Vi cuts Ad and content spend to ₹500 cr, sharpest drop in content budget
In contrast, Vi marginally increased its spending on core advertising and business promotion, which rose from ₹227.8 crore in FY24 to ₹267.9 crore in FY25.
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Vodafone Idea Limited (Vi), one of India’s struggling telecom operators, curtailed its spending on advertising, business promotion, and content to ₹500 crore in the financial year ended March 31, 2025, down from ₹564.7 crore in the previous fiscal. This ₹64.7 crore cut reflects the company’s ongoing efforts to optimize costs amid a capital-intensive turnaround strategy.
The sharpest reduction was seen in content costs, which fell by over ₹104 crore—from ₹336.9 crore in FY24 to ₹232.1 crore in FY25. In contrast, Vi marginally increased its spending on core advertising and business promotion, which rose from ₹227.8 crore in FY24 to ₹267.9 crore in FY25. This move signals the company’s intent to maintain brand visibility despite financial constraints.
Despite its constrained finances, Vodafone Idea continued with high-impact campaigns. Its flagship brand campaign “Be Someone’s We (V!)”, launched in September 2024, was prominently featured during marquee events like the Cricket World Cup and IPL 2025. These campaigns aimed to emotionally connect with consumers and strengthen brand recall, particularly in urban and youth segments.
Vi also invested in digital engagement strategies, including partnerships with platforms such as Spotify, Snapchat, and Yuvaa. The “Run Mahotsav” initiative on the Vi App gamified user engagement to drive daily usage, especially among young audiences. These initiatives were closely budgeted, reflecting the company's strategy of achieving high engagement without extravagant spends.
Telecom major Vodafone Idea Limited reported a narrowing of its net losses for the financial year ended March 31, 2025, backed by strategic fund-raising, a revival in network investments, and a steady improvement in operational metrics.
For FY25, the company posted a total revenue of ₹43,570 crore, up 2.2% year-on-year, as it witnessed growth in both prepaid and postpaid customer segments, aided by steady tariff hikes and data-led usage. Cash EBITDA also rose sharply to ₹9,200 crore, reflecting a 9.5% annual increase, underlining continued operational efficiency.
Looking ahead, the company expressed optimism that continued network investments, expanding 5G rollout, and its “digital-first” strategy — including content platforms such as Vi Movies & TV and Vi Games — will help improve profitability and customer engagement.
