TV ad volumes down 10% in Jan-Sep 2025; HUL, Reckitt remain top TV advertisers

New Delhi: Television advertising volumes in India dropped by 10% between January and September 2025 compared with the same period last year, according to the latest TAM AdEx report. 

The analysis, covering more than 600 TV channels, found that while overall ad activity declined, the food and beverage sector maintained its dominance with a 21% share of total ad volumes.

The report highlighted that the top five sectors retained their positions from the previous year, collectively accounting for 88% of total ad volumes. Personal care and hygiene ranked second, followed by services, household products, and personal healthcare.

Among product categories, toilet soaps continued to lead with a 6% share of ad volumes. Toilet and floor cleaners recorded the sharpest rise, growing 18% year-on-year, while e-commerce (online shopping) saw a 25% increase. Other high-growth categories included aerated soft drinks, which rose 15%, and non-aerated beverages, which grew 23%.

Hindustan Unilever and Reckitt Benckiser (India) retained their positions as the two largest advertisers on television during the period. 

The top ten advertisers together accounted for 42% of total ad volumes. New entrants to the list included Nestlé India and Star India, while long-time leaders such as ITC and Brooke Bond Lipton India dropped out of the top tier.

Among brands, Reckitt Benckiser dominated, with five of its products, including Harpic Power Plus 10x Advanced, Dettol Toilet Soaps, and Lizol All-in-One, featuring in the top ten. Hindustan Unilever followed with two brands on the list. Collectively, the top ten brands contributed 10% of total television ad volumes.

General entertainment channels (GECs) and news networks remained the most preferred genres, together commanding 57% of total ad share. While the GEC category saw a marginal increase in share, news, movie, and music channels registered slight declines compared with the same period in 2024.

TAM AdEx noted that 175 categories recorded positive growth in ad volumes, indicating continued diversification in television advertising despite the overall slowdown.