Amazon leads multi-channel ad spend in e-commerce for 2024 with 38% for TV
Excellent Publicity has released a report on advertising trends within the e-commerce sector, based on data from recent media campaigns and insights from TAM Media Research Pvt Ltd. The study highlights a noticeable shift in platform preferences, with brands increasingly turning to digital media to generate immediate consumer engagement.
Ad spends across traditional media Print, TV, and Radio witnessed sharp declines. Print ad spends dropped by 52%, with Amazon Online India leading at 25%. The North Zone dominated with a 36% share, and 62% of ads appeared on front pages. In TV, ad spends fell by 66%, yet Amazon maintained dominance with a 38% share. General Entertainment Channels (GECs) led with 41% of ad spends, followed by Sports and Movie channels. Prime Time remained the preferred time slot for ad placements.
Radio advertising also dropped significantly by 66% in 2024 vs. 2022. Reliance Retail (20%) and Amazon Online India (19%) emerged as top advertisers. Radio Mirchi was the most preferred station, with North and South Zones contributing 37% and 32% of ad spends, respectively. Ads were more frequent on weekdays, with peaks between September and November.
Digital advertising saw a relatively smaller decline of 37% and has now become the dominant advertising medium, capturing 63% of the total ad spends in the E-commerce space. Amazon Online India led with a 23% share, followed by Karma Shopping at 17%. Digital had over 10,000 exclusive advertisers in 2024, with Facebook.com and X.com commanding 39% and 26% of the ad spend, respectively. Display ads accounted for 74%, and video ads 26%. Unlike traditional media, digital advertising maintained consistency throughout the week without a strong seasonal spike.
Celebrity-driven campaigns played a significant role in TV ads, with Sara Ali Khan and Alia Bhatt being the most prominent endorsers for Shopsy App and Flipkart.com, accounting for 16% and 13% of ad volumes, respectively. TV ad volumes were highest between April and July, shifting from earlier seasonal peaks seen in previous years, Sept–Nov in 2023 and Feb–June in 2022. Weekend advertising was notably stronger across all traditional platforms.
Sales promotions dominated Print, with both Discount and Multiple Promotions contributing 49% each. Advertising was most prominent during the festive season (Aug–Nov), primarily on weekends. The top 10 Print advertisers together accounted for 91% of the total spends. In radio, regional variation showed the North Zone leading, and a steady weekday preference for ad placements.
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.
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