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Television advertising in India remains a dominant force for brands seeking scale and impact. Despite the surge in digital media, India still ranks as the world’s second‑largest TV market after China. With over 210 million TV households (2020) growing to ~217 million by 2023, Indians spent an average of 226 minutes per day watching TV in 2022. In fact, around 905 private satellite TV channels were available by 2023, covering Hindi and dozens of regional languages. TV’s massive reach spans both metros and Tier-II/III towns: according to recent BARC data, Hindi-language content accounted for only 44% of total viewership in 2024, while the remaining 56% comprised Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Marathi, Bengali and other regional programming. This underscores how national networks (e.g. Star, Sony, Zee, Colors) and regional channels each command enormous audiences. As SmartAds notes, TV “reaches a much larger audience… [and] reaches viewers when they’re the most attentive”. In this landscape of broad and diverse audiences, marketers must blend traditional and emerging formats to maximize ROI.
India’s TV industry is not standing still. After pandemic spikes, the latest TAM AdEx data shows TV ad volumes in 2024 were 14% higher than in 2020, reflecting a strong recovery, even as they dipped about 4% compared to 2023. This suggests advertisers are recalibrating after aggressive post-COVID spending. Key consumer categories dominate TV ad spend: Food & Beverages (21% share in 2024) remained the top sector, while popular product segments like toilet soaps, cleaners and tea comprised roughly one-quarter of total TV ads. FMCG giants lead the charge – for example, Hindustan Unilever captured a commanding 16% share of all TV ad volumes in 2024.
Viewership patterns and channel genres also shape TV media buying. General Entertainment Channels (GECs) – Hindi and regional “family dramas” – held 30% of TV ad volumes in 2024, and along with News channels formed over half (56%) of TV advertising. Top genres (GEC, News, Movies, Sports, Music) alone account for 92% of all TV ad inventory. Advertisers prefer mass-reach formats, especially during prime time. For instance, sports and movie integrations are growing: in 2024 Bollywood film promos booked 770+ hours of TV airtime.
Meanwhile, TV viewership remains pervasive. PwC reports that Indians averaged 226 minutes of TV per day in 2022 – more than 3.5 hours! In a country with over 75 crore (750M) internet users and rising smartphone adoption, TV’s hold is remarkable. Even as digital video grows, traditional TV still “remains unique in both garnering attention at scale and building brand fame,” as Ajay Dang of UltraTech cemented:
“The reports on the demise of TV are vastly exaggerated… TV’s big screen, lean-back, immersive experience will have few parallels – both for the viewer and the advertiser. It remains unique in both garnering higher attention at scale and building brand fame.” – Ajay Dang, UltraTech Cement
This perspective – TV is not dead but “reinvented itself” – guides how brands invest. In fact, PwC projects India’s TV market to grow at about 5.4% CAGR through 2028, reaching the world’s 4th largest by 2028. By comparison, global TV ad revenues are expected to decline (–1.6% CAGR) over the same period. In India, television still accounts for roughly 36–43% of total Entertainment & Media (E&M) revenues, far above digital’s share.
Key trend data at a glance:
Cable TV merits special mention: it enables hyper-local targeting at low cost. Advertisers can pick specific towns or blocks, choosing ad slots on local cable MSOs. This is highly advantageous in Tier II/III markets. A recent industry overview notes cable TV campaigns are “far more affordable than national TV advertising” with “lower ad rates, especially in tier 2 and 3 cities,” yielding high ROI for local and FMCG brands. Cable ads can be scheduled flexibly (even L-band or Aston ticker ads) and in regional languages, making them ideal for localized brand building.
India’s national TV networks (Hindi and pan-India channels) and regional networks (Tamil, Telugu, Marathi, Bengali, etc.) present distinct opportunities. Hindi GECs such as Star Plus, Colors, and Sony SAB reach broad Hindi-speaking audiences across India. In contrast, regional channels like Star Maa (Telugu), Sun TV (Tamil), Zee Bangla (Bengali), Colors Marathi, and many others dominate their local markets. For example, Star Maa and Sun TV regularly rank among India’s top channels by viewership. News and GEC channels in regional languages often command massive audiences in South and West India.
According to BARC and industry reports, regional-language viewership is on the rise. In 2024, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Marathi, Bengali and other languages collectively accounted for 56% of TV viewing time. Tamil Nadu’s Sun TV network or Andhra/Telangana’s Star Maa alone deliver incredible scale. Marketers targeting regional segments must tailor campaigns by language and culture. SmartAds customers often leverage its multi-lingual planning to cover these channels cost-effectively. As one SmartAds insight puts it, TV “allows you to convey your message with sight, sound, and motion, which can give your business…instant credibility” – crucial when appealing to diverse audiences.
Regional TV advertising is therefore booming. National brands increasingly book regional feeds of GECs (e.g. dubbing commercials in Tamil/Hindi) or advertise directly on LCO cable networks in specific states. For instance, a food brand might air Hindi ads nationally while also running Kannada or Marathi ads on local channels. This regional granularity was unheard of a decade ago. Today, over 50% of TV viewership is outside Hindi, reflecting India’s linguistic diversity.
Regional campaigns are further empowered by Digital Addressable Systems (DAS) on cable, which allow targeted distribution. Advertisers can insert different ads into the same channel feed for different areas. SmartAds incorporates these capabilities into its media buying services, helping brands reach local audiences with the right language and creative. The agency’s nationwide reach (300+ channels) combined with regional targeting ensures ‘hyperlocal’ TV campaigns remain affordable and impactful.
The TV advertising ecosystem now includes Connected TV (CTV) and OTT (Over-The-Top) advertising. Connected TVs – internet-enabled TVs or set-top devices – blur the line between traditional and digital video. In India, CTV usage is skyrocketing. Industry reports note 21% year-on-year growth in Connected TV adoption, driven by cheap smart TVs and abundant content. By 2026, over 60 million Indian households are expected to have CTVs.
This shift brings new targeting and measurement. According to Mediasmart’s Nikhil Kumar, “CTV has evolved from a niche channel to a core pillar of modern media strategies… It merges the immersive storytelling of television with the precision of data-driven digital advertising.”. In practice, CTV ads can be bought programmatically and targeted using first-party data or cohort segments. For example, brands like Hyundai and Tata Motors now run personalized CTV spots based on user behavior, while Unilever uses hyper-local CTV targeting to engage regional audiences.
Programmatic TV platforms have emerged to serve this demand. Advertisers can now plan campaigns that cover both linear TV and OTT in one go. Programmatic buying – already 88% of digital impressions in 2024 – is extending into TV. Companies like Google (via DV360) and local DSPs (e.g. LS Digital’s CoMMeT) enable audience-based buys on smart TV apps and ad-supported streaming (FAST) channels. Programmatic TV unifies metrics, letting SmartAds plan GRPs (Gross Rating Points) on TV alongside impressions on digital video, optimizing reach and frequency holistically.
CTV Ad Spend Growth:
OTT and FAST: Free ad-supported streaming (FAST) channels – like JioCinema’s free tier, MX Player, Zee5 lite – have also opened up video inventory. India’s OTT market (ads + subscriptions) hit ₹37,940 Cr in FY24-25. YouTube leads this with ₹14,300 Cr (37.7%), while JioCinema/Hotstar contributed ₹8,835 Cr (23.3%). Major OTT players now offer CTV-style inventory: Netflix’s upcoming ad tier and Disney+Hotstar’s move to ad-funded models mean more TV-quality content with ads. Brands are rapidly shifting some budget to these video-on-demand environments while retaining TV for wide reach.
In summary, TV and video formats today span:
Marketers must integrate across all these “big screens”. For example, a campaign might run a prime-time TVC, synchronized with CTV ads on smart TVs and YouTube pre-rolls for urban millennial segments. This cross-platform mix ensures broad reach without wastage. SmartAds.in specializes in this cross-platform video planning, offering unified media buying tools and audience insights. Its platform lets clients create a single plan covering TV, OTT and online video, ensuring consistent messaging and efficient spend. In SmartAds’ words, they provide “PAN India service” across channels, from TVCs to creative placement, at affordable rates.
FMCG: Fast-moving consumer goods remain TV’s top spender. Iconic brands deploy TV heavily around festivals and events. In 2024, Hindustan Unilever alone accounted for 16% of all TV ad volumes, outspending every other advertiser. Reckitt (with Dettol, Harpic, etc.) and Patanjali are also huge TV media buyers. For example, detergent and soap brands routinely produce catchy TV commercials timed to cricket seasons and Holi festivals. These campaigns reinforce brand reminders at scale. Even as digital grows, TV is seen as the backbone of FMCG marketing. Many such advertisers now extend TV spots into CTV campaigns (e.g. Surf Excel or Lux ads on streaming services) for incremental reach.
Automotive: Auto companies view TV as essential for brand-building. TAM reports show auto TV ad volumes grew 18% year-on-year in 2024. Two-wheeler makers in particular have ramped up TV spending: TVS Motor Company led all auto advertisers with 14% share of TV ad volumes. Maruti Suzuki consistently tops as a TV advertiser (16% share across all media) with commercials on GECs and even news channels. Examples: Honda’s TV ads for the Activa scooter achieved a top spot in auto ad rankings. Performance-wise, modern campaigns mix TV and CTV: for instance, a leading car brand ran a synchronized TV/YouTube campaign, yielding double-digit awareness lift vs. TV alone. News and GEC channels dominate auto ads (together 63%+ of the auto TV category mix), showing that even high-value products rely on broad-reach TV.
E-commerce & Retail: Flipkart and Amazon flood airwaves around sale events. During Diwali and “Big Billion” sales, these platforms buy thousands of GRPs to ensure every household hears their offer. While their core transactions come from online, TV spot ads build mass awareness, especially in non-metro markets. Emerging D2C brands (in fashion, beauty, electronics) also find TV effective for brand launch; for example, a new electronics startup might nationalize its launch via TVC to quickly scale beyond digital. The synergy is evident: CTV retargeting offlines TV viewers, and SmartAds helps track online conversions tied to TV runs.
Telecom & Media: Telecom players have used TV for product and network branding. Reliance Jio’s aggressive TV ad campaigns (often in IPL cricket sponsorships) have been a case study in building subscriber scale. Jio’s ads often highlight connectivity and content offers, running on top news and entertainment channels. Similarly, Airtel and Vodafone frequently release TVCs to promote 5G rollouts or new prepaid plans. Entertainment networks also use TV ads on TV; e.g. Netflix in India launched TV promotion (hoardings and news ads) to drive awareness of originals. The overall trend: major telcos and OTT platforms maintain a dual strategy of TV for mass branding and digital media for conversions.
Consumer Tech: Technology brands blend TV and online. Samsung, one of India’s top TV spenders in recent years, exemplifies the hybrid approach. In 2024, Samsung ran connected TV ads achieving 94% video completion rates, proving that streaming viewers engage deeply. Sony India and Xiaomi have likewise advertised new smartphones and TVs both on linear channels and on YouTube. A tech product launch often features a prime-time TV ad, followed by targeted CTV/YouTube placements for specific demographics. SmartAds works with many tech clients to align TV media buys (on Channels like Star Sports for big-launch events) with digital video for re-messaging.
Across these industries, one message stands out: TV advertising still drives reach and brand metrics that digital alone cannot. For instance, a leading insurance brand combined CTV with YouTube and saw 17% recall lift – evidence that even digital-first channels need TV’s scale.
The rise of online video (YouTube, social media, streaming) has certainly dented some traditional TV viewership, especially among affluent youth. But TV offers unique advantages. As SmartAds puts it, television lets advertisers “show and tell a wide audience about your… product or service… with sight, sound, and motion”. This “lean-back” engagement – families watching on big screens – tends to deliver higher attention and brand recall. In contrast, mobile video ads (shorter format on smaller screens) excel at direct-response and targeting.
Rather than choose one over the other, savvy marketers now blend TV and digital. Many agencies, including SmartAds, use unified planning tools to ensure TV and online video campaigns speak the same language. For example, a cosmetics brand might run a heartwarming TVC nationwide while running clickable YouTube ads targeting beauty shoppers. TV might lift brand fame, while YouTube drives site traffic – both measured in a combined report. SmartAds’s platform enables this synergy, optimizing video reach across both linear and digital screens. It can allocate a portion of the video budget to addressable TV (per household) and portion to YouTube/OTT, all against the same campaign goals. The result: integrated TV campaigns that extend into the digital world.
“The reports on the demise of TV are vastly exaggerated… TV’s big screen, lean-back, immersive experience will have few parallels – both for the viewer and the advertiser. It remains unique in both garnering higher attention at scale and building brand fame.” – Ajay Dang, UltraTech Cement
Ajay Dang’s words capture the blended reality: digital and TV coexist and complement. That’s why at SmartAds we emphasize multi-screen video planning. A telecom client, for example, might book prime-time spots on Colors and Star News (Hindi) and local cable in target states, and simultaneously run city-targeted CTV and YouTube ads for new smartphone campaigns. SmartAds’s data dashboards then attribute TV GRPs alongside digital KPIs. In essence, traditional TV ads set the stage, and digital video carries the engagement forward. As one recent WARC report notes, India’s market is among the fastest-growing for CTV performance, blurring lines between linear and digital.
In this complex TV ecosystem, advertisers need a trusted partner to navigate channels, languages and technologies. This is where SmartAds.in shines. SmartAds prides itself as one of India’s top TV advertising agencies, providing PAN-India reach and end-to-end service. Their offerings span TV commercial production, channel selection, and placement on hundreds of channels – from national GECs to regional cable networks.
According to SmartAds’s own materials, the company helps brands “reach [their] relevant audience throughout the nation with innovative TV advertising”. They highlight several advantages: Nationwide Reach (covering 300+ channels), Affordable Pricing for cost-conscious campaigns, and Creative Excellence in developing impactful TVCs. SmartAds also supports specialized ad formats: TV Commercials (TVCs), L-Bands (10-sec ticker ads), and Aston Bands, giving advertisers creative flexibility. By bundling these services, SmartAds makes media buying easy. Their online platform even allows clients to log in, browse channel rates, and customize media plans to budget – a transparency not typical of legacy agencies.
Importantly, SmartAds keeps pace with new trends. They offer Connected TV packages and programmatic video buying, ensuring clients don’t miss the CTV boom. For example, a SmartAds campaign could target households on Samsung smart TVs for a product launch, using first-party data segments. The agency integrates these buys alongside digital video placements on YouTube or streaming apps. Their multi-channel expertise means a client’s TV campaign is designed hand-in-hand with its online video campaign. This holistic approach boosts efficiency: fewer overlaps, more consistent messaging, and better total ROI.
Customer experiences back this up. Brands working with SmartAds report reaching millions of viewers in Tier-II towns at a fraction of metro costs, thanks to SmartAds’s cable-TV buying. FMCG clients cite how SmartAds’s pan-India planning increased brand recall in rural areas. Telecom and tech clients appreciate SmartAds’s data-driven insights on optimal channel mix (e.g. balancing national vs local channels) and transparency in media spend. In SmartAds’s words, “Smart ideas for your brand are available at SmartAds.IN” – emphasizing creative media solutions, not just ad placement.
By combining seasoned media buying with digital capabilities, SmartAds turns television advertising into a modern, measurable marketing tool. They help clients answer questions like: How many GRPs will I get for my budget in North India?, Should I book Hindi GEC or target Tamil GEC for a southern campaign?, and What percent of spend should go to CTV vs linear TV?. SmartAds’s experts use industry benchmarks (like TAM/GEC trends) together with SmartAds’s own platform data to fine-tune these decisions. The result is impactful TV campaigns that complement digital efforts, exactly what today’s advertisers demand.
Television continues to be a powerhouse in India’s advertising mix. From national Hindi channels to regional networks, from classic broadcast to Connected TV, TV advertising in India is evolving but still delivering unmatched reach and brand-building value. Marketers should leverage current trends – regional language engagement, data-driven CTV buys, and integrated video strategies – to stay ahead. For brands seeking expert guidance, partnering with SmartAds.in can make all the difference. With its data-led media buying, creative services and cross-platform integration, SmartAds helps you navigate TV media buying in India effectively. Whether you’re launching a product nationwide or targeting vernacular markets, SmartAds’s team ensures your commercials air on the right Indian TV channels at the right time and price.
Ready to amplify your brand on India’s screens? Contact SmartAds.in today to plan a customized TV campaign. Harness the enduring impact of television with SmartAds’s innovative solutions – and watch your reach and ROI soar in both traditional and emerging video formats.
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