As BCCL’s print business sees strong growth backed by festive tailwinds, advertiser confidence, and innovative formats, Sivakumar Sundaram, CEO - Publishing, Bennett Coleman and Co. Ltd. (The Times of India Group), shares how strategic innovations, category expansion, and a renewed trust in credibility have fuelled the resurgence of print. He shares why this revival isn’t a passing phase, but a long-term shift in how brands engage with audiences.
Q) The second half of the year, particularly during the festive period and beyond, was strong for BCCL, delivering healthy revenue growth. What strategic initiatives or market dynamics do you attribute this significant growth to?
In 2023 - 2024, several key events including the General Elections, assembly polls across eight states, and municipal elections in major cities, significantly boosted political advertising. Simultaneously, key verticals demonstrated solid growth over the previous year, further strengthening our performance. Categories such as retail, real estate, automobiles, education, telecom, retail healthcare, travel & tourism, and clothing all contributed meaningfully to this upward trajectory. As a result, BCCL achieved strong revenue growth in FY 2023–24, underscoring the resilience of the Print medium, the expanding advertiser confidence across sectors, and our leadership position in the market.
Q) By what percentage have the ad rates at BCCL publications increased, considering newfound demand from advertisers for Print? Also do you feel regional publications are also riding this wave or largely English language newspapers?
Advertisement rates at BCCL are fundamentally driven by demand across a dynamic matrix — page positions, premium inventory, day of the week, month of the year, innovation, impact, and immediacy. This is where Print stands apart, offering a larger-than-life format that arrives first thing every morning. Pricing, therefore, is not static - it varies by the specific demand for positions, the advertiser category, the city, and our leadership strength in that market. We have certainly taken price increases, but quoting a definitive average figure would be misleading, given the wide variability across factors but it would be in double digits. Importantly, we have witnessed a tremendous response from advertisers across both our English and regional language publications, highlighting the broad-based strength of the Print medium.
Q) Which are the new sectors that have started advertising in Print heavily and which of the traditional advertiser categories are still going strong?
We have seen notable growth in advertising volumes across competitive categories like telecom, travel, and clothing, where brands increasingly turn to print to cut through the clutter. Several new-age and digital-first brands, including major social media platforms, have also embraced Print to drive discovery in a distraction-free environment. At the same time, traditional pillars like real estate, retail, telecom, automobiles, and education — sectors where Print has always played a vital role in the media mix continue to deliver impactful results. The credibility and trust that Print commands make it an essential medium for brands aiming to influence consumer decisions around big, considered purchases.
Q) Innovations like gatefolds, fragrance-infused printing, and QR code integrations have been introduced in BCCL's publications. How have these creative formats impacted advertiser engagement and ROI? Please share some examples where such innovations have led to notable campaign successes?
Through innovations like gatefolds, fragrance-infused printing, QR code integrations, and augmented reality, we are unlocking the full sensory potential of Print, appealing not just to sight and sound but all five senses, creating a deeper emotional imprint.
Some notable examples:
- Swiggy Instamart: Our mango fragrance innovation led to a 2X jump in mango sales in Mumbai on the very day the ad appeared, as per information available in the public domain.
- Škoda India: Incorporated an AR-enabled QR code, allowing readers to interact with the Škoda Kushaq in an immersive, interactive space — elevating brand storytelling.
- Flipkart Minutes: A playful hydrochromic ink innovation revealed hidden brand messages when exposed to water, driving deeper engagement.
Moreover, many of our Print innovations transcend the medium sparking online conversations, social media shares, and influencer discussions, leading to millions of organic impressions. Thus, a single innovative print execution often becomes a cross-platform amplifier, delivering tangible ROI and building lasting brand equity.
Q) Why do you think brands are rediscovering the value of print, especially in a digitally saturated environment? Also, is this resurgence short term or the start of a more sustained revival for the medium?
There remains a strong and growing demand for printed newspapers, particularly among aspirational readers seeking credible, curated information. Contrast this with the digital world, an inscrutable labyrinth of ‘content’, often propelled by opaque algorithms, where users are bombarded by a cacophony of weird, sensational, confusing, or even misleading messages. From miracle cures to get-rich-quick schemes and bizarre conspiracy theories, digital spaces increasingly mirror the lowest-rung supermarket tabloids - impulse-driven, distracting, and often predatory. Add to this the rise of AI-driven content mills churning out hallucinated narratives, and the choice for readers becomes stark: Navigate the endless digital clutter or enjoy the thoughtful, human-created, trusted offerings of the Print medium. Print today offers both mental availability and trust, critical ingredients for brands to build salience. As content complexity and digital noise continue to escalate, the relevance of Print as a credible, cherished morning habit will only grow stronger among discerning readers. This resurgence is not a fleeting trend; it marks the beginning of a more sustained revival for the medium.
