Regional media adex to increase 15-20% this festive season: Kartik Sharma of OMG India

New Delhi: Advertising spending on regional media platforms will be seen rising by 15-20% compared to previous years this festive season, according to Kartik Sharma, CEO of Omnicom Media Group India.

This shift reflects brands' growing recognition of the potential in regional markets during the festive period.

In an interaction with BestMediaInfo.com, Sharma said that the festive season ad spending is set to hit a high this year, following a slowdown in the past two quarters.

He added, “Marketers would be extra aggressive to clear up the piled-up stock of the previous quarters,” underscoring the eagerness of brands to make the most of this critical period.”

Sharma noted that the positive sentiment from a good monsoon is likely to boost consumer spending, which in turn will lead to increased advertising expenditures. He highlights that FMCG, auto, e-commerce, and entertainment are expected to be particularly active and gain momentum in this environment.

Unlike last year, when the ICC ODI World Cup on Disney Star dominated the festive adex with over Rs 2,500 crore, the absence of a blockbuster cricket event this season is shaking things up. GECs and OTT platforms are stepping into the spotlight, gearing up with high-impact programming to capitalise on the festive frenzy.

Sharma said, “No major sporting event scheduled this festive season will result in more spends across platforms with a focus on TV/CTV and Digital. Last year, the Men’s World Cup cornered over Rs 2,500 crore from other genres. This year, General Entertainment Channels (GECs) and OTT platforms are gearing up for a major programming boost, ready to attract brands eager to capitalise on high-impact properties during the festive surge.”

TV and OTT platforms are poised for significant traction this festive season, driven by hit shows like Saregama on Zee TV, Indian Idol and Kaun Banega Crorepati on Sony, Star Parivaar Awards on Star Plus, and Bigg Boss on Colors, said Sharma. 

He also noted that films such as Srikanth, Chandu Champion, and Stree 2 are also positioning them as major high-impact properties during the festive period.

However, Sharma emphasised that in the absence of big cricketing events, bilateral cricket series will be in demand.

It is worth noting that this year the festive season will host a few small-ticket sporting tournaments, such as the Bangladesh-India test series, the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup, the Pro Kabaddi League and the Premier League.

According to Sharma, TV and digital platforms are expected to capture a dominant 80–90% of the festive season advertising expenditure. He further mentioned, “Depending on the category, print will serve as the third major platform, followed by radio and cinema, which will have a smaller share of the adex.”

As per Sharma, advertisers will focus heavily on video for top-of-the-funnel engagement and performance-driven strategies for the lower funnel when it comes to allocating digital adex. 

The mix of video and performance will vary based on the brand category. "Categories like CPG will lean heavily on video, while performance-focused sectors such as auto and BFSI will prioritise performance marketing," he explained. For premium brands, connected TV (CTV) will account for 20–50% of digital video spending, reflecting a significant allocation to reach high-value audiences, Sharma added.

Four state assembly elections spread across the entire festive season are expected to drive the growth of the news channels. 

Sharma said, “News to be an integral part of TV plans for male-centric brands to build frequency among the relevant audience. State elections to further build relevance for the news channels from a media planning perspective.”