Onam ad spends to grow in high single digits this year, says Ashish Sehgal of Zee

New Delhi: Kerala’s biggest festive advertising season is here, and Zee’s Ashish Sehgal expects that a good monsoon, pent-up demand and a stronger retail sentiment are expected to drive advertising spends higher than last year for Zee Keralam.

Sehgal, the Chief Growth Officer at Zee Entertainment Enterprises (ZEEL), told BestMediaInfo.com, “With Kerala experiencing a good monsoon and some pent-up demand following a relatively subdued May–July period, we expect Onam advertising spends to grow positively over last year, likely in the higher single digits.

Traditionally, Onam accounts for 18–22% of the annual ad revenues for Malayalam GECs and news channels, making it the single largest festive window for Kerala’s media industry,” Sehgal said.

He added that this optimism is backed by strong retail sentiment, a recovery in consumer demand, and strategically planned content funnelling to capture festive momentum.

While television continues to dominate Onam advertising, OTT platforms are now a growth engine for Zee Keralam’s portfolio. Sehgal pointed out that OTT revenues are scaling steadily.

“OTT platforms continue to grow at early double digits, with inclusive deals that combine linear and digital, especially around talent-led and reality formats, pushing the envelope on reach and engagement. This momentum is driving higher OTT spends, with strong headroom for growth given the relatively low, evolving base and sharper regional targeting capabilities,” he explained.

For advertisers seeking mass reach with emotional connect, reality and format shows continue to be the festive favourites.

Sehgal shared that reality and format shows such as singing competitions like ‘Sa Re Ga Ma Pa, comedy shows, and celebrity-driven formats see strong demand during Onam, fuelled by high-voltage marketing, massive viewership, and rich content integration opportunities for both national and retail advertisers. 

“Their combination of wide reach and deep emotional engagement with audiences makes them a compelling choice for brands looking to create quick impact and maximise ROI during the festive season,” Sehgal said.

Zee Keralam has unveiled a premium Onam content line-up designed to appeal to both local and national advertisers.

“At Zee Keralam, we have a formidable Onam line-up packed with premium, high-engagement content, led by the new season of ‘Sa Re Ga Ma Pa’, featuring an exceptionally talented set of singers. Our festive slate also includes WTP premieres like ‘Janaki vs State of Kerala’, ‘Officer On Duty’, ‘Rekha Chitram’, and the star-studded ‘Onam Maholsavam’ event. We are offering 360° festive campaigns that seamlessly blend TV, OTT, and social media activations, along with impactful on-ground experiences tailored to each client. As an exclusive offering, we are also rolling out customised CTV solutions such as Masthead placements and Pause Ads for premium partners,” Sehgal highlighted.

Beyond traditional ad formats, Sehgal flagged the rise of influencer-led campaigns as a defining trend this Onam.

“We’ve witnessed a strong surge in influencer-led campaigns, with brands increasingly shifting from one-off collaborations to integrated, multi-platform partnerships that extend reach and sustain audience attention across their preferred screens. There’s growing demand for stings, innovative ad formats, short high-impact bursts, non-fiction integrations, and even passive engagement strategies, all aimed at cutting through the clutter and staying top-of-mind,” he said.

Sehgal said that while retail and jewellery continue to dominate the festive AdEx, other categories are also gaining ground.

“Retail and jewellery remain dominant, with FMCG showing strong growth in packaged foods and personal care. Automobile spending is also on the rise this year. Paints and home care brands are actively striving to outshine their competition. A notable new entrant is regional edtech and e-commerce brands targeting Kerala households,” Sehgal noted.

Despite the increasing presence of national advertisers, Kerala’s festive advertising still leans toward homegrown brands.

“Local advertisers still command a slight majority share (~55%) of Onam AdEx, driven by the deep cultural connect and Onam-specific buying behaviour. However, national brands, especially in FMCG, paints, home care, and auto, are expanding their presence in Kerala by associating with big-ticket content properties like ‘Sa Re Ga Ma Pa,” Sehgal concluded.