Looking for Advertising in Mumbai?

As Mumbai is the commercial capital of India, the business and trends affect the entire country. Likewise, the advertising trends set by Mumbai are more or less followed by the country. Besides, Mumbai is also the financial and entertainment capital of India. It has the maximum headquarters of major companies, banks, and the Bollywood film industry. So, the city is really the mover and shaker of businesses and also, advertising.

The city comprises more than 50% migrant population. In other words, Mumbai has a diversified culture. People belonging to different ethnicities, classes, and regions live in Mumbai. In addition, it is the second most populated city in India after Delhi. So, Mumbai ranks up high in the list of Indian cities for advertising.

Therefore, it can be said that the media verticals used for advertising in Mumbai have a profound impact on the other cities. As a result, the ad platforms strive to do better each year as they are well aware of the competition. The platform that drives the maximum traffic website data is the most preferred among advertisers.

In contrast to the other years, the last year shows a different trend due to the multiple lockdowns. As a result, these lockdowns forced people to be locked inside their homes. Consequently, several online media platforms gained precedence over the usual advertising media options. So, the last year saw a sharp rise in digital, mobile, and online advertising.

To help you find the best ad platform for your brand, we have assembled a list ranking the best 10 advertising platforms in Mumbai. The accumulation of last year’s data helped in curating this list in assisting you in finding your best match.

Best 10 ad platforms in Mumbai:

1. Social Media Advertising on Facebook

Facebook is extremely popular among Indians. Facebook has over 260 million registered Facebook users in India. So, India gives the largest share of users in the world. In the same vein, Facebook is the biggest social media application in India.

Ever since the pandemic has struck, social media advertising has increased manifold. According to the DAN and E4M reports, the highest digital media ad spending was on social media branding. Likewise, branding on Facebook will help your brand connect with interested audiences with its algorithm.

For instance, Facebook can easily track down users’ behavior. If the app notices that a particular user has an interest in textiles, the Facebook algorithm will then show all the textile-related ads to them. Besides, because of its popularity, geo-targeting, and segmentation features, branding on Facebook will definitely get your brand noticed.

Category: Social Media (Facebook)

Ad units: display, native, video, carousels, etc.

Popular ads: Banner ads, Carousel ads, Video ads, Native ads, Catalogue sale ads, Carousels, Lead generation, and app install

Popular Outreach Options: Geo, Gender, Age, Interest, Behaviour, Device.

2. Social Media Advertising on Youtube

Since last year, people have started turning to the web for their entertainment, educational, recreational, and creative needs. Among those websites, YouTube ranked 3rd in popularity in India after Google.com and Google.co.in. YouTube records over 265 million monthly users in India. Moreover, YouTube has been successful in reaching 80% of the internet-using population of India. This is a feat very very web and mobile applications have been able to achieve in the country.

Consequently, advertising on YouTube makes people notice. Ads run at the beginning, in the middle, or at the end of a YouTube video. Therefore, opportunities for brands are immense with YouTube who can reach several towns and even villages of India simultaneously with YouTube ads.

Moreover, YouTube is responsible for starting off the trend of video advertising in India a few years back. It has been spreading like wildfire since then to reach its peak last year. According to DAN and E4 M’s report “Digital Advertising in India 2021“, YouTube advertising overtook paid search. It became the 2nd biggest digital ad type, as people in thousands spent on video advertising on YouTube in 2020.

Furthermore, YouTube has been successful in drawing older people to watch its content. Earlier, only the youth were interested in watching YouTube videos. But the trend has been shifting recently to include the people of 45 to 54 years to watch content regularly on YouTube. So, branding on YouTube will allow people to see your brand in a totally new light.

Category: Social Media and Video Sharing Platform (YouTube)

Popular ads: Video ads, Masthead Video, Banner ads

Popular Outreach Options: Geo, Life Events, Gender, Affinity, In-Market, Age.

3. App Advertising on Gaana

When most of the people in the country are sitting home during multiple lockdowns, it is quite evident that they will consume more content. Likewise, last year saw a tremendous rise in the number of listeners on the Gaana app. The Gaana app is a commercial audio OTT platform that was launched in April 2010. The platform has both Indian and international content with Indian content streaming in 21 major Indian Languages. In addition, the app has both music content and podcasts for its listeners.

Moreover, the audio OTT platform is the largest in its kind in India with more than 200 million monthly listeners. Listeners can opt to listen to the content for free or can pay to get a premium subscription. So, the Gaana app is the largest free music streaming app in India with both Indian and international music.

With the COVID-19 surge, the entertainment industry, like all the other industries, slowed down. As a result, the release of new content too was postponed indefinitely. Besides, the dystopia and uncertainty of the pandemic had bogged down people. So, people started seeking solace in turning to their favorite music and audio content.

Additionally, sensing the opportunity, the music streaming platform creating more areas to include user-generated content on Gaana Hotshots, the short video format on the Gaana OTT platform. Also, the last year saw live streaming programs with celebrities, singers, artists, and musicians, and podcasts.

Therefore, advertising on the biggest audio OTT platform will surely get you noticed among the music lovers in the country.

Category: Audio OTT Platform (Web and App)

Popular Ad Types: Audio ads, Roadblock, Gender

Popular Targeting Options: Geo, Age, Gender, Interest, Device, Genre, Language.

4. Newspaper Advertising in Times of India (TOI) Mumbai

The Times of India is undoubtedly the most preferred English newspaper in Mumbai. With more than 8 lakhs daily circulation, it is certainly the most popular English newspaper in Mumbai. In addition, it is the largest circulated newspaper in Maharashtra and the third-highest in India, according to the 2019 data of the India Readership Survey.

Times of India app and website is the online version of the printed version of The Times of India Newspaper. Just like the printed newspaper, the website and the app have different sections of news for the readers – breaking news, politics, current affairs, regional news, entertainment, sports, lifestyle, etc. Since people trust TOI for their daily dose of news, every one out of two Indians read TOI online. Therefore, The Times of India is one of the most-read online newspapers in the country.

The popularity of the online version increased further during the lockdown as people switched their newspaper subscriptions from print to digital to satiate their thirst for daily news.

With a large population of working professionals and students in Mumbai, advertising in TOI Mumbai is a good way to reach out to them.

Category: Newspaper (English)

Popular ads: Full page, Jacket, Quarter page, Half page, Classifieds, Advertorial

Popular Outreach Options: Audience type, Section, Geo-targeting.

5. Television Advertising on Star Plus

Though TV has been dealt a blow by content from OTT and other online video platforms, it remains a relevant media option. In a similar vein, primetime TV is still a popular medium for entertainment, with families consuming content together. Therefore, while the radio is no more a family entertaining medium, TV has still held on to that mantel.

Last year, since the entire country was under lockdown, there was no shooting for the daily soaps and serials. As a result, audiences had to make do with re-runs of TV shows. Surprisingly, that turned out to be a hit. That is to say; audiences enjoyed watching the re-runs of their favorite old TV shows.

Though the channel had a slight drop in traffic last year, Star Plus is still the most loved channel among Mumbaikars. So, advertising on Star Plus is a much relevant option this year too.

Category: TV (GEC)

Popular ads: Video ads, Aston Band

6. Influencer Advertising on Social Media Platforms

Influencer marketing is surely one of the most relevant forms of advertising in India now. As the popularity of YouTubers, Instagrammers, TikTokers, etc., are on the rise, brands are capitalizing on their fame to their advantage. The traditional ways of advertising hardly offer a clutter-free ad viewing experience to the viewers. In contrast, influencer advertising is a great way to reach out to your target audience.

Above all, social media influencers add a personalized touch to the branding, making it seem more relatable. These ads seem less forced, and audiences watch their favorite social media personality vouch for the brand. So, with influencer marketing, brands can reach a niche audience.

Category: Social Media (Digital)

Popular Platforms: Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, TikTok.

Popular Outreach Options: Geo, Age, Gender, Language, Device.

7. Outdoor Advertising (OOH) in Mumbai

Mumbai is called the ‘Commercial Capital of India.’ It has the most amazing driveways and roads. Moreover, the city is known for its slow-moving traffic. Consequently, even though Mumbai saw multiple lockdowns to curb COVID-19’s spread, advertisers have faith in OOH.

Despite people being locked in their homes, the demand for outdoor advertising went up as soon as the cases came down. In conclusion, advertisers know that outdoor advertising in Mumbai is too lucrative a media option to miss.

Category: Outdoor Advertising (OOH)

Popular ads: Bus Shelter, Hoarding, Metro Pillar, Digital OOH, Road Median, Pole Kiosk, Skywalk.

8. Website and App Advertising on Times of India

The Times of India has an app and a website for its digital readers apart from the newspaper daily. As is already established, Mumbaikars love to read TOI. The newspaper covers all the noteworthy national and international news. In addition, the newspaper has well-organized sections for entertainment, politics, sports, fashion, lifestyle, current affairs, classified, etc. So, the newspaper is preferred by many for it offers a better reading experience.

Furthermore, every 1 in 2 Indians read TOI in the digital platform. Therefore, it is the country’s most loved English news publisher. Above all, the digital numbers are also promising. As a result, the TOI website and app draw heavy traffic from advertisers to make audiences notice their brands.

Category: News (Digital)

Popular ads: Video ads, Banner ads, Articles, Native ads

Popular Outreach Options: Section, Audience type, Geo.

9. App and Website Advertising on Money Control

Money Control is a leading personal finance management platform in India for a while now. Through Money Control, users can manage their finances and invest their funds in the right portfolios. Additionally, the app provides guides and tips to users. Furthermore, the app and the website update the stock markets continue to keep their users up-to-date.

So, if you wish to brand in the largest finance portal in Mumbai, Money Control is the best fit for you.

Category: Finance (Digital)

Popular ads: Banner ads, Articles, Video ads, Native ads, Social Media posts.

Popular Outreach Options: Geo

10. Digital Advertising on OTT – MX Player

MX Players has 200 million active users in a month. Therefore, it is one of the most-used OTT apps in India. Moreover, the OTT platform has a vast library of movies, shows, web series, etc., in 12 different languages. As a result, people love to check out different types of content on MX Player.

Additionally, viewers approximately spent 45 minutes each day on the app for their daily dose of entertainment. So, advertisers like to nudge the viewers every now and then with their brands while viewers are on the OTT platform.

Above all, 88% of the viewers of the MX Player are people under 35 years. Therefore, marketers can target a niche audience by advertising on the streaming platform. Lastly, the streaming platform reaches 57% of the people in non-metro cities. So, it can be a great outreach tool among the other cities in India.

In conclusion, for all the above reasons, MX Player is a greatly preferred advertising platform among marketers.

Category: Digital (OTT)

Popular ads: Video ads, Banner ads, Native ads

Popular Outreach Options: Gender, Content, Age, Language, Interest, Genre, Device, Geo.