Audience and market brief
Who the buyer is, which states and cities matter and what that buyer watches, set against your sales by region.
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Since 201565+ in-house team6 cities
TV advertising for brands that sell to households or through dealers in several states. A plan should follow your sales map. Regional TV where you sell, national TV when the numbers say so.
A strategist calls you in one working day.
/ 01 TV advertising agency
Television, plannedaround your sales map.
A TV plan should follow your sales map, not the channel's rate card. PromotEdge plans television around where Indian brands sell, so spots bring enquiries and dealer orders.
We choose channels, time bands and spot lengths for your states, check every spot aired, and count the calls it brings.
If it were our money, we would start where the dealers are. TV suits brands that sell to households or through a wide dealer network, mostly B2C and D2C. In real estate and healthcare it often carries a launch.
For a company selling in four or five states, a strong regional plan often beats a thin national one. Bengali, Odia, Assamese, Telugu, Tamil and Marathi channels each have their own audience.
Not sure TV is ready for you yet? Ask us for an honest view.
- 2015working with Indian brands since
- 65+in-house team: strategy, creative, media and tech
- 4pillars under one roof: strategy, advertising, digital, on-ground activation (BTL)
- 6cities: head office in Kolkata, teams in Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Guwahati and Bhubaneswar
/ 02 What's in a TV plan
Planning, buyingand proof on air.
Channels, time bands and reach
Chosen on cost per rating point. Reach (how many different people see the ad) and frequency (how often) are set before buying.
Ways to buy
Spots, programme sponsorships, cricket and event packages, in-programme integration, bands and tickers. Prime time costs the most; rates change by channel, market and season.
Regional TV plans
Bengali, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu and other channels, state by state. In West Bengal, Star Jalsha and Zee Bangla hold evening family viewing. One master film is dubbed per language.
Connected TV
Ads in streaming apps on smart TVs, 10 to 30 seconds, bought by city, language or audience. A lower-risk way to test TV.
06Film lengths and versions
A master and cut-downs for the lengths we buy, made by our video production team as part of the whole campaign.
Booking, clearance and proof
Rates negotiated and airtime booked through our media partners. Commercials checked against the ASCI code (the Advertising Standards Council of India's rules for honest ads) and channel rules. Missed spots replaced.
Post-campaign report
Delivered GRPs, reach and frequency against plan, plus enquiries and sales in TV markets against the rest.
/ 03 What usually gets in the way
Questions before you spend,and the way through.
“TV feels too expensive for a company our size.”
National TV may be. Regional TV, bought only in the states where you sell, costs far less and reaches households that national Hindi and English channels miss.
“The channel sent a rate card. How do we know it's right?”
A channel's list is built to sell its own airtime. We compare channels by cost per rating point (what you pay to reach 1% of your audience) and pick those that reach your buyer for least.
“We ran TV last year and can't say what it did.”
Usually nothing was set up to measure it. We track branded search, calls, WhatsApp enquiries and dealer orders day by day, in TV markets and in markets without TV.
“Our film is 60 seconds. Do we need a new one?”
Not always. Airtime is sold per 10 seconds, so 60 seconds costs six times a 10-second spot. We usually cut a 30-second master and shorter versions from what you have.
“How do we know our spots actually aired?”
Channels issue a telecast certificate listing when each spot ran. We check it against the booked schedule and chase make-goods (free replacement spots) for anything missed.
“We got calls after the ad, but nobody was ready to answer.”
TV sends people to their phones within minutes. We run search ads and landing pages with the flight and prepare your sales team. If calls would land on a slow site or an unanswered phone, fix that first.
“We sell to a few hundred specialist buyers. Is TV right?”
Often not. Industrial manufacturers usually do better with trade media and search. Start with regional print, radio, outdoor (OOH) or performance marketing, and add TV once the numbers support it.
Weighing TV against digital for this year's budget? Share the budget and the states, and we will lay out both. Get a free growth plan
/ 04 How we plan TV
From sales mapto spots on air.
For regular spots, brief to first telecast usually takes a few weeks, with film production first if you need a new film. Cricket and festive seasons sell out earlier. We suggest starting with one state's flight, reading the numbers, then scaling.
- 01
Markets and audience
Your sales and distribution by state, the buyer we must reach, and what that buyer watches, from TV ratings data.
- 02
Plan and targets
Channels, time bands and spot lengths chosen on cost per rating point, with reach and frequency targets you approve.
- 03
Film and versions
A film written or cut for the lengths we buy, in each language of the plan, then accepted by the channels.
- 04
Agree rates and book
Airtime booked through our media partners at agreed rates, with the full schedule shared before the flight starts.
- 05
Monitor on air
Telecast certificates checked against the schedule, with branded search and enquiries tracked day by day.
- 06
Review and next flight
Delivered GRPs, reach and frequency against plan, what happened to enquiries and sales, and what we would change.
Tell us what’s not working. We’ll send you an honest one-page growth plan, free.
Go deeperMore on this
How we deliver it, and why
- Start from your sales map. Airtime is bought by channel, but you sell by state. Starting from dealers and sales by region stops us paying for viewers where you are not on the shelf. A state-by-state brief.
- Compare channels on cost per rating point. A channel's own list is made to sell its airtime. One ruler for every channel shows the cheapest way to reach your buyer. A ranked channel list.
- Get search and WhatsApp ready first. People reach for the phone within minutes of an ad. If search ads, the site and the phone line are ready, interest becomes enquiries. Tracking live before the first spot.
- Check every spot, then read state by state. A telecast certificate shows what aired. Calls and dealer orders by state, with and without TV, show what to repeat. A report after each flight.
Go deeper: the Indian market, the brands and AI
TV in India today
Connected TV ad revenue rose 42% to ₹99 billion in 2025, according to the FICCI-EY report of 24 March 2026. TV still reaches; a plan has to earn its place.
Source: FICCI-EY report, 24 March 2026, via Storyboard18 and exchange4media
A brand that grew with TV
Nirma began in 1969 in Gujarat, when Karsanbhai Patel sold a phosphate-free detergent at ₹3.50 a kg against Surf at ₹13. By 1985 it was among India's most popular detergents, helped in part by its TV ad. Doordarshan had carried paid commercials from 1 January 1976.
Source: Wikipedia, Nirma, read October 2026; Lok Sabha Public Accounts Committee report
Who sets the rules and who shaped the field in India
BARC India, promoted by the broadcasters' body IBDF, ISA (the advertisers' society) and AAAI (the agencies' body), publishes the TV ratings behind every plan. ASCI's code applies to ads, and cable channels may not carry ads that break it.
Source: BARC India, barcindia.co.in, read October 2026; ASCI, ascionline.in, read October 2026
How your business model changes the plan
Dealer-led makers and FMCG brands buy state by state and read dealer orders. A franchise can run one film with a local tag. A D2C or quick commerce seller needs stock ready before the flight.
AI in TV advertising: today and next
Google's Veo 3 in Flow (announced May 2025) makes 8-second clips with sound, handy for rough animatics. ElevenLabs Dubbing covers 90+ languages and keeps timing but not lip sync (read October 2026).
We use both for drafts. Final regional versions go to native voice artists and channel clearance. Next: faster versions for each state.
Source: Google blog, May 2025; ElevenLabs documentation, read October 2026
Holding a quote from a channel or an agency? We will read it with you. Talk to us
/ 05 Industries
Where this works best.
01
Construction equipment
Contractors trust the machine their peers run on site more than any brochure.
02Building materials
The person who pays for the cement is rarely the one who picks the brand.
03Industrial & manufacturing
Procurement checks you out long before your sales team is invited to talk.
04Automotive
A buyer's interest fades fast when the enquiry reaches the right showroom late.
05Real estate
Enquiries are easy to buy, but the sale is won or lost at the site visit.
06FMCG
Your ad works for a rival if your product is missing from the shelf.
/ 06 Cost
What affects the costof TV advertising.
Airtime is priced per 10 seconds and billed as booked; film production is separate. You see the rate for every channel before you approve.
What affects the cost
- Channel and genre: national Hindi entertainment, news, regional or niche
- Time band: evening prime time costs the most
- Season and events: cricket and festive weeks are priced higher
- Spot length and the number of spots
- Number of states and languages
- Film production and language versions
How we quote
- We talk about where you sell, your audience and what you want the campaign to do
- We shortlist channels, time bands and states, and test them against your goal
- You get a written plan with airtime, our fee and film production on separate lines
- Each channel's rate is shown at actuals before you approve the booking
What you get in the quote
- The channel and time-band plan, with spot lengths
- Airtime rates for every channel, as booked
- Our planning, buying and reporting work
- Film production and language versions, if you need a new film
- Telecast certificates checked, and a report on delivered ratings and enquiries
To compare two TV quotes fairly, ask each to show airtime, fee and production on separate lines. Holding two quotes? Send them to us for a plain second opinion.
We start with logic and your numbers, not with ideas we happen to like.
/ 07 What happens next
What happensafter you ask.
For projects we think we can help, this is how it goes.
- 01
A strategist calls you
In one working day: a 30-minute call with one of our strategists about your business and what is not working.
- 02
You get a 1-page plan
A short, honest plan: what to fix first and what we would do. It is free.
- 03
A quote, if you want one
If you want to go ahead, we send a quote within 2 working days.
We confirm the timeline in the quote. Contracts start at 3 months, with 30 days' notice to stop.
Brands and people are named only as public examples. They are not PromotEdge clients or endorsers unless stated.
Keep exploring
Related pages.
The same work in your city and your industry, and the services that go with it.
TV advertising: specialist services
More advertising services
Proof and reading
What people say
In their own words
“PromotEdge has been a unique creative group amongst unique creativity world. …”
Rajat ChatterjeeHead Business Development at Birdman Chemeng Pvt Ltd.“I commend PromotEdge as a content and advertising partner. I applaud their top-notch team, swift problem-solving, and outstanding digital media work for my brand. I express my happiness and eagerness for a long-term partnership.”
Priyanka GuptaDirector at Nitya Gold & Diamonds“I really want to thank Sayantan and his team from PromotEdge because what I find good in them is that, the team. When the team is wonderful, the outcome will definitely be wonderful. …”
Abhijit BhattacharyaFormer Captain Indian VolleyBall Team; and Founder of Brahmaputra Volleyball League
No pressure. No sales pitch.
Tell us where you sell.We'll show you the TV plan.
Straight answers.
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It varies widely. Airtime is priced per 10 seconds, by channel, time and season; cricket prime time on a national Hindi channel costs many times a daytime regional spot. There is no fixed minimum, but enough spots over enough weeks for several views is the real test. Film production is separate. See our TV advertising cost guide.
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It means paying a channel to show your commercial in its breaks, or to link your brand with a show. Airtime is bought in 10-second units. Its job is to make many households know and trust your name at once.
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For most companies in a handful of states, regional: you pay for viewers where your product is sold, in the language they watch. National suits national distribution. Yes, we run TV in any state: our servicing team, based in cities across India, writes the plan and film, sets up tracking and checks every spot.
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For regular spots, a few weeks is usually enough to plan, negotiate and have the film accepted by the channels. Cricket tournaments, festive seasons and popular programmes sell out early and need booking well ahead. We confirm the timeline in the quote.
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BARC India publishes weekly ratings. A rating, often still called TRP, is the share of your audience watching. GRPs add up the ratings of all your spots: 40% of your audience seeing an ad 3 times is 120 GRPs. We plan reach and frequency too.
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Airtime is sold per 10 seconds, so length is a cost choice as much as a creative one. A 30-second film tells the story; 20-, 15- and 10-second cut-downs keep the campaign on air longer for the same budget. We plan them together.
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Two ways. Delivery: GRPs, reach and frequency, checked against ratings data and telecast certificates. Business effect: branded search, calls, WhatsApp enquiries and sales in TV markets against markets without TV. You see the enquiry numbers monthly, with the cost of each serious enquiry.
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It means ads inside streaming apps on smart TVs. On linear (broadcast) TV everyone sees the same ad. Connected TV lets you buy by city, language or audience, a lower-risk way to test TV, though not yet a replacement for mass reach.