Advertising picks up steam as India-Pakistan war clouds clear

New Delhi: Monday morning brought good news not just for the stock market, which recorded historic single-day gain, but also for the advertising industry. As the Indo-Pak conflict eased, media agencies reported a surge in client calls and emails to resume campaigns, marking a swift return to business as usual after a brief period of paused advertising.

A media agency head revealed that several prominent brands had instructed a temporary halt in advertising during the peak of the crisis, concerned that cheerful narratives might clash with the sombre national mood.

“On Friday, I received calls from four of our clients, instructing us to pause their campaigns until the situation stabilised. They didn’t want to push lighthearted ads during a time of heightened tension,” the executive said. “But just two days later, as the conflict eased, all four brands reached out again, asking us to resume their campaigns. It’s a clear sign that the industry is ready to bounce back.”

IPL resumes, brands breathe a sigh of relief

The BCCI also announced on Monday night that the IPL 2025 season would resume across six venues from May 17, with the final slated for June 3, as per the revised schedule. The tournament had been abruptly halted on May 8 after the Punjab Kings vs. Delhi Capitals match was called off when Pakistan attempted to invade Indian airspace near Chandigarh, prompting a stadium blackout.

“BCCI is pleased to announce the resumption of the IPL 2025. After extensive consultations with government and security agencies and with all key stakeholders, the Board has decided to proceed with the remainder of the season,” the board said in a statement.

A media buyer at a leading agency told BestMediaInfo.com, “When the BCCI decided to halt IPL matches amid the conflict, most advertisers chose to play a wait-and-watch game. They anticipated a quick resumption, so there were few discussions around compensating for lost ad time or adjusting IPL budgets across other JioStar properties.”

He further added, “In terms of viewership, the impact was minimal. Loyal cricket fans are unlikely to abandon the tournament, even during such crises. It’s only the incremental viewership that might have taken a hit. Now that the war is over, IPL will resume as usual, and both broadcasters and brands can expect business to stabilise swiftly.”

“With the nation moving into a celebratory mood now, the IPL is poised for a massive comeback. All major sponsorship deals remain intact, and the tournament is expected to be even bigger than initially projected,” another agency head noted.

News platforms gain, but overall adex still recovering

Last week, entertainment channels felt the pinch as viewers shifted their focus to news, but news platforms, across digital, TV, and print, saw a noticeable boost. According to a media agency head, performance marketing and e-commerce ad spends remained relatively stable during the conflict.

“Along with advertisers now preparing to return to entertainment channels, the momentum for news platforms is expected to continue as long as post-war analysis, victory celebrations, and related coverage remain in demand,” the executive added.

“While most of the advertising on news platforms came in the form of non-FCT elements like studio branding, logo presence, tickers, L bands, and aston slots, we anticipate further growth as advertisers capitalise on the sustained high interest in war-related coverage,” said another media agency head.

“Now that the war is behind us, as it seems, not just non-FCT inventory, but we are also seeing an uptick of regular ad spots picking up on news channels,” said a media agency source.

A media investment leader told BestMediaInfo.com that the ad revenue for news platforms reportedly increased by 10-12% during the war coverage, with newspapers seeing a 20-25% rise in ad volumes and digital news platforms experiencing a significant 50% jump in ad impressions.

However, despite the gains for news platforms, the overall adex fell by 10-15% year-on-year during the conflict, according to an agency professional overseeing media investments at one of India’s top firms. “This momentum is likely to hold through this week before business normalises,” he noted.