Radio turns up the volume: Ad growth hits a high note in Jan–Sept 2025

MUMBAI: Radio advertising in India has struck a confident chord in the first nine months of 2025, posting a 4 per cent rise in ad volumes compared to the same period last year, according to Tam Adex. And if the numbers are anything to go by, brands are clearly finding their frequency.

The Services sector held on to the top spot with a commanding 31 per cent share of radio advertising, followed by Auto (12 per cent) and banking/finance/investment (9 per cent). Personal Accessories climbed the playlist too, moving up to fourth position with 9 per cent share.

Among categories, properties/real estates kept their no.1 spot, while retail outlets–jewellers continued glittering at No. 4. The top 10 categories together claimed 53 per cent of all radio ad volumes, not bad for a medium many once thought was fading into static.

New entrants like mouth fresheners and ecom-media/entertainment/social media added fresh flavour to the airwaves.

In the advertiser race, Maruti Suzuki India overtook LIC to become the top advertiser of 2025 so far. A strong brand cluster also pushed its sub-brand Maruti Suzuki Arena to no.1 among all advertised brands, with four Maruti brands making the top 10 list. Clearly, the auto major isn’t just selling cars; it’s steering the radio charts.

Jewellery retailers sparkled brightest with 24 per cent growth, while the cars category accelerated 15 per cent. Corporate-NBFCS, though smaller in volume, delivered the most dramatic leap: a staggering 49.7-times increase.

Gujarat topped state-level ad volumes with 18 per cent share, followed by Maharashtra at 15 per cent. Jaipur led among cities, retaining its no. 1 position as the most active radio advertising.

Listeners (and advertisers) seem to prefer winding down with radio: the evening slot (17:00–21:59) claimed the largest share, followed closely by morning. Together, these time bands accounted for 68 per cent of all radio ads, making sunrise and sunset the golden hours of radio. Ads lasting 20–40 seconds remained the crowd favourite, dominating both 2024 and 2025 and contributing the lion’s share of radio secondages.