I n d I a n

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survey

IndIan MedIa Buyers Forecast

In the past, there have been quite a few studies listing out media spends across industries and categories, most of them quite beneficial for the industry. However, when afaqs! spoke to several media and advertising practitioners, they wished for a study that could predict the future of spends. That is when afaqs! decided to take up the task. We commissioned IPSOS to conduct the study - Indian Media Buyers Forecast. The idea was that we would not predict actual numbers, but just help people understand the overall mood of the media planners and buyers to gauge the atmosphere. IPSOS connected with media planners and buyers which included top level executives from the leading media agencies who were asked whether media spends will increase or decrease in the coming month. Other questions included which media platform - television, print or radio - will see an increase or decrease, which sectors would spend more (or less) and which television channels are expected to see an increase or decrease in spends. To get a national perspective, interviews were done across four cities - Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru and Chennai. Forty one per cent of the respondents came from Mumbai, 33 per cent were from Delhi, 21 per cent from Bengaluru and 5 per cent from Chennai. The study was not restricted to the network agencies as the results would have skewed towards multinational brands. Respondents were also included from independent media agencies which handled large local brands. The ratio between the multinational and independent agencies is 85:15. This survey deals with predictions for the coming month. We sincerely hope that this study will help and guide the industry practitioners.

Research Partner

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mooD SWingS
The overall mood suggests that more planners are bullish about increased spends. Forty one per cent of the respondents believed that the media spends would increase vis-a-vis last month, while 32 per cent felt that it would remain the same. Only 27 per cent of the respondents said the spends might decrease. 15 11 1 6 16 32 19
Media spends will increase by more than 20% Media spends will increase by 10% to 20% Media spends will increase by less than 10% Media spends will remain same Media spends will decrease by less than 10% Media spends will decrease by 10% to 20% Media spends will decrease by more than 20%

aLL meDia
The positive outlook continued into television and print, 70 per cent and 67 per cent respectively, believed that media spends would increase or remain the same. For radio, the forecast is slightly dim as only 16 per cent opined it would go up, while 84 per cent were of the opinion that it would remain the same or decrease. 20 30 9 1 18 10 16 15 32 24 12 19 6 64 10 4 4 12

12

teLeviSion
All data in %

Print

raDio

whAt respondents

sAId

With fresh budgets in hand for the new quarter media expenditure is expected to go up in the coming month.

Companies are planning new launches and might increase their budget for media expenditure on the same.

neW LauncheS

comPany BuDgetS/ FinanciaLS

Monsoon effect will lead to increase in media expenditure for some categories.

Why they think SPenDS might increaSe

SeaSonaL FactorS

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moSt PreFerreD channeLS

Repondents were asked to name the television channels that would see an increase or decrease in revenue. The channels which are not mentioned here are those on which the respondents did not have any opinion. A major share of media expenditure is skewed towards entertainment channels like Sony and Star Plus. News channels like Aaj Tak, Times Now and NDTV 24X7 are also expected to do well in the coming month.

gecs
50 40 30 20 10 0 -10 -20

hinDi neWS
50 40

engLiSh neWS
50 40

52 38 27 20

30 20 10 0

25

30

20

25

19 11 9 9

20 10 0

21

20

-5
Sony Ent. TV

-11
Star Plus

-20
Colors

-11
Zee TV

-10 -20

-2

-4
ABP News

-2

-6
Zee News

-4
NDTV India

-7
IBN 7

-10 -20

-4
Times Now

-2

-2

NDTV 24X7

hinDi movieS
50 40 30 20 10 0 -10 -20

eng. movieS
50 40 30

kiDS
50 40

26

30

16

14

20

20 12 10 7 5

20 10 0

20 15 12 9 7 5

12

10 0

-9
Star Gold

-11
Zee Cinema

-10
Max

-10 -20

-10
Star Movies

-12
Movies Now

-12
HBO

-12
PIX

-9
UTV Movies

-11
Zee Studio

-10 -20

-12
Pogo TV

-9
CN

CNN IBN

Aaj Tak

India TV

-7
Disney Channel

-12
Nickelodeon

-12
Hungama TV

-11
Disney XD

youth
50 40 30 20 10 0 -10 -20

SPL. intereSt
50 40 30

More Preferred Less Preferred

21 15 6 -7
NGC

16

20

11

11

10

10 0

All data in %

-5
MTV

-5
Channel [V]

-6
9XM

-5
UTV Bindass

-10
Mastiii

-10 Discovery -20

-14

-11
History TV18

Note: Total does not add up to 100 because the respondents voted only for the channels they chose

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the Big SPenDerS

E-commerce was the top favourite as 69 per cent opined that spends from this category would increase. Another big surprise was OTC/Pharma where 50 per cent of respondents forecast an increase in spends. FMCG, PSUs and Durables were other favourites.

13 30 18 20 69 50

23

13 35 40 26
Increase Decrease Same

30

47

47

39

E-commerce (Base 16)

OTC/Pharma (Base 10)

FMCG (Base 47)

Govt./PSU (Base 15)

Consumer Durables (Base 23)

All data in %

whAt respondents
sAId
Media spends for most of the sectors may decline for two major reasons: companys media budgets being consumed by the IPL; and the monsoon.

A weak economy with a slowdown in production will result in a cautious economic environment leading to decrease in media spends in the coming month.

MethodoLoGY
The database of 141 mid-senior level people across large and small agencies was generated from four cities-Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Chennai. All these people were telephonically contacted and were requested to be part of the survey. About 104 people agreed to be part of the survey and they were sent an online questionnaire. The survey was conducted from 15th June to 29th June, 2012. For forecasting spends from different categories only those respondents who handled those sectors were considered, which is why the base is low for certain categories.

economic / macro environment

SeaSonaLity

Sales generally dip during this season putting pressure on margins which will result in decrease in media expenditure.

Why they think SPenDS might DecreaSe

comPany BuDgetS/ FinanciaLS