Key Findings:
· 56% of Print Advertising on 15th August carried the I-Day theme
· 7% of the Advertising spends in Print during the first fortnight of August 2004 was accounted for by I-Day Special advertising.
· Corporate/Brand Image was the Top Category on I-Day Advertising during this period. An advertisement is classified under the Corporate/Brand Image category when the ad promotes the Company as a whole, or is a brand building exercise where no particular Product or Service is advertised. (For e.g., an ad for a Company wishing the people on Independence Day would be classified under the Corporate/Brand Image category)
· Sahara India was the Top Advertiser on I-Day Advertising for the first Fortnight of August 2004.

August marks the beginning of the festive season in India. We at AdEx India will be identifying each and every Print creative as being Festival specific or a normal advertisement. First in line, is this year's Independence Day. Any Print Ad having any message or image relating to Independence Day would be tapped as an Independence Day special.

It would be interesting to see what was the share of I-Day Advertising in all advertising on 15th August 2004. Take a look at the below pie.

The pie indicates that 56% of advertising on 15th August this Year was Independence Day specific.

Usually, one doesn't see quite a lot of build up of I-Day Advertising in Print a few days before the occasion like in Diwali or other festivals. Most of the Advertising happens on the 15th of August itself, mainly in the form of Greetings/Wishes by Advertisers. Let's check this out for this year.

The graph overwhelmingly confirms the fact that majority of I-Day advertising happens on I-Day itself. This year nearly 80% of I-Day advertising happened on the 15th of August.

Let's now look at the share of Independence Day Advertising for the First Fortnight of August 2004.

The graph shows that 7% of the Advertising during the First Fortnight of August was I-Day advertising.

Which were the Top Categories on I-Day Advertising in Print this year? The table below has the answers.

Not surprisingly, Corporate Advertising makes up for 28% of the I-Day Advertising making it the Top Category. An advertisement is classified under the Corporate/Brand Image category when the ad promotes the Company as a whole, or is a brand building exercise where no particular Product or Service is advertised. (For e.g., an ad for a Company wishing the people on Independence Day would be classified under the Corporate/Brand Image category)
Properties/Real Estates and Cars/Jeep follow at the 2nd and 3rd positions with a share in advertising of 6% and 4% respectively. Interestingly, the Top 10 categories contribute more than 50% to I-Day advertising.

Finally, let's take a look at the Top Advertisers for this Independence Day.

The Top Advertiser for I-Day Advertising during the first fortnight of August was Sahara India with a 7% share in I-Day advertising. KVIC (Khadi & Village Industries Commission) and Maruti Udyog Ltd are at the 2nd & 3rd positions with a 5% and 4% share in I-Day Advertising respectively. Three telecom companies, TATA Teleservices, Aircel Ltd and BSNL feature at the 5th, 6th and 8th positions respectively.

We shall come out with similar analyses for all the forthcoming festivals. Keep Watching...!

(Analysis from AdEx India- A Division of TAM Media Research)