MUMBAI: Google has emerged as one of India’s top advertisers in 2018, spending a whopping Rs 11 billion on media planning and marketing activities, Economic Times reports.
The global tech giant invested Rs. 5.4 billion out of that amount, on traditional or offline media forms such as print, TV, radio and OOH from January-November 2018, which is a 39% rise from the Rs. 3.3 billion it had spent during the same period in 2017.
The other half of the amount, i.e. Rs. 5.6 billion was spent on online channels, with 70% being invested on their own platform growth. While the focus was enhanced on its payments and services businesses, its two top brands – Google Pixel and Google Home were continued to be promoted vigorously.
Former Indian cricket captain Rahul Dravid was signed up as Google Pixel’s brand ambassador in late 2017, which resulted in a range of television advertisements featuring ‘The Wall’ being showcased throughout 2018.
Google has also reportedly extended its sporting connection for Google Home with the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 in England and Wales, purchasing on-ground rights for marquee cricketing events for the next 3-5 years.
“Google’s overall media investment, along with digital in 2018, is estimated at Rs 1,100 crore and almost 50-55% of this is digital. Within digital, around 70% would be their own platform spends and balance 30% other publishers.
“Google is also looking at high-impact properties like Indian cricket, Koffee with Karan and blockbuster films. Google has also bought ground rights for ICC World Cup for Google Home, starting from 2019 for three-five years.” a senior executive from a top media planning agency told ET on the condition of anonymity.
ET also claims that Google comes second in the tech companies category for advertising in India in 2018, with rivals Amazon topping the list with Rs. 21.09 billion.
According to online market research portal Statista, the ‘FAANG’ companies (Facebook, Apple, Amazon, Netflix and Google) spent $1.9 billion collectively on global TV advertising between January 2017 and February 2018.
