United Spirits significantly scaled up its advertising and sales promotion efforts in the third quarter of FY26, signaling a strong brand-led growth strategy even as short-term profitability faced pressure. The Diageo India-owned liquor major spent ₹523 crore on advertising in the December quarter, marking a sharp 115% increase compared to ₹243 crore in the previous quarter. On a year-on-year basis, marketing spends rose nearly 37% from ₹382 crore in Q3 FY25.

This heightened marketing push aligned with a sequential improvement in business performance. Revenue from operations grew 10.3% quarter-on-quarter to ₹7,942 crore, up from ₹7,199 crore in Q2 FY26. However, annual growth remained relatively modest, with revenues rising 2.7% compared to the same quarter last year. Total income for the quarter stood at ₹7,993 crore, reflecting a 9.8% sequential increase and a 2.4% rise year-on-year.

While the aggressive advertising investments supported topline momentum, they impacted margins in the short term. Profit before tax declined 13.3% sequentially to ₹541 crore, compared to ₹624 crore in the previous quarter. Nevertheless, on a year-on-year basis, PBT recorded a healthy growth of 12.7%. Profit after tax followed a similar trend, falling 9.9% quarter-on-quarter to ₹418 crore, but registering a strong 24.8% increase compared to the year-ago period.

For the nine months ended December 31, 2025, United Spirits reported advertising and promotion expenses of ₹1,004 crore, up 23.2% year-on-year. This sustained increase highlights the company’s continued focus on strengthening brand equity and market presence, even as it balances profitability with long-term growth ambitions.