MAM
Cricket, telecom to boost bus shelter, kiosk ads
MUMBAI: The battle for outdoor advertising channels like bus-shelters, kiosks and hoardings is intensifying with World Cup on the anvil.
Another major revenue driver in this business is expected to be telecom, especially with “Big Daddy” Reliance Infocomm set to make a huge splash in 2003.
ESPN Star Sports has an existing deal with outdoor advertising marketers and its possible tie-up with DD-Nimbus should see the combine use the outdoors extensively. The Sony channels SET and MAX have already started using hoardings but have still not started on the bus-shelter or kiosks channels. JWT’s WPP Media has already finalised deals for HLL and other brands, say industry sources.Consumer durable companies such as Akai and LG Electronics will also be using these channels as World Cup excitement builds up.
“The size of the advertising spend is estimated between Rs 1 billion to Rs 1.2 billion in Mumbai, which contributes 40 per cent of the all-India outdoor spend. The estimated share of bus-shelters (Rs 60 million) and kiosks (Rs 30 million) would be around 10 per cent of the total outdoor spend in Mumbai,” says Mid-Day Outdoor’s general manager Joseph Ramsey.
Mid-day Outdoor has bagged the mandate for hoardings and kiosks on 14 MSRDC flyovers; and the BOT (build, operate, transfer) shelters in the whole city for a period of three years.
“The top advertisers include cigarette companies and FMCGs. TV channels are slowly realising the efficiency of the medium and promising to increase their spends in 2003 – probably due to World Cup cricket. Telecom companies like Airtel have been spending a lot. The beautification options on the Marine Drive also seem to a growing segment,” adds Midday’s Ramsey.
Till May 2002, Mid-day Outdoor was the monopoly player in the bus-shelters and kiosks business. Currently, Mid-day Outdoor has the bus-shelter rights for South Mumbai (Prabhadevi onwards); kiosks (South Mumbai till Mahim flyover and Sion flyover); BOT donation shelters for the whole city; and hoardings and kiosks for 14 MSRDC flyovers. Mid-day Outdoor added another revenue stream by taking on the challenge of creating the “donation” shelters properties, sourcing clients and maintaining them for a period of three years.
Realising the potential of the segment, players such as The Times of India group’s Infotainment division also ventured into the bidding process. Times Infotainment Media has the rights for the suburban areas between Bandra and Dahisar. Times Infotainment senior manager Gurdeep Gill adds, “The major spenders include FMCGs, cigarette companies, banks and insurance companies. The telecom sector is also spending heavily and the entry of Reliance Infocomm should see some major action.”
From February 2003, the mandate for kiosks will transfer to DS Mittle & Sons who beat out other bidders such as Mid-Day and The Times of India group. Currently, no advertising is permitted on the kiosks on the western suburbs between Borivali and Mahim causeway as these kiosks are owned by BSES.
Prithvi, the third player, has the rights for bus-shelters in the remaining areas from Sion to Mulund flyover.
Brands
Kwality Wall’s reports standalone losses following strategic HUL demerger
Ice cream major faces Rs 64 crore Ebitda loss amid commodity inflation and muted Q3 sales
MUMBAI: Kwality Wall’s (India) Limited (KWIL) has released its first set of financial results as a standalone entity, revealing a challenging start to its independent journey. Following its successful demerger from Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL) on 1st December 2025 and its subsequent listing on 16th February 2026, the company is navigating a transition period marked by structural changes and high input costs.
For the quarter ended 31st December 2025, the company reported revenue of Rs 222 crores. Despite the revenue base, the bottom line was impacted by several factors, resulting in an Ebitda loss of Rs 64.2 crores. When calculated on a Pre-IND AS 116 basis, the Ebitda loss stood at Rs 83.8 crores.
Organic Sales Growth (OSG) declined by 6.5 per cent year-on-year during the quarter. Volume growth, however, saw a marginal increase of 1.2 per cent. The company reported a gross margin of 41.5 per cent. Additionally, exceptional expenses amounting to Rs 94 crores were recorded, primarily linked to non-recurring costs during the transition phase.
Performance across portfolios and channels was mixed. Within the impulse portfolio, brands such as Magnum and Cornetto recorded mid-single digit volume growth, indicating steady demand in on-the-go consumption. However, the in-home portfolio, which includes take-home packs, experienced muted consumption. The company is planning a relaunch of this category with improved offerings ahead of the 2026 season.
Quick commerce (Q-Com) continued to emerge as a strong growth driver, delivering robust double-digit growth during the quarter. Meanwhile, the company also expanded its physical distribution network by increasing the number of company-owned cabinets across markets.
Margin pressure during the quarter was driven by a combination of one-off factors and broader cost inflation. Gross margins were impacted by around 600 basis points due to trade investments made for stock liquidation. Additionally, cocoa price inflation contributed to another 400 basis points of pressure on margins.
Deputy managing director Chitrank Goel attributed the muted performance partly to prolonged monsoons and transitional challenges linked to the GST framework. Operating expenses also increased as the company invested in establishing its standalone supply chain, operational systems and corporate infrastructure following the demerger.
Looking ahead, the management remains focused on a volume-driven growth strategy. To restore profitability, the company has initiated a cost productivity programme aimed at reducing non-consumer-facing costs. It is also working on building regional manufacturing networks to optimise logistics expenses and improve operational efficiency.
The commodity outlook for the near term remains mixed. Dairy prices are expected to remain firm due to tight supply conditions and rising fodder costs. Sugar prices may also move higher following increases in the Minimum Selling Price (MSP). While cocoa prices have moderated recently, currency depreciation has offset some of the potential cost relief for the company.
