Akshay Kumar the most visible celebrity endorser on TV in 2022: TAM AdEx

In India, celebrity endorsements have been a prevalent marketing strategy for a long time. However, brands are facing an increasing challenge in capturing people's attention and time. Marketers believe that brand ambassadors provide a higher degree of consumer recall due to the star-struck nature of Indians towards movie stars, sports personalities, TV actors, and actresses.

As per a TAM AdEx report on celebrity endorsement during 2022, more than 25% share of the ads’ telecast on TV were endorsed by celebrities. From the Celebrity professions, Film stars together added more than 80% share of advertising during Y 2022, followed by Sports person and TV stars that added 11% and 4% share, respectively. Female movie actors contributed almost 50% of the ad endorsement share.

When it comes to Index Growth of celebrity endorsed ads for the last three years, the report finds that Celebrity endorsed ads increased by 44% and 60% in both Y 2021 and Y 2022, respectively, as compared to Y 2020. In the Y 2022, there was an 11% increase in the ad volumes for ads that featured celebrity compared to the Y 2021. The Apr-Jun’22 quarter had highest Ad Volumes/Day (in Hours).

In terms of monthly ad volume trends of celebrity endorsed ads, highest Ad Volumes share was observed during Mar’22, while the lowest share was seen during Jun’22. During Jul-Oct’22, steady growth observed.

As far as quarterly ad volume trends of celebrity endorsed ads is concerned, during Apr-Jun’22, highest Celebrity endorsement ads was seen compared to last other three quarters of Y 2022.

When it comes to sectorwise Celebrities Endorsed ads, more than 50% of the ads endorsed by celebrities fall under Top 3 sectors – Food & Beverages (26%), Services (13%) and Personal Care/Personal Hygiene (13%) – and more than 80% of the ads fall under the Top 7 sectors. Five out of the Top 10 sectors have the same rank position for the current Year to last year.

Average ad endorsing ratio of Male and Female celebrities for Top 10 sector was 56:44. The Top 2 sectors – viz. ‘Food & Beverage’ and ‘Services’ were dominated with ads endorsed by Male Celebrities during Y 2021. Ads under ‘Telecom/ Internet Service Providers’ and ‘Agriculture’ sectors were only endorsed by Male Celebrities.

The Top 10 Categories accounted for 36% share of the overall ads carrying celebrity to endorse it. ‘Toilet/ Floor Cleaners’ was the top category with 9% share of celebrity ad volumes during Y 2022, followed by ‘Aerated Soft Drink’ with 5% share. ‘Ecom-Gaming’ was the top category for which maximum celebrities from different professions endorsed brands under it, followed by ‘Ecom-Media/ Ent./ Social Media’.

Top 10 Most visible endorsers of Y 2022

1. Akshay Kumar
2. Vidya Balan
3. Amitabh Bachchan
4. Alia Bhatt
5. Ranveer Singh
6. Shahrukh Khan
7. MS Dhoni
8. Anushka Sharma
9. Taapsee Pannu
10. Kareena Kapoor

With an average visibility of 36 hours per day across all channels, ‘Akshay Kumar’ topped the list of the most visible celebrity, followed by ‘Vidya Balan’ with 19 hrs/day through endorsements done on TV. There was equal number of male and female celebrities in the Top 10 list. Celebrities like Kiara Advani, Shraddha Kapoor and Virat Kohli slipped out of the Top 10 list of Y 2022 compared to Y 2021.

When it comes to the quantum of brands in Y 2022 vis-a-vis Y 2021, MS Dhoni had endorsed the maximum number of brands in Y 2022. Seven out of the Top 10 celebrities were endorsing more brands in Y 2022 compared to Y 2021; viz, Amitabh Bachchan, Akshay Kumar, Ranveer Singh, Kareena Kapoor, Sourav Ganguly, Hrithik Roshan, and Pankaj Tripathi.

Top 10 Celebrity Couples endorsing in Y 2022

1. Akshay Kumar/ Twinkle Khanna - 24% share, 46 brands endorsed
2. Ranbir Kapoor/ Alia Bhatt - 13% share, 38 brands endorsed
3. Amitabh Bachchan/ Jaya Bachchan - 13% share, 50 brands endorsed
4. Anushka Sharma/ Virat Kohli - 12% share, 38 brands endorsed
5. Deepika Padukone/ Ranveer Singh - 11% share, 52 brands endorsed
6. Kareena Kapoor/ Saif Ali Khan - 11% share, 48 brands endorsed
7. Vicky Kaushal/ Katrina Kaif - 7% share, 17 brands endorsed
8. Ajay Devgan/ Kajol - 4% share, 29 brands endorsed
9. Ritesh Deshmukh/ Genelia D'souza - 2% share, 4 brands endorsed
10. Aishwarya Rai/ Abhishek Bachchan - 1% share, 2 brands endorsed

50% of the ads were endorsed by three celebrity couples – Akshay Kumar/ Twinkle Khanna, Ranbir Kapoor/ Alia Bhatt and Amitabh Bachchan/ Jaya Bachchan, and the couples had endorsed 46, 38 and 50 brands, respectively, during Y 2022.

Young Female Celebrities were preferred over their Male counter-part, but the scenario changes when it comes to celebrities in the 35+ age group.