E-commerce ad-spends expected to go up this festive season: ASSOCHAM

The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM) announced their 2014 report which says that the corporates are planning to spend about 25-30% on advertising in this festive season as compared to the last year in consumer durables, electronics and auto taking the lead, but this change is expected in the e-commerce space ranging from higher sales in mobile telephones, shoes, apparel, gifts and electronic gadgets.

“Though the corporates are facing higher cost pressure due to high interest rates, rising raw material costs and wages, marketing expenses mainly through advertisements in television, newspapers and the social media have become unavoidable with the companies in the media sector becoming the main beneficiaries”, adds the survey.

The feedback received from the corporates in the market indicates that the marketing teams of the companies are engaged in the Business-to-Consumer (B2C) have already lined up plans for their ad campaigns which will begin from this month Navratras and run through Durga Puja, Diwali and right up to the end of the year till Christmas. “The period is also considered busy season for the Indian economy with the policy makers and the RBI expecting pickup in consumer spending  to rev up the overall GDP growth in the current Financial year to 5.5-6 per cent”. Said, D S Rawat, General Secretary, ASSOCHAM.

Corporates are hoping for a commensurate rise in their sales by increasing their ad spend up to 30 per cent this festive season and also thinking that the consumer confidence will return with the new Modi government taking incremental measures to boost the economy, adds the paper.

According to ASSOCHAM, big time and attractive discounts are expected from the main players in the e-commerce space in tie-up with the manufacturers of mobile handsets and other electronic gadgets. In the brick and mortar model, the companies engaged in manufacture of TV sets, washing machines, microwave ovens will do some hard sell.

"They will be required to really go for hard push since the consumer durables and consumer goods sector have not been performing well, as was clear in the June IIP numbers", said Rawat.

Seeking to build on robust sales in the past few months, supported by lesser excise duty, car manufacturers are expecting a real growth in sales, though they would need to spend more on their advertising and marketing costs, points out the paper.

At least 40 per cent of the ad budget of the corporates is typically earmarked for the busy season which coincides with the change of weather and several festivals. The rural market also remains in focus, though the response this year around may not be encouraging because of scanty rainfall.

“Some of the marketing schemes will come up bundled with financing options like interest free loans, easy EMIs and extended periods of warranties”, highlights the paper.

Nearly 69 per cent of the marketing heads said that companies see in the festive season a perfect time to advertise their products. Even as the media cost has been rising, companies want to work closely through consumer touch points in retail outlets.

TV will remain as the preferred medium for the FMCG, consumer durables and car and bike ads, the increasing penetration of the social media will also attract the marketing and media planners. The social media is far more focussed when it comes to target audience. Besides, the age profile of those using social media is a big temptation for the media spenders, points out the paper.

ASSOCHAM is represented on all national and local bodies and is, thus, able to pro-actively convey industry viewpoints, as also communicate and debate issues relating to public-private partnerships for economic development.

Marketing
@adgully

News in the domain of Advertising, Marketing, Media and Business of Entertainment

More in Marketing