Brands
BJP, Lever rule brands, advertisers lists in Feb 2017 so far
BENGALURU: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was the top brand in terms of television advertisement insertions for the month of February 2017 so far for weeks 5, 6 and 7 (Saturday 27 January 2017 to Friday, 17 February 2017).
Analysis of Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) data for Top 10 Brands Across Genre: All India (U+R): 4+ Individuals, shows that 19 advertisers were present in the top lists for weeks 5, 6 and 7of 2017. The BJP ranked first as top brand in terms of TV insertions during all the three weeks. Only one other brand was present in the top 10 brands list based on television ad insertions besides the BJP – this was Mobile Pone brand Vivo V Plus. Please refer to Fig A below
This paper must be read with a caveat: It deals only with the players present in BARC’s top 10 list of advertisers/brands. The sums/percentages of other genres/players’ advertisements other than those indicated in BARC’s top 10 lists of brands and advertisers have not been considered/mentioned in this paper during the period under consideration and those numbers could be more/higher.
Hindustan Lever Limited (Lever) ranked first during the three weeks under consideration in this paper as per (BARC) data for Top 10 Advertisers Across Genre: All India (U+R): 4+ Individuals. Among the thirteen advertisers that appeared in the list of top 10 advertisers, the Indian FMCG major had a combined total of 315,067 insertions across the three weeks and was far ahead of the second ranked player Reckitt Benckiser (India) Limited (Reckitt).
In terms of advertiser ranks based on number of TV ad insertions, the BJP ranked ninth in the list with its presence in two weeks – weeks 6 and 7 of 2017. Though the BJP did not find a place in the list of top 10 advertisers in week 5, even if one were to consider its insertions for week 5, its rank of 9 in the pecking order of top ten advertisers would remain unchanged, with a total of 49,557 insertions, behind Colgate Palmolive India Limited which had a combined total of 56,851 insertions.
Of note is the presence of the Music advertiser -Super Cassettes Industries in the top 10 list during all the 3 weeks. Besides Super Cassettes, all the other seven advertisers that were present in the listsduring all the three weeks were FMCG players.
Eight of the thirteen advertisers were present in the top 10 list across all the three weeks; as mentioned above, the BJP was present in two weeks; and the other 4 players (all FMCG) were present in the list for one week only. Please refer to Fig B below:
The frequency (how many brands of a genre were in the top 10 list across the three weeks) of FMCG brands in the top 10 list for weeks 5 to 7 of 2017 was 15 with 108,791 insertions. The Politics genre represented by the BJP stood second in terms of frequency, but second in terms of insertions. Mobile Phones (Vivo V5 Plus) and Mobile Banking (Airtel Payments Bank) came in at numbers 3 and 4 respectively. Please refer to fig C below.
Only three genres of advertisers-FMCG, Music and Politics found a place in the top 10 advertisers list for the weeks under consideration, as compared to nine genres in the top 10 brands list. With regards to frequency, of the thirty possible ranks, FMCG held as many as 25, followed by Music (Super Cassettes) with 3 and Politics (BJP) with 2 Please refer to Fig D below:
Fig E below shows the list of top 10 advertisers in weeks 5, 6 and 7 of 2017. Hindustan Lever was numerouno across all the three weeks under consideration in this paper.
Fig F below shows the list of top 10 brands in weeks 5, 6 and 7 of 2017. As mentioned above, the BJP was at pole position across all the three weeks. Mobile Phones brand Vivo V5 Plus was present in the list in all the three weeks.
Brands
Viraj Bahl backs kids care brand Awenest after Shark Tank India pitch
Startup eyes Rs 30 crore next year as toxin conscious kids care demand rises
MUMBAI: Kids home and personal care startup Awenest is riding a wave of growing demand for toxin conscious products designed specifically for children, and it has now found a backer in Veeba founder Viraj Bahl after featuring on Shark Tank India.
The brand, which focuses on routine based care products for children, has quickly built a Rs 3.5 crore business and is now targeting Rs 10 crore in revenue in FY26. The momentum has prompted the startup to set an even bigger goal of Rs 30 crore in the next fiscal year as it scales distribution and launches new products.
Awenest’s growth has been steady. The company reported net sales of Rs 1.6 crore in FY24, which rose to Rs 3.52 crore in FY25. In the current financial year so far, the brand has already clocked Rs 2.8 crore in revenue and expects to close FY26 with Rs 10 crore in net sales.
The business has also strengthened its margins while expanding sales. Gross margins have climbed from around 50 percent in FY25 to nearly 65 percent year to date, while the brand touched a monthly run rate of about Rs 70 lakh in October 2025.
Founded by Kinshuk, Atul and Jahangir, Awenest is positioning itself around a simple idea: children need products designed for their routines, not diluted versions of adult formulations. The founders say the children’s home and personal care category in India represents a Rs 30,000 crore opportunity.
Kinshuk, an alumnus of IIM Bangalore, previously managed businesses with revenues exceeding Rs 3,000 crore. Atul, an alumnus of IIM Lucknow, brings experience in marketing and digital growth, including scaling platforms with more than 10 million subscribers. Jahangir leads operations and has handled P and L responsibilities across businesses worth over Rs 2,500 crore.
The startup’s appearance on Shark Tank India gave it a national spotlight, where its routine led approach to children’s care products attracted interest from the panel and led to an investment offer from Bahl.
Even before the show, Awenest had been quietly gaining traction online. Several of its products have emerged as top sellers on Amazon, reflecting rising interest among parents looking for safer everyday products for children.
The company follows a digital first distribution strategy. Around 45 per cent of its sales come from Amazon, while another 45 per cent comes from quick commerce platforms such as Blinkit and other q commerce channels. Modern trade currently contributes about 3 per cent of revenue, though the company expects this to grow as it expands its retail footprint.
The idea behind Awenest stems from how childhood routines have evolved. With children moving between school, activities and indoor environments, the founders believe many everyday products expose them to hidden toxins, allergens and harsh chemicals.
Awenest aims to address that gap with products designed for children’s daily routines using non allergenic ingredients, while still delivering performance that parents expect.
With fresh visibility from Shark Tank India and backing from Viraj Bahl, the startup is now preparing for its next phase of growth by widening its presence in modern trade, strengthening quick commerce distribution and rolling out new products tailored to children’s everyday routines.
