According to a recently released Pitch Madison report, April and May were the worst months for Indian advertising expenditure. However, June onwards brands have increased ad spends and the outlook is positive for the second half of 2020.
While advertising this year has taken a hit due to coronavirus, brands are showing a strong comeback. One category that was most resilient in times of COVID-19 has been FMCG. Along with FMCG, brands from other categories have spent across mediums on advertising. At rank number one on the list of top 10 advertisers is Hindustan Unilever. The advertiser spent Rs 1,300 to Rs 1,500 crore in H1 2020. (Image: HUL)
FMCG as a category saw its share going up to 38 percent in 2020 so far, up from 33 percent in the full year 2019. So, it doesn't come as a surprise that on the second position is another FMCG brand that became a top spender in advertising in the first half of 2020. A distant second, P&G spent Rs 250 to Rs 350 crore. (Image: P&G)
Reckitt Benckiser jumped eight ranks from last year and in H1 2020 took the third spot. This brand also spent around Rs 250 to Rs 350 crore. (Image: Reuters)
E-commerce as a category has spent Rs 813 crore in the first half of 2020. One company from this category, Amazon Online India, took the fourth spot on the top 10 advertisers' list with ad spend in the range of Rs 250 to Rs 350 crore. (Image: Amazon)
While auto as a category has seen a sharp fall in terms of overall contribution to advertising expenditure, Maruti Suzuki retained its last year's position at rank five with ad spend in the range of Rs 200 to Rs 250 crore. (Image: Moneycontrol)
Cadburys India jumped 10 positions from rank 16 in 2019 to rank 6 in H1 2020 with ad spend in the range of Rs 150 to Rs 200 crore. (Image: Moneycontrol)
Glaxo Smithkline has jumped 15 positions from last year, from rank 22 to rank 7 with ad spend of Rs 150 to Rs 200 crore. (Image: GSK)
ITC jumped five positions from rank 13 to rank 8 with ad spend in the range of Rs 150 to Rs 200 crore. (Image: Moneycontrol)
Colgate Palmolive India spent Rs 100 to Rs 150 crore in H1 2020 and stood at rank 9. (Image: Moneycontrol)
Godrej Consumer Products spent Rs 100 to Rs 150 crore in H1 2020. (Image: Moneycontrol)