MAM
FMCG advertisers hogged TV eyeballs in Jan ’17
BENGALURU: Thirteen advertisers shared places in list of top ten television advertisers in terms of number of insertions (or spots) across the first 4 weeks of 2017. The total number of insertions in the first four weeks of 2017 by the top ten television advertisers was 12,51,529.As is the norm, FMCG Brands grabbed the bulk of the spots – 93.56 percent or 11,70,874 insertions during weeks 1, 2, 3, and 4 (Saturday, 31 December 2016 to Friday, 27th January 2017) as per Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) data for top 10 advertisers Across Genre: All India (U+R): 4+ Individuals.
Of these 13, 11 were FMCG advertisers, with Amazon Online India Pvt Ltd (online) and Super Cassettes Industries (Music) being the sole exceptions. Both these non-FMCG advertisers were among the top ten television advertisers in two of the four weeks. Amazon ranked eighth in week 2 and fifth in week 3, while Super Cassettes ranked ninth and eighth in weeks 2 and 4 respectively in terms of number of television insertions per week.
Eight of the 13 advertisers were present in the top 10 list of advertisers in terms of television insertions in all the four weeks. Three were present in in the list during two of the four weeks and two were present in the list in only one week (week 1 of 2017).
Please refer to Fig A below:
The total number of television insertions by the top 10 advertisers per week increased from 2,68,323 in week 1 to 3,47,695 in week 3 before petering off by 9.81 percent to 3,13,579 in week 4. As is obvious, Hindustan Lever Limited (Lever) has been the top advertiser in the four weeks with 31.28 percent of total insertions by the top ten advertisers in terms of insertions.
Baba Ramdev’s Patanjali Ayurved Limited which had stood third in the first three weeks of 2017 behind Reckiyy Benckiser (India) Limited climbed to the second spot in week 4 of 2017, pushing Reckit down to third spot. While Reckitt had cut down its ad insertions in week 4 by a massive 41.96 percent to 35,481 from 61,127 in week 3, Patanjali had increased its insertions by 20.5 percent in week 4 to 38,886 from 32,270 in week 3. Super Cassettes was the sole non-FMCG brand in the list of top 10 television advertisers in terms of ad insertions in week 4.
Fig B below gives the breakup of the top 10 advertisers in terms of number of insertions for individual weeks:
When you buy a health insurance policy, you usually focus on hospital bills and treatment costs. But serious illnesses don’t just affect your medical expenses: they disrupt your income, lifestyle and long-term plans. That’s where a Critical Illness Rider becomes relevant. It works as an additional layer of financial protection when you are diagnosed with a major illness.
Instead of reimbursing hospital bills, this rider offers a lump-sum payout you can use as needed. Understanding its mechanism helps you decide if your coverage is truly complete.
What is a Critical Illness Rider?
It is an add-on benefit attached to your existing health insurance policy. It provides a fixed lump sum amount if you are diagnosed with any illness listed under the rider. You become eligible for a payout solely on the basis of diagnosis, not by hospitalisation or treatment expenses.
Unlike regular coverage, you are not required to submit medical bills to claim this benefit. Once the diagnosed illness meets the policy definition and criteria, the insurer releases the amount. This makes it different from standard critical health insurance plans, which are standalone policies rather than add-ons.
How a Critical Illness Rider Works
When you opt for this rider, you choose a predefined sum assured. If you are diagnosed with a covered illness, the insurer pays the full amount in one lump sum. The payout can be used for treatment, recovery, income replacement, debt repayment, or even lifestyle adjustments.
Most riders specify a waiting period and a survival period. The waiting period means the illness must be diagnosed after a certain number of days from the policy start date. The survival period requires you to survive for a specific number of days after diagnosis for the claim to be valid.
Key Features of a Critical Illness Rider
Here are some of the key features of a critical illness rider:
Lump Sum Benefit
The most important feature is the lump sum payout. You are not restricted to medical usage. This flexibility allows you to handle non-medical costs that often arise during long-term illness.
Coverage for Major Illnesses
Critical Illness Riders usually cover life-altering conditions such as cancer, heart attack, stroke, kidney failure and major organ transplants. The exact list varies across insurers, so reviewing covered conditions is essential.
One-Time Claim Structure
In most cases, once a claim is paid, the rider terminates. This is because it is designed to address high-impact illnesses rather than recurring medical needs.
Affordable Premium
Since it is an add-on, the premium is lower than that of standalone critical health insurance plans. This makes it a cost-effective way to enhance your existing health insurance policy.
No Hospitalisation Requirement
You don’t need to be hospitalised to receive the benefit. Diagnosis alone is enough to avail the benefits. But ensure that all the policy conditions are met.
Income Protection Support
During critical illness, loss of income can be more damaging than medical bills. The rider helps bridge this gap by offering financial stability when you need it most.
Who Should Consider a Critical Illness Rider
If you have dependents, loans or limited savings, this rider adds meaningful protection. It is also relevant if your employer-provided health insurance policy focuses mainly on hospitalisation and lacks income replacement support.
Conclusion
A Critical Illness rider strengthens your health insurance policy by covering financial gaps that regular medical coverage often ignores. It gives you control, flexibility and immediate support during serious health events. Before choosing one, review the list of covered illnesses, waiting periods and claim conditions carefully. When structured correctly, this rider can protect not just your health expenses but also your financial stability during challenging times.
