TV ad volume saw 11% drop in 2025
As per a TAM Report, with a 21% share food and beverages was the largest advertising sector on TV, followed by personal care and hygiene at 15%
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Has AI moved beyond assisting commerce to controlling purchase decisions?
Industry watchers are unanimous that for brands, visibility alone is no longer the battleground; it is now about remaining distinct and preferred inside systems designed to optimise outcomes
Rs 644 crore in FY25: Government ad spends underscore Print’s power
In the Union Budget 2024-25, the Government of India allocated Rs 1,089 crore for information and publicity
Two authorities, one industry: India’s broadcast rules stuck in limbo
While the TRAI frames itself as the guardian of consumer interest and market order, the MIB retains control over licensing, policy framing and final rule-making
Why kids’ care is rewriting premium marketinge4m
Premiumisation in kids’ care has moved beyond products to become a lifestyle choice, reshaping how Indian families spend across education, wellness, clothing and everyday life
India needed an operating system for growth: Vivek Das as Madison launches MbrAIn
Vivek Das, Chief Digital Officer of Madison Media Group, says that the launch of MbrAIn addresses gaps in media planning, helping brands drive growth with an AI-powered, full-funnel strategy
Do music companies’ studio stakes signal a reconfiguration of entertainment value chain?
From Universal’s stake in Excel to Saregama’s bet on Bhansali, labels are moving upstream—reshaping how content is financed, discovered and monetised
12-min TV ad cap ruling soon: Broadcasters call for forbearance
Industry watchers have suggested that a compromise ruling is a possibility; court could allow slight flexibility for channels or offer exemptions for specific types of programming
Is digital’s rise rewriting the very role of advertising?
As people, creators and AI shape belief earlier in the journey, advertising is being repositioned—from persuasion engine to trust amplifier: marketers and advertising leaders tell e4m
Uniqlo India puts media account up for pitch
The mandate is currently with Mindshare, which came on board in 2019 when the brand entered India
Aim to make Chetak top-selling E-scooter in India, abroad: Rishabh Bajaj & Sumeet Narang
Bajaj Auto’s General Manager Rishabh Bajaj and President – Marketing, Sumeet Narang, spoke to e4m on the strategy behind the newly launched Chetak C25 & more
Demand revival, policy stability & GST relief: What brands want from Budget 2026
Industry leaders are also calling for higher infrastructure spending, stronger credit support for MSMEs, and targeted incentives to improve competitiveness
Pongal Playbook: How have media spends evolved for the year’s first festival?
Experts note that while the key shift this year is towards measurability and screen-led planning, there is cautious optimism in advertiser sentiment
Mona Jain to exit Pankaj Krishna’s venture, take on leadership role in big organisation
Jain has in the past worked with ABP Network and Zee Media
Publicis, Initiative Dominate: What 2025’s global media pitch battles signal for 2026
Initiative emerges as the world’s top most agency network, delivering $2.1 billion in total new business in last 3 quarters, as per a COMvergence report
Budget Wishlist: Broadcasters pitch GST cut on TV, OTT subscriptions to revive demand
According to sources, a broadcasters’ body has urged the government to reduce GST on subscriptions across cable television and OTT platforms from the current 18 % to 5%
Airtel Business names Shreyas Mehrotra as CMO & Head of Digital Sales
Before this promotion, Shreyas Mehrotra served as Marketing Head at Airtel Business
Maha civic polls: Parties spend nearly Rs 5 crore on Google & Meta ads
BJP emerged as the largest spender by a wide margin, investing Rs 2.33 crore across 685 ads
Sumanta Datta steps down as CEO of ABP Network
Datta is leaving after a short tenure of one year
Karen Ngui to exit as Head of Group Strategic Marketing & Communications at DBS Bank
Prior to joining DBS Bank, Karen Ngui worked at Standard Chartered Bank
Why Indian startups are choosing execution over acceleration
Investors are backing execution-led sectors, from deep tech and enterprise software to healthcare and Bharat-focused fintech, note industry pundits
Are brands tipping the scale from moment marketing to storytelling?
Story-driven communication, marketers say, allows brands to articulate purpose, values, and product relevance more clearly, building familiarity and trust over time
Red Bull India puts Rs 80–90 crore integrated media mandate up for pitch
The account spans end-to-end media planning and buying across digital and traditional platforms; incumbent agency is Wavemaker
WPL 2026 sponsorship spends may hit Rs 130 cr: No longer a ‘test’ match for brands?
A wide spectrum of brands has lined up behind the WPL this season, cutting across FMCG, automotive, consumer durables, BFSI, technology, lifestyle and home-improvement categories
First Kolhapuri chappals, now chai perfume: Prada turns to India for inspiration again
The perfume retails for $190 which is approx Rs 17,000
BCCI hands Tata WPL 2026 ceremonies and match entertainment mandate to Laqshya Media Group
Laqshya Media Group will orchestrate the entire spectator experience across all 22 matches
Why are news channels tuning into live concerts?
News broadcasters are looking at live events as brand extensions rather than immediate P&L drivers, offering visibility, audience engagement and cross-platform value, share experts
In India’s beauty bazaar, smarter marketing is replacing higher spends
The shift, industry experts say, is from priced premium to perceived premium, where marketing, storytelling, and experience do the heavy lifting
Paramount Skydance defends Warner Bros Discovery bid with ‘greater value’ promise
In its argument, Paramount has said that the cable business at the centre of Netflix’s proposal holds little to no standalone value
Sony’s organisational rejig plan sparks layoff buzz
SPNI India is expected to announce an organisational rejig this month, with sources indicating that up to 180 to 200 roles could be impacted as part of a cost rationalisation exercise
Mitul Sangani steps down as CEO of News18 Digital
Sangani, who took charge as CEO – News18 Digital in April 2025, has been one of the key architects of Network18’s digital news business over the last several years
Rs 250–300 cr dues, no access: Broadcasters flag one-way media trade as B’desh blocks IPL
Broadcasters say that even as Bangladeshi sports continue to be monetised in India, Indian TV channels and IPL remain inaccessible in Bangladesh, reflecting a cross-border media rights imbalance
Meesho elevates Milan Partani as General Manager – Commerce Platform
Prior to the elevation, Milan Partani was General Manager - User Growth and Content Commerce
Hall of Ads: Fogg Border - The deodorant campaign that became a catchphrase
From its early humorous storytelling in 2015 to commanding attention during the IPL in 2023, Fogg’s iconic ‘chal raha hai’ campaigns transformed a deodorant tagline into a national catchphrase
Kenvue appoints Madhav Nayak as Vice President & Chief Marketing Officer for Asia-Pacific
Prior to this appointment, Madhav Nayak was associated with Yum! Brands
Siddharth Shekhar promoted to Director, LCS at Google India
In his expanded role, Siddharth Shekhar will oversee government and public sector, BFSI, education and automotive sectors
India’s media & entertainment sector projected to expand to Rs 3.07 trillion by 2027: TRAI
According to TRAI Annual Report 2024–25, the country has approximately 60 million cable TV households, around 2 million HITS subscribers, and 56.92 million active DTH subscribers as of 31 March, 2025
From moment marketing to core strategy: The rise of fastvertising
Fastvertising is real-time marketing that joins live cultural moments with relevance, letting brands earn attention rather than buy it in a market of scarce focus
Three decades, one industry: The professional legacy of Avinash Kaul
Avinash Kaul's next move is not known but it is believed he has been approached by large media and tech players to lead their operations and also to serve on the board of these large enterprises
Why are production houses opening their doors to strategic capital?
From hit-driven businesses to IP-led studios, content producers are reworking their financial playbooks as costs rise, revenues fragment and global ambitions sharpen
MIB seeks industry inputs on boosting indigenous manufacturing in M&E
As per the ministry, the country’s broadcasting and media ecosystem is heavily dependent on imported equipment, leading to significant foreign exchange outflow and limited self-reliance
WPP launches Agent Hub on AI marketing platform - WPP Open
Agent Hub has been launched with a curated set of ‘Super Agents’
How brands revived Bollywood iconic pairs in 2025
This strategy is not new, but its renewed visibility in 2024 and 2025 points to a larger shift
Why DPDP makes old loyalty data harder to love in 2026
DPDP does not mandate mass deletion of old customer data but introduces purpose limitation, retention boundaries, and consent standards - marketers need to find a way around this, and fast
Lumio appoints Varun Nair as Head of Marketing
He joins Lumio after serving as Head of Brand Marketing at POCO India
Rs 2.5 lakh a month or nothing at all: What actually determines creator earnings?
Industry observers say that creators who approached gigs like a business, with structure and planning, saw sustainable growth, but those chasing only virality may have struggled with consistency
The 10-minute question: Why gig worker protests matter to quick commerce advertisers
The strikes have revived a deeper debate around the Q-commerce model and exposed a more fragile fault line: dependence on speed not just as a consumer hook, but as an advertising engine
Will 2026 formalise the creator economy?
As influencer marketing enters 2026, the industry is confronting a paradox. While creator supply continues to expand, tolerance for surface-level influence is rapidly shrinking
Senior journalist Amitabh Agnihotri to move on from TV9 Network
Amitabh Agnihotri will be launching a new media venture
Santoor: The soap that didn’t wash away its identity
Santoor, according to parent company Wipro Consumer Care, has emerged as India’s largest soap brand, clocking an estimated revenue of Rs 2,850 crore in 2025