Print retains festive retail relevance as English-daily ad revenue rises 3.83%

Festive spending from FMCG, mobiles, financial services and jewellery is supporting print advertising. English dailies gained agency-ad share, while newspaper groups are broadening their mix through digital, outdoor and events.

— Source publishedThu, 24 Sept, 2026, 23:27 IST·First seen Thu, 24 Sept, 2026, 23:39 IST·Source ET Small Business

What happened

The Times of India · Indian print advertising remains resilient, supported by festive-season spending in FMCG, mobiles, financial services and retail jewellery.

Key facts

  • English-daily advertising revenue rose 3.83% to ₹3,590 crore
  • English dailies' agency advertising share increased to 43.9% from 42.02%
  • Indian-language dailies recorded ₹4,545 crore versus ₹4,718 crore in 2024
  • INS members reported ₹14,774 crore in advertising business in 2025 versus ₹15,316 crore in 2024

What changed

Indian print advertising remains resilient, supported by festive-season spending in FMCG, mobiles, financial services and retail jewellery. English dailies gained agency-ad share, while publishers diversify into digital, outdoor advertising and events.

Why this matters

Use festive print demand to sell integrated print, digital, outdoor and event packages, targeting high-spend categories such as FMCG, mobiles, financial services and jewellery.

What to watch

  • Festive ad-volume growth and ad-rate increases in October-November editions.
  • Whether English-daily agency-ad share sustains above 43.9% after the festive cycle.
  • Publisher disclosures on digital, outdoor and events revenue growth versus print advertising.
  • Retail sales trends in jewellery, mobiles, consumer durables and FMCG during festival periods.
  • QR scans, offer redemptions, branded-search lift and store-footfall attributable to print campaigns.