TV ad volumes swell to 1.07 bn seconds during Jan-Aug 2018: BARC report

Advertising volume has grown consistently over the last 3 years and stands at 1.07 billion seconds for the Jan - Aug 2018 period, up 16 per cent for the same period last year, as per BARC India’s report. The average weekly viewership of ads in India is growing steadily each year as well. From 2016 to 2018, the advertising impressions have increased by a phenomenal 45 per cent from 521 billion seconds to 755 billion seconds, with the festive season in 2018 yet to be fully mapped. For the Jan - Aug 2018 period, the average ad duration stands at 31 million seconds per week, taking the total advertising volume to 1.07 billion seconds for the same period. 

Both, the quantum of television advertising as well as television impressions increase during festivals. Advertising volume has risen steadily in the festive period – September to December. Broadcasters use this period for announcing special programming, blockbusters, festival omnibuses in addition to the regular programme line up. 

What’s interesting to note is the play between the volume of advertising seconds and volume of channel promotions. While the combined volume from advertising and promotions range from 9.5 per cent to 10.1 per cent in the Jan -Aug period and Sep - Dec period across 2016, 2017 and 2018; the share of channel promotions went higher in the post demonetisation period to accommodate the slight slump in advertising volume. 

Potential of the festive period is noticed by heavy weights of television categories like government led social ads and CPG categories like toothpastes and toilet soaps: and consistently feature in the top 10 categories advertised across three years from 2015 to 2017. In addition to the quantum, there are more categories joining the advertising bandwagon in the festive season, with 26 new categories being added from 2015 to 2017. Both advertisers and brands have also gone up by18 per cent from 2015 to 2017 in this period. 

Online shopping, auto, telecom and chocolates sector continue to be the mainstays of the festival season. Contribution of categories like Internet services, jewellery, paints grow over the years. Jewellery emerged as the close second category for the 2017 festive season, just below online shopping. Online shopping portals now advertise all around the year and hence have reduced dependency on the festive season alone. Consumer durables maintains status quo with not much movement in advertising seconds across all years. 

Categories catering to self-consumption like smart phones are growing at a faster rate as compared to household led consumption categories like consumer durables. 

While Hindi channels have lion’s share in HSM viewership – contribution from regional channels is growing, this impact can be seen on festival days too. Hindi is the most preferred choice in the Hindi speaking markets on festival days too, with over 70 per cent viewership coming from Hindi channels. But with the growing advent of regional channels, improvement in programming quality and television penetration growing in the bottom of the pyramid, there is an increased focus on regional language channels. 

Maharashtra, UP/ Uttarakhand, followed by Gujarat/ D&D/ DNH and MPCG and are the biggest contributors to viewership on festival days. Festival viewership is on the rise in 2018 as compared to 2017. For 2018, Holi and Janmashtami viewership in HSM markets have increased by 19 per cent and 29 per cent, respectively. 

Marathi and Bangla channels stack up next in viewership after Hindi channels. Bangla channels in the 2017 festive season have grown at 3 times the pace of growth in the previous year. 

Leading national broadcasters have upped their investments in the south zone where content is driven by language. Also, factors like near total electrification leading to very high television penetration accompanied by quality content and strong platforms has contributed to growing viewers in the southern states. This has led to accelerated growth in advertising volume in these states. 

The multi feed channel strategy led by the kids’ genre seems to be working, with kids’ viewership increasing on festivals as most schools are shut and kids are at home on these days. 

On the other hand, share of English channels on festivals has been dropping over the years.

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