Star India tops television advertising; Maruti Suzuki dominates print and radio; Digital sees more advertisers despite slight drop in spends
New Delhi, September 3, 2025: India’s advertising industry recorded strong momentum in the first half of 2025, with television and print emerging as clear growth drivers, according to Excellent Publicity’s half-yearly report prepared in collaboration with TAM Media Research Pvt. Ltd., TAM AdEx, and RCS India. The report, which analyzed campaigns across TV, Radio, Print, and Digital, highlights significant shifts in advertiser behavior and category performance.
Television continues to be the strongest medium, with ad volumes growing 27% YoY and ad spends up 64% over 2023. Entertainment, E-commerce, and Social Media categories accounted for 25.6% of total TV ad volumes. Star India emerged as the top advertiser, while Jio Hotstar ranked as the No.1 brand. Sports and General Entertainment Channels dominated the airwaves, capturing over 84% of ad time, with Prime Time remaining the most sought-after advertising slot.
On Radio, ad revenues climbed 10% compared to 2023, reinforcing its hyper-local influence. Properties/Real Estate led category spends, followed by Cars. Maruti Suzuki India topped the list of advertisers, while Jeena Sikho emerged as the most advertised brand. The Commercial Vehicles category surged 24x, underscoring radio’s resonance in tier-2 and rural markets.
Print advertising rebounded strongly, recording a 26% growth YoY. Cars dominated category spends with an 8.9% share, while Retail Departmental Stores entered the top 10 for the first time. Maruti Suzuki India remained the leading advertiser, and Allen Career Institute topped as the most visible brand. Two-wheelers led category growth at 31%, signaling print’s relevance in suburban and semi-urban markets.
Digital advertising presented a mixed picture. While overall spends fell 8% YoY, the number of active advertisers reached a three-year high, reflecting increased confidence in digital-first strategies. Online Shopping captured 11.2% of total digital spends, with Amazon Online India as the top advertiser and Amazon as the most visible brand. Notably, programmatic advertising claimed 88.3% share, highlighting a strong industry pivot to automation and precision targeting.
Across categories, Washing Powders/Liquids saw 21x growth, followed by Perfumes/Deodorants at 6x, marking them as standout performers in H1 2025.
Vaishal Dalal, Co-founder & Director of Excellent Publicity, said, “TV still captures attention, radio keeps the connection local, print is earning back trust, and digital is becoming sharper and more targeted. The brands that truly succeed are the ones that recognize what each medium does best, while staying flexible, innovative, and creative.”
About Excellent Publicity
Excellent Publicity is a leading ad-tech and media planning agency known for delivering innovative advertising solutions across TV, Radio, Print, and Digital. Collaborating with industry leaders like TAM Media Research and RCS India, it provides deep insights into audience engagement and evolving brand strategies.