The figure for television and press was up 54 per cent from the year
before. Substantial adspend increases were also recorded by
second-placed Coca-Cola India, $91.5 million, up 43 per cent; and
Paras Pharmaceuticals, $57 million, up 54 per cent.
Coke emerged as the top spender in its product category with a budget of
$34.3 million followed by Pepsi with a spend of $31
million.
Gowri Arun, media development manager at Media Direction, said the higher spend was due to higher media costs as well as the increasing reach of media owners.
"The reach of cable and satellite television continues to increase its coverage to more and more towns and villages. The reach of television varies from 84.7 per cent in towns with populations above one million to 32.7 per cent in villages with populations below 1,000, which is quite substantial,
said Gowri.
She also pointed out the recent trend of joint promotions, such as Coca-Cola India giving away Britannia's Good Day biscuits, which helped push adspend higher.
