Mumbai: The latest report from Tam AdEx India for January to June 2024 highlights a key role of celebrity endorsements in television advertising. This period saw 32 per cent of total TV ads being endorsed by celebrities, with film actors contributing more than 75 per cent of the celebrity ad space.

The food & beverages sector emerged as the largest contributor, making up 28 per cent of total celebrity-endorsed ads. The food & beverages, personal care/personal hygiene, and household products sectors collectively represented over 50 per cent of celebrity-endorsed ads. Among these, ads in the food & beverages sector saw a dominance of male celebrities, while the personal care segment was led by female endorsers. Categories such as toilet/floor cleaners and aerated soft drinks topped the list, with toilet cleaners alone holding an eight per cent share.

Film stars, sports personalities, and TV actors were the main contributors to the 32 per cent of ads featuring celebrity endorsements. The top three most visible celebrities during this period were Akshay Kumar and Shahrukh Khan, each with five per cent visibility, followed closely by Amitabh Bachchan with four per cent. Akshay Kumar maintained an impressive 22 hours per day of ad visibility across channels.

The dominance of the food & beverages sector was clear, while personal care/personal hygiene and household products followed closely. With 28 per cent of the overall ad volumes, the food & beverages sector continued to attract top male celebrities, whereas personal care remained the preferred category for female endorsers.

In the first half of 2024, Akshay Kumar was the most visible celebrity, followed by Shahrukh Khan, Amitabh Bachchan, and M.S. Dhoni. Six of the top ten celebrities, including Amitabh Bachchan and Kiara Advani endorsed more brands than they did during the same period in 2023. Sports personalities like M.S. Dhoni also made a notable impact. Additionally, power couples like Ranbir Kapoor and Alia Bhatt led the pack in couple endorsements, contributing to more than 18 per cent of the total ad space. Akshay Kumar and Twinkle Khanna followed with 16 per cent, making couple endorsements a growing trend.