How Much Money Did BJP Spend on Ads in the 2019 General Elections and Where Did the Funds Come From?
The rise in online advertising expenditure by political parties during the 2019 General Elections is a topic of significant interest. As the Indian national election approaches, we can expect online advertising spend to nearly double compared to the 2014 elections, indicating a trend towards digital campaigning.
Projected Ad Spend and Growing Smartphone Penetration
Online advertising expenditure by political parties is projected to increase to a range of Rs 400-500 crore for the upcoming 2019 Lok Sabha election. This growth can be attributed to the increasing penetration of smartphones and the availability of cheaper internet packages. A recent analysis from an advertising professional highlights that the budget for online promotion is expanding exponentially, driven by the decline in internet data costs and aggressive competition among telecom operators.
BJP Dominates in Digital Ad Spend
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leads the pack in digital advertising spend, with the total expenditure on election campaigns potentially reaching Rs 2500-3000 crore. This figure brings into question the source of the funds, as political parties rely heavily on public tax money rather than their own resources.
Includes Campaigning Costs and Other Expenses
It is important to note that the overall expenditure also includes the costs for manpower and campaigning efforts. According to industry expert Bhasin, the costs for advertising government schemes and programmes are not included in the total advertising spend during the election campaigns. Additionally, separate estimates are available for constituency-specific advertising in certain regions.
Google and Facebook Reports on Ad Spend
According to Google's Political Advertising Transparency Report, the total spend on its various digital segments surpassed Rs 863,116,000 since February 19, 2019. Similarly, a report by Facebook showed such expenditure at Rs 121,845,456 for 61,248 ads. These figures underscore the growing importance and scale of digital advertising in political campaigns.
Official Figures Await Release
Until the Election Commission of India releases the official figures for the 2019 General Elections, exact figures for BJP's ad spend remain speculative. However, the 2014 election figures provide some context. In the 2014 elections, the BJP spent over Rs 714 crore, while the Congress spent Rs 516 crore.
Critique of Party Spending
Some critics argue that the BJP's expense on advertisements is significantly lower when compared to the Congress party, which had to invest heavily in maintaining media control and cultivating "intellectuals" and journalists to spread hatred towards the Prime Minister. The BJP, on the other hand, focused only on advertisement and organizing rallies, with no need to fund media operations against the Prime Minister.
Understanding the $2019 General Elections $ and the sources of funds for political parties is crucial for assessing the fairness and transparency of the electoral process. The data and trends discussed above provide a glimpse into the digital age of political campaigning in India.