Print ad space in South India up 2% in H1 vs 5% nationwide

Publications in South India witnessed a 2% growth in ad space during the first half of 2024, falling short of the 5% growth nationwide over the same period in 2023. The TAM AdEx report on Print Advertising in South India, shared exclusively with e4m, further highlights that over 37,000 brands advertised in print in South India in the Jan-June 2024 period.

With the region celebrating Onam last quarter, an uptick in demand for ads was seen among key sectors. “This quarter, retail, electronics, and auto have been the leading sectors leveraging print ads to maximize reach and visibility,” said Devika Shreyams Kumar, Director - Operations, Mathrubhumi Group. She added that it indicates advertiser confidence in print to reach the target audiences during high consumer spending festive seasons.

“Both regional and national brands have shown strong ad spending this quarter, with regional brands mainly capitalizing on local festivals and tailored promotions to enhance engagement,” she added. 

According to the TAM AdEx report, six among the top 10 brands that have advertised in print in South India belonged to the retail sector. 

Highlighting the reliance of the retail sector on print, Varghese Chandy, Vice President - Marketing & Advertising Sales, Malayala Manorama said, “Retail is the most active category for print, which is mainly driven by immediate response.”

However, according to sources, there has been a significant decrease in corporate spending over the years, which has trickled down to retail players opting for print ads. A prominent jewellery brand from South India has decreased its ad spends for print, diverting them instead to TV, OOH and online. Though the medium remains crucial for the sector, ad spends and ad volumes in this sector have gone down considerably.

Nevertheless, given the larger macroeconomic factors, stable growth is good.

In the first half of 2024, 230+ categories of advertisers registered positive growth in print ad space in South India. To attract more advertisers and boost revenue, publishers are putting their best foot forward with innovative ad offerings. Malayala Manorama has seen an increase in interest for jacket ads and full-page ads among advertisers. 

Mathrubhumi is introducing themed supplements, special editions, and packages tied to key events. “These initiatives provide advertisers with high-impact options that align with consumer interest and seasonal demand,” said Kumar, adding that it reinforces print as a valuable medium in South India. 

While ‘Education’ maintained its position as the top advertiser, ‘Telecom Products’ was a new entrant in the Top 10 Sectors for print in South India. Other prominent sectors included Auto, Retail, Services, Banking/Finance/Investment, Personal Accessories, Durables, Food & Beverages and Personal Healthcare. The report also mentioned that the top 5 sectors accounted for more than 65% of ad space in print. 

Among leading advertisers from South India, Reliance Retail and Maruti Suzuki India remained at the top position for the first halves of 2023 and 2024. The top 10 advertisers contributed 14% of ad space in print. These included: Samsung India Electronics, LIC of India, Hero Motorcorp, Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India, Casagrand Builder, Nspira Management Services, Electronics Mart India and Poorvika Mobiles. 

Narayana IIT JEE/NEET/Foundation was the top brand in print during the first half of 2024, followed by Joy Alukkas Jewellery. Other top brands included: Bajaj Electronics, Aakash Medical/IIT-JEE/Foundation, Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, Reliance Trends, Sathya, Poorvika Mobile World, Reliance Digital and Girias. 

A language-wise slice of ad publication volume, as recorded by The Pitch Madison Advertising Report for 2024, indicated that Telugu publishers contributed 6% to the total print advertising space consumed in India in 2023. Kannada and Tamil publishers contributed 5% each and Malayalam publishers 4%. 

The Pitch Madison report also predicted print to grow by 7% and cross Rs 20,000 Crore in 2024, surpassing the pre-Covid 2019 figures. In the year so far, the ad rates have been mostly stable. 

Sharing insights into the print ad rates in South India, Dinesh Rathod, CEO, Madison Media Omega said, “The print rates have been flat. In the short term, the rates are likely to continue at similar levels. If the macros do not improve for a longish period, then is a possibility of rate correction.”

Looking ahead to 2025, the publishers in South India predict stable ad rates, supported by consistent demand across sectors.