Media Planning for Multi-City Campaigns – Navigating India’s Diverse Advertising Terrain

Executing a multi-city campaign in India isn’t just about scaling up a good idea — it’s about smart adaptation. With over 4,000 towns and cities across states, languages, and lifestyles, brands need more than budgets to win nationwide — they need precise media planning.

This article dives into how customized, data-backed media planning helps brands run successful multi-city campaigns in India’s incredibly diverse market.

🌏 Why India Demands Granular Media Planning

Running the same ad copy, platform mix, and strategy across Mumbai and Mangaluru won’t work. The consumer in Delhi may respond to metro ads, while someone in Coimbatore might trust newspaper inserts. That’s why national brands must think locally, city by city.

Effective media planning accounts for:

• Language differences (Hindi vs. Tamil vs. Marathi)

• Platform usage (digital dominance vs. traditional media)

• Seasonal shifts, regional festivals, and state elections

• Outdoor availability and regulatory guidelines

• Urban vs. semi-urban infrastructure

📐 Core Elements of Multi-City Media Planning

1. City Clustering
   Segment cities by population, media preference, literacy, and lifestyle. A good approach divides campaigns into:

   • Metro Tier (Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru)

   • Growing Tier-2 (Indore, Jaipur, Kochi)

   • Emerging Tier-3 (Haldwani, Silchar, Ajmer)

2. Localized Media Mix
   Mumbai might need a mix of DOOH, radio, and print. Bhubaneswar could demand auto ads, regional FM, and wall branding. Media planning aligns the format with consumer reality.

3. Timing Strategy by Region
   Tamil Nadu’s Pongal needs different creative timing than West Bengal’s Durga Puja. Campaign calendars are staggered for impact.

4. Creative Personalization
   Same brand, multiple versions — local faces, scripts, offers, and CTA variations based on culture.

5. Budget Allocation Flexibility
   Spend more on cities with higher sales potential, and test newer cities with lean experiments.

🛠️ Planning in Action: A Case Study

A telecom brand launched a summer data pack campaign across 10 cities with MyHoardings. Each city had a custom plan:

• Pune: Bus branding and metro station ads

• Kolkata: Tram panel branding + Bengali radio

• Lucknow: Hoardings on key road crossings

• Coimbatore: Auto ads and local FM stations

• Indore: DOOH screens near markets

Results?

• 22% cost savings via localized formats

• Higher CTRs on QR code-led physical ads

• 15M+ impressions in 25 days

🧭 Tools That Power Multi-City Campaigns

At MyHoardings, our media planning uses:

• City-level GIS mapping

• Regional media inventory databases

• Local vendor tie-ups for ground activations

• Footfall analytics for OOH hotspots

• Language-adapted creative versioning

These tools ensure that national reach doesn’t mean diluted messaging.

🧩 Challenges We Solve Through Planning

• No DOOH screens in smaller cities? Use autos or wall branding.

• Too many overlapping formats? We cut clutter by selecting high-ROI zones.

• Low response in new cities? We run pilots before scaling.

• Budget overrun? We restructure plans to balance top-tier cities with lean deployments in others.

Every campaign is optimized city-wise, rather than pushed as a one-size-fits-all solution.

🤝 MyHoardings – Pan-India Planning, City-Level Precision

With over 10 years of experience in executing media campaigns across 500+ Indian cities, MyHoardings offers:

• End-to-end campaign design and deployment

• City-wise media mix planning

• Regional media buying and rate negotiation

• Monitoring, photography, and weekly reports

Whether you’re launching a product, running an election campaign, or opening a chain of outlets — we help your campaign feel local in every city.

📞 Contact MyHoardings:
🌐 www.myhoardings.com
📧 business@myhoardings.com
📲 +91 9953847639