Top Maha parties spend Rs 6.5 cr on Google and Meta ads in 30 days

As Maharashtra prepares to vote for the upcoming Assembly elections on November 20, 2024, all political parties are ramping up their ad spends to lure voters to the polling booths. We look at the ads placed by the top political parties (The Bharatiya Janata Party, Shiv Sena, the Nationalist Congress Party, the Congress party, the NCP-Sharad Pawar faction, and the Shiv Sena-UBT) across digital platforms (Google and Meta), television, print, and radio over the past month.

Data was analysed from Meta’s Ad Library report and Google Ads Transparency Centre covering the period from October 6 to November 4, 2024.

The BJP in Maharashtra has allocated more than Rs 2.4 crore for Meta and over Rs 2.7 crore for Google. The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) allocated approximately Rs 16 lakhs for Meta. During this period, Shiv Sena refrained from spending in digital advertisements.

Within the coalition of Maha Vikas Aghadi, the Indian National Congress has allocated more than Rs 12 lakhs for Meta and Rs 18 lakhs for Google. NCP’s Sharad Pawar faction has allocated Rs 74 lakhs for Meta and Rs 24 lakhs for Google. Meanwhile, the Shiv Sena-UBT has refrained from advertising.

According to TAM data, ad insertions of political parties grew by 145% on TV in October 2024 as compared to September 2023. Political ad insertions in print publications decreased by 12% during the same period. Similarly, political ads on radio also witnessed a 9% drop during the period.

On television, the Congress party held a commanding 58% share in October 2024. The BJP secured the second position in ad duration share, holding a 19% share. In terms of print, BJP led with a 47% share of ad space in October 2024. The Shivsena (Balasaheb) ranked as the second largest spending political party in print ad spaces during October 2024, capturing a 20% share. 

On the radio, the national parties BJP and Congress occupied the first and second positions, respectively. In October 2024, the BJP led the political advertisements on radio, capturing over 50% of the market share, while Congress held a 27% share. 

Apart from the regular ads, these parties are also involved in influencer marketing. Recently, Raj Thackeray from the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) appeared on Kunal Vijayakar’s YouTube food show, Khaane Mein Kya Hai. The episode showcased a different facet of the assertive politician. With his wife and family by his side, the viewers witnessed him relishing Misal Pav and Bhajji Pav. They explored Shivaji Park in Dadar, a place where Thackeray spent his formative years and reflected on his childhood memories.

Vijayakar was a classmate from college, and he affectionately called him ‘Raja’ throughout the episode. Nonetheless, there were nuanced political undertones. For instance, while savouring Misal Pav in Thane, Vijayakar points out that there is no toll required to enter Thane—an issue that the MNS has advocated for over the years.

CM Eknath Shinde also appeared in a podcast with Ranveer Allahbadia in August. While he discussed the state's issues, including promising to make Mumbai pothole-free in the next two to three years, he also spoke about his personal life. A particularly poignant moment is when he speaks about the loss of his two sons in a boat tragedy and how it impacted his life.

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The MLAs are also actively collaborating with local influencers. Colaba MLA Rahul Narvekar appears on a chat show on Galli News. In contrast to the interviews featured on news channels that focus on serious issues affecting their constituencies, these videos showcase the lesser-known aspects of politicians, presenting them as more relatable figures.