The 11% year-on-year decline—measured in secondages—signals that the “always-on” TV strategy is evolving into a “precision-led” model. Despite the volume dip, the FMCG sector continues to be the bedrock of the medium, ensuring that TV remains the primary choice for building trust and scale.
The Quarterly Rollercoaster
Advertising momentum was inconsistent throughout 2025, reflecting cautious sentiment during economic fluctuations:
- Q1 vs Q2: The second quarter provided a brief respite with 6% sequential growth over Q1.
- Q3 vs Q4: Momentum weakened significantly toward the end of the year, with Q4 volumes falling 10% compared to Q3.
- Daily Load: The average ad seconds per channel per day dropped from 6,918 in Q2 to 6,048 by the year-end.9
Top Sectors & Categories: Hygiene and Food Lead
The advertising pie remained highly concentrated, with the top 10 sectors contributing 87% of total volumes.
| Sector | Volume Share | Key Categories |
| Food & Beverages | 21% | Milk Beverages, Chocolates, Tea |
| Personal Care/Hygiene | 15% | Toilet Soaps, Toothpastes |
| Services | 14% | E-commerce, Financial Services |
| Household Products | 10% | Toilet/Floor Cleaners, Washing Powders |
Notable Growth: While overall volumes fell, Toilet/Floor Cleaners saw a 13% absolute increase, and Vocational Training Institutes grew 2.5 times over 2024. Jewellery retail also surged, moving from 16th to 9th position in the category rankings.
The “HUL and Reckitt” Dominance
Two FMCG giants continue to anchor the television economy:
- Hindustan Unilever (HUL): Retained its #1 spot with a 14% share of all TV ad volumes.
- Reckitt Benckiser: Claimed 7 of the top 10 most advertised brands, with Dettol Toilet Soaps and Harpic Power Plus leading the charts.
- New Entrants: Coca-Cola India and Nestlé India broke into the top 10 advertiser list, signaling a surge in competitive spending in the beverages and packaged food space.
Movie Co-Branding: The New 500-Hour Club
Faced with falling standard ad slots, brands pivoted to movie-linked collaborations:
- Over 570 hours of co-branded TV ads were recorded in 2025.
- Pushpa 2 was the dominant catalyst, with associated brands accounting for 23% of all movie-linked ad volumes.
- Comfort Fabric Conditioner emerged as the leading brand utilizing this “borrowed equity” strategy.
Conclusion: Mass Reach vs. Intent
The 11% dip is not a structural failure of television but a migration of “intent-based” budgets. Digital advertising now commands roughly 44% of the Indian market, leaving TV (at 27%) to function as the “mass-reach” specialist for household trust. For 2026, the industry expects TV to become increasingly “burst-driven,” focusing on high-impact events like live sports and reality show finales rather than continuous year-round presence.
