GEC ad volumes plunge by 6% in H1 2024: TAM AdEx report

A report from TAM Adex indicates that general entertainment channel (GEC) advertising volumes fell by 6% in the first half of 2024 compared to the same period in 2023. Despite this decline, the 'Hindi GEC' category maintained its dominance as the leading advertising genre, accounting for 24% of the total ad volumes during both January-June 2024 and the same period last year.

The TAM AdEx survey was conducted to understand the GEC advertising trends in comparison to the previous half yearly period (January to June 2023) as well as channel genres and top spenders across categories, advertisers and brands.

It found that the top five GEC channel genres accounted for more than 65% of ad volumes during both January-June 2024 and January-June 2023, with 'Hindi GEC' remaining the dominant genre. Over 33,000 brands were present on television in the first half this year. Half of the top 10 brands came from Hindustan Unilever (HUL), with the remaining four from 'Reckitt'.

Over 125 categories saw positive growth during this period. In total, more than 3,300 brands were present on television, with HUL leading GEC advertising. Glaxo Smithkline emerged as a new entrant in the top 10, and 'Harpic Power Plus 10x Advanced' was the most advertised brand.

The top ten advertisers together contributed 63% of GEC ad volumes in January-June 2024. ITC, Nestle India, and Glaxo Smithkline improved their rankings, with the latter moving up four spots to join the top ten.

The 'BFSI' sector entered the top 10 list of advertising sectors for the first time in the first half of 2024. The food and beverage sector led with a 31% share, followed by personal care and personal hygiene at 21%.

'Toilet soaps' topped the product categories, claiming a 9% share. The 'milk beverages' category experienced the most significant growth, with ad seconds increasing by 19%.