MAM
India’s ad market rebounds in H1 2025 as TV steals the show: Excellent Publicity report
MUMBAI: Here’s one report which is not talking of doom and gloom as far as ad spends in India are concerned. India’s advertising market kicked off 2025 on a high according to a half-yearly report by ad-tech and media planning agency Excellent Publicity, citing data from TAM Media Research, TAM AdEx and RCS India, reported Business Standard. The report said that television powered ahead as the biggest gainer in the first half of the year, outspending print and radio, while digital was the lone laggard.
Ad spends on TV per channel jumped 27 per cent year-on-year. Sports channels hoovered up 68.5 per cent of TV spends, trailed by general entertainment with 15.7 per cent. The e-commerce media, entertainment and social media category led volumes with a 25.6 per cent share. Star India kept its crown with 16.8 per cent of volumes, while Jio Hotstar topped the brand charts. Cellular services were the fastest risers, ballooning 17 times over the year.
Print was no pushover either, posting a robust 26 per cent growth. Cars took pole position with 8.9 per cent of spends, while two-wheelers zipped ahead with a 31 per cent surge. Maruti Suzuki India was the top advertiser; Allen Career Institute, the top brand. Rajasthan led among states with 15.6 per cent of spends, and Delhi among cities with 7.1 per cent.
Radio barely moved the needle, inching up 4 per cent. Properties and real estate dominated, cars followed, and pan masala muscled into the top 10. Maharashtra accounted for 19.3 per cent of radio spends, Delhi 18.1 per cent. Maruti Suzuki India again led advertisers, while Jeena Sikho Lifecare was the top brand.
Digital, by contrast, shrank 12 per cent – the only medium to contract – though it logged the highest number of advertisers in three years. E-commerce online shopping led with an 11.2 per cent share. Amazon Online India was the top advertiser, Amazon.in the top brand. Programmatic buying made up 88.3 per cent of spends. Some niches bucked the trend: washing powders and liquids soared 21 times, perfumes and deodorants six times.
“What’s really interesting is how brands are navigating a delicate balance,” said Excellent Publicity co-founder and director Vaishal Dalal.. “TV still captures attention, radio keeps the connection local and relatable, print is earning back trust, and digital is becoming sharper and more targeted.”
Strangely the report did not talk about outdoor spends. Was the situation hunky-dory in the sector like TV?
MAM
Hyphen launches sunscreen campaign featuring Kriti Sanon as SPF Police
Campaign drives SPF habit; Blinkit tie-up enables instant sunscreen delivery.
MUMBAI: No SPF, no mercy Kriti Sanon is out patrolling your skincare routine. Hyphen has rolled out a new campaign film starring its Co-Founder and Chief Customer Officer Kriti Sanon, who steps into a playful alter ego as the brand’s “SPF Police”, turning sunscreen reminders into a full-blown public service announcement with a wink. The campaign kicked off with a cheeky social media tease suggesting Sanon had “stepped down” from her role, sparking chatter online before the brand revealed the twist: she hasn’t gone anywhere, she has simply taken on an additional avatar, one dedicated to ensuring people do not skip sunscreen.
The film leans into humour to drive home a serious point. In a slice-of-life setting, Sanon intercepts a gym-goer about to step out without sunscreen, promptly handing over Hyphen’s ‘All I Need Sunscreen’, which arrives instantly via Blinkit. The message is clear: forgetting SPF is no longer a valid excuse when it can be delivered in minutes.
Beyond the laughs, the campaign taps into a well-known gap in everyday skincare habits. Sunscreen, despite being one of the most recommended steps, is often the most ignored. By gamifying the reminder through an “SPF Police” persona, Hyphen aims to turn a routine into a reflex.
The multi-stage rollout from intrigue-led teasers to the final film has been designed to spark conversation while embedding the brand into daily behaviour. It also spotlights Hyphen’s quick commerce partnership with Blinkit, positioning accessibility as a key enabler of consistency.
Sanon, who remains closely involved in product development and brand strategy, noted that the idea stemmed from a simple insight: skincare works best when it is easy, habitual and hard to ignore. The campaign reflects that philosophy equal parts science, storytelling and a nudge you cannot quite escape.
The film is now live across Hyphen and Blinkit’s digital platforms, with further activations expected to extend the campaign’s reach and perhaps keep the SPF Police on duty a little longer.
