Celebrity-endorsed TV ad volumes fall 17% as sports stars gain ground

Celebrity-endorsed television ad volumes declined 17% in January–September 2026 from a year earlier, even as Shah Rukh Khan and Mahendra Singh Dhoni emerged as the most visible celebrity endorsers, according to a TAM AdEx report.

Khan accounted for 10% of celebrity-endorsed ad volumes, followed by Dhoni at 8% and Jasprit Bumrah at 3%. Khan recorded 26 hours of daily ad duration across television channels, against Dhoni’s 22 hours.

Film actors and actresses together accounted for 65% of celebrity-endorsed advertising in January–September 2026. According to a comparison of profession-wise shares, their combined share fell from 72% in the corresponding period last year, while sports personalities’ share rose from 19% to 28%.


With sporting events happening throughout the year, star athletes are receiving significant attention across both social and traditional media, said TAM Media CEO LV Krishnan.

Corporates have started investing in these athletes as brand ambassadors to capture the attention of Gen Z consumers and build stronger brand equity that can sustain consumer loyalty over the long term, he added.

Akshay Kumar led in brand associations with 35 brands, followed by Dhoni with 33, Khan with 29 and Amitabh Bachchan with 27. Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly were associated with 24 brands each.

Among celebrity couples, Ranbir Kapoor and Alia Bhatt topped the rankings with a 19% share and 37 brands. Amitabh Bachchan and Jaya Bachchan, and Sidharth Malhotra and Kiara Advani, followed with an 11% share each.

The four leading couples, including Ajay Devgn and Kajol, together accounted for 50% of advertisements endorsed by celebrity couples.

Food and beverages was the leading sector for celebrity-endorsed advertising, accounting for 25% of ad volumes, followed by personal care and personal hygiene at 18% and household products at 9%. Toilet and floor cleaners led individual categories with an 8% share, followed by toilet soaps at 7%.

Paints attracted the highest number of celebrity endorsers, at 36, followed by building materials and systems at 31.

Advertising activity peaked in April–June, when average daily celebrity ad volumes reached 308 hours, compared with 252 hours in January–March and 234 hours in July–September.

TAM AdEx attributed the second-quarter peak to increased advertising activity during the Indian Premier League season. May recorded the highest monthly share of celebrity ad volumes at 15%, while July had the lowest at 8%.