Retail ad space in print increased 79% over 2020, but fell 5% from 2023: TAM report

According to the 2024 Cross Media Advertising Recap published by TAM AdEx, advertising by the retail sector saw substantial growth across television, print, radio, and digital platforms when compared with 2020, although year-on-year figures show mixed results.

On television, retail ad volumes rose by 65% in 2024 over 2020. Despite the positive trend since 2020, ad volumes declined by 10% in 2024 compared to 2023. The third quarter of 2024 recorded the highest quarter-on-quarter increase of 25%. Retail Outlets–Electronics/Durables remained the top advertising category with a 40% share. Vasanth & Co and Reliance Retail each accounted for 10% of ad volumes. News was the most preferred channel genre, commanding 49% of total ad volumes.

In print media, ad space increased by 79% in 2024 over 2020 but declined by 5% from 2023. The fourth quarter of 2024 rebounded strongly with a 49% rise over the first quarter. The South zone contributed 50% of ad space, with Hindi being the most used language at 26%. Retail Outlets–Electronics/Durables led category-wise with a 44% share. Reliance Retail was the leading advertiser, holding 13% of ad space, while Vishal Mega Mart topped the brand list at 5%. Notably, 80% of retail print ads were for sales promotions, with multiple promotions making up 78% of that segment.

Radio saw a 2.36-times increase in ad volumes over 2020 and a marginal 2% increase from 2023. Maharashtra led state-wise with 19% of ad volumes. Advertising was most concentrated during the afternoon and evening time bands, which together accounted for 70% of total volumes. Retail Outlets–Clothing/Textiles/Fashion was the leading category (35%), and Reliance Retail emerged as the top advertiser with a 6% share. Alishan was the most advertised brand on radio, holding 5%.

Digital advertising registered a 33.6-times increase in ad impressions over 2020 but recorded a 12% decline from 2023. Programmatic buying dominated with a 78% share of impressions. Ikea Services (India) led among advertisers and brands, contributing 27% and 30% respectively of total ad impressions. Retail Outlets–Home/Interiors/Furniture was the top category, comprising 39% of impressions.

The data is based on commercial advertisements only, excluding promos and social ads, and covers the period from 2020 to 2024.