Radio advertising sees 3% growth in first half of 2025: TAM AdEx

New Delhi: Radio advertising in India registered a 3% rise in ad volumes in the first half of 2025 compared with the same period last year, according to the TAM AdEx Half-Yearly Report on Radio.

The Services sector remained the largest contributor, accounting for 30% of total ad volumes. Together, the top 10 sectors held 89% of overall volumes, underscoring a strong concentration across key industries. Durables entered the top 10 sectors, during the six-month period.

Within categories, Properties or Real Estate retained the top spot with a 14% share, while Hospital/Clinics climbed to second place with an 18% increase in ad secondages. Other growing categories included Retail Outlets, Jewellers (17%), Pan Masala (78%), and Commercial Vehicles, which saw a dramatic 27-fold rise. The Corporate–NBFCS category registered the sharpest jump, expanding 212 times over last year.

On the advertiser front, Maruti Suzuki India took the lead, moving up from second place in 2024, followed by LIC of India. Other notable climbers included Vishnu Packaging, State Bank of India, Hyundai Motor India, and Muthoot Financial Enterprises. Collectively, the top 10 advertisers contributed 14% of total ad volumes.

At the brand level, Jeena Sikho emerged as the leading advertiser on radio, followed by Maruti Suzuki Arena and Vimal Pan Masala. More than 8,000 advertisers used radio as part of their campaigns, with six of the top 10 brands being new entrants.

Geographically, Gujarat retained its lead with an 18% share of ad volumes, followed by Maharashtra at 16%. Jaipur remained the top city with a 9% share, ahead of Nagpur and New Delhi. The top 10 cities together accounted for 63% of overall volumes.

When it came to ad slots, the Evening time-band (17:00–21:59) remained the most preferred, accounting for 37% of volumes, followed by the Morning band (31%). Commercials lasting 20–40 seconds continued to dominate, making up two-thirds of all radio ads.