India’s radio advertising volume grew 1.2% in January–July 2026 compared with the same period in 2025, according to TAM AdEx. The medium’s ad volumes were also 5% higher than January–July 2024, suggesting that radio continues to find a stable place in advertiser budgets even as digital dominates headlines.
The report, based on ad secondages from more than 122 radio stations in association with RCS India, shows that the growth story is not just a metro one. It is being driven by a mix of established categories, regional markets and new brands entering the audio medium.
Where the ad money is moving
Services remained the top sector, while the top 10 sectors accounted for nearly 92% of all radio ad volumes. Personal Healthcare entered the top 10 this year. Properties/Real Estate continued to lead categories with a 17% share and 20% category growth.
High-growth categories show where advertisers are betting on radio for reach and frequency:
- Edible Oil: +92%
- Digestives: +82%
- Life Insurance: +79%
- Range of OTC Products: +66%
- Corporate–NBFCs: +64%
- Anywhere Banking: six-fold increase
More than 140 categories registered positive ad volume growth during the period, a signal that radio’s appeal extends well beyond the usual local retail and real estate advertisers.
Advertisers and brands reshuffle
Maruti Suzuki India retained the top advertiser spot. Three of the top 10 advertisers were new entrants, while SBS Biotech was among those moving up the rankings. The brand list reveals a similar shift: more than 7,500 brands advertised on radio, and the top 10 brands accounted for 11% of total volumes. Vimal Pan Masala led the brand table, ahead of Muthoot Financial Enterprises, Maruti Suzuki Arena, SBI, Gaana.com, Pet Saffa, Maruti Suzuki e Vitara, Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara, LIC Bima Lakshmi and Dr Ortho Range of Products. Three brands in the top 10 were new entrants.
Geographic and daypart patterns
Radio ad volumes remain concentrated in key states and cities, but the city list shows strong non-metro activity. Gujarat led states with a 17% share, followed by Maharashtra at 15%; the top five states contributed 61% of volumes. Jaipur was the top city, ahead of Nagpur, Indore, New Delhi, Surat, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Lucknow and Bhopal. The top 10 cities together accounted for 63%.
Timing matters as much as market selection. Evening captured 38% of ad volumes, afternoon 32%, morning 28% and night 2%. The morning-evening combination drove 70% of total volumes.
What media planners should watch
The format mix confirms that short, high-frequency messaging dominates radio. Ads of 20–40 seconds accounted for 66% of volumes, below-20-second spots added 28%, while 45–60-second and 60+ second commercials contributed just 4% and 2% respectively.
For marketers, the report offers a simple planning lens: pick the right market mix because tier-2 and tier-3 cities are clearly active, use the 20–40 second creative sweet spot, and concentrate buys in morning and evening dayparts. The growing categories around financial services, OTC and food staples indicate that radio can carry both brand-building and response-oriented campaigns when placed carefully.
Source: MediaNews4U
