Mumbai: The Indian auto industry ramped up its advertising spend significantly in 2024, according to the latest TAM AdEx Cross Media Advertising Recap – Auto Sector report. With consistent growth across TV, print, radio, and digital platforms, the sector reaffirmed its aggressive push for consumer attention in a recovering and competitive market.
Cross-Media Growth Driven by Two-Wheelers and Cars
The report highlights that ad volumes across media channels surged past pre-pandemic benchmarks. Two-wheelers and cars continued to dominate as top advertising categories, reflecting strong consumer interest and brand rivalry.
Television Advertising: Prime Time and Two-Wheelers Lead
Television ad volumes grew by 7% over 2020 and 18% over 2022, with the final quarter of 2024 seeing a sharp 40% increase over Q1. Two-wheelers claimed 44% of TV ad volume, led by TVS Motor Company and Honda Shine, which emerged as the most advertised brand. News and movie channels dominated with 63% and 16% ad volume shares, respectively.
“The Indian consumer’s growing interest in two-wheelers is clearly reflected in television advertising trends,” the report noted.
Print: Cars Rule the Pages
Print ad space surged 27% over 2020, with cars (50%) and two-wheelers (41%) being the most advertised categories. Maruti Suzuki India was the top advertiser with a 16% share. The North zone and Hindi publications were the leading regions and languages, respectively. Print promotions remained robust, with 62% of space dedicated to sales-led messaging.
Radio: Maruti Suzuki Dominates Airwaves
Radio advertising volumes jumped 2.57x compared to 2020. Cars accounted for 69% of ad volumes, with Maruti Suzuki again leading the advertiser pack with a 26% share. Gujarat was the most active state, and Maruti Suzuki Arena was the top brand advertised on radio.
Digital: Impressions Skyrocket
Digital advertising impressions witnessed an explosive 20x growth from 2020 levels, with continued momentum across quarters. Cars took the lead with 55% share, followed by two-wheelers (26%). Maruti Suzuki India was the top advertiser in the digital space, while Hyundai Motor India led in brand-specific campaigns. Programmatic advertising emerged as the dominant mode, accounting for 89% of all impressions.
“The rapid scale of programmatic advertising shows how automation is reshaping digital strategies in the auto space,” the report said.
The data clearly positioned Maruti Suzuki India as the undisputed leader across TV, print, radio, and digital, consistently appearing as the top advertiser across formats.
The report underscores the Indian auto industry’s aggressive marketing stance across platforms, driven by innovation, regional customization, and strategic use of prime time and high-dwell formats. With digital and regional channels gaining momentum, brands are increasingly adopting a multi-touchpoint strategy to stay top-of-mind in a rapidly evolving consumer landscape.
