 crore in 2025, from the previous Rs 1,01,084 crore in the year 2024. The Madison Advertising report has pegged this growth to 1,20,022 crore, climbing from 2024’s Rs 1,07,980 crore. 

Television

Print

Digital 

Causes of dissonance

The reported size of the Indian advertising market varies considerably due to several factors. 

Extrapolation is a key method used to estimate market size, but its inherent limitations contribute to discrepancies, particularly in print and digital advertising. These channels involve a diverse range of buyers, including smaller agencies and direct advertisers, making it challenging to capture all transactions comprehensively. 

The dominance of certain large agencies in media buying can influence market estimations, but their figures may not fully reflect the activity of smaller players or unorganised sectors, such as unorganised retail advertising in print. 

The fragmented nature of the media landscape further complicates consolidated reporting, as different agencies rely on market intelligence gathered from various platforms, often without a standardised methodology. 

Consequently, the resulting reports, while offering a general overview of market trends, may not provide the precise figures needed for detailed budget planning. For actual media buying, agencies typically use separate, more specific reports, highlighting the distinction between market overview reports and the data used for practical application.