Digital grabs 63% of ecomm ad spends in 2024; print, TV drop over 50%: Excellent Publicity report

While the overall ad spends saw a downturn, digital media emerged as the clear winner, capturing 63% of the total e-commerce advertising budget, reveals a report by ad tech agency Excellent Publicity. Though digital ad spends dropped by 37%, this was significantly lower compared to the sharper declines seen in traditional media.

Excellent Publicity unveiled the report analyzing advertising trends in the e-commerce sector, based on recent media campaign data and insights from TAM Media Research Pvt Ltd.

As per the report, Amazon Online India led the digital space with a 23% share, followed by Karma Shopping at 17%. Over 10,000 exclusive digital advertisers were active in 2024, with Facebook and X absorbing 39% and 26% of ad spends respectively. Display ads dominated the format with a 74% share, while video ads contributed 26%. Digital also stood out for its consistent performance across weekdays and seasons, unlike traditional platforms.

Vaishal Dalal, Co-founder of Excellent Publicity, said, “The E-commerce industry is strategically balancing traditional and digital platforms. While traditional media like print and radio remain effective for local reach, digital's rise demonstrates its value in targeting tech-savvy consumers. Future campaigns will likely see deeper integration between the two to maximize impact."

Print ad spends cut in half

Print advertising faced a 52% decline in ad spends. Still, Amazon Online India maintained a strong presence, accounting for 25% of the total print ad budget. According to the report, the North Zone led with a 36% regional share, and 62% of print ads appeared on front pages, highlighting a premium placement strategy.

The report further highlighted that sales promotions were the primary content, with discount and multiple promotions each contributing 49%. The festive period (August–November) saw the highest print activity, especially on weekends. Interestingly, the top 10 advertisers in Print accounted for a whopping 91% of all spends.

What's on TV?

Television advertising suffered the most dramatic decline, with ad spends falling 66% compared to previous years. Despite the slump, Amazon Online India continued to lead, holding a 38% share of TV ad expenditures.

Per the report, General Entertainment Channels (GECs) commanded 41% of the ad spend, followed by Sports and Movie channels. Prime Time remained the most preferred time slot. Interestingly, ad volumes peaked between April and July, marking a departure from traditional festive peaks seen in prior years.

Celebrity endorsements remained strong drivers of TV campaigns. Notedly, Sara Ali Khan and Alia Bhatt were leading faces, endorsing Shopsy App and Flipkart.com respectively, contributing 16% and 13% to overall ad volumes.

Radio follows the downtrend

Radio faced a 66% drop in advertising investment compared to 2022. Still, Reliance Retail (20%) and Amazon Online India (19%) emerged as top advertisers. Radio Mirchi topped the list as the most preferred station.

Geographically, the North (37%) and South (32%) Zones dominated ad placements. Unlike other platforms, radio advertising saw a clear preference for weekdays, with the highest volumes recorded from September to November.

Furthermore, the report stated that despite the shift toward digital, traditional media platforms still saw stronger ad volumes on weekends. Print and radio remained heavily influenced by the festive calendar, with the August–November period being especially active.