United Spirits Ltd has stepped up its marketing investments, raising consolidated advertising and sales promotion spend by around 16% to Rs 1,295 crore in FY26, up from Rs 1,121 crore the previous year.
The company, known for brands like McDowell’s No.1, Royal Challenge, Signature, and Johnnie Walker, said the higher spends reflect a focused push on brand building. In its annual report, United Spirits noted that marketing reinvestment “remained disciplined and consistent with long-term brand building priorities,” with advertising and promotion spends staying within the guided range – balancing growth investment with profitability discipline.
The increased outlay came alongside a 3.86% rise in consolidated revenue from operations, which climbed to Rs 27,816 crore in FY26. Total income for the year stood at Rs 28,294 crore.
On the strategy behind the spend, the company said it is leaning on data, advanced analytics, and artificial intelligence to respond to shifting consumer behaviour with greater precision. Its digital capabilities, the company added, are helping it understand evolving preferences, design more relevant engagements, and deliver targeted communication across both digital and physical touchpoints.
The numbers point to a broader trend among FMCG and consumer brands in India, where AI-led targeting and data-driven marketing are increasingly shaping how ad budgets are allocated – even as companies stay watchful of profitability. For United Spirits, the FY26 results suggest a deliberate bet: that sustained, disciplined investment in brand equity, powered by smarter data usage, will pay off in the long run rather than chasing short-term spikes in spend.
