Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL) has stepped up its advertising and promotional investments while accelerating the use of artificial intelligence across its marketing operations, signalling the FMCG major's continued focus on strengthening consumer engagement and brand visibility amid evolving market dynamics.
The company reported advertising and promotional expenditure of ₹1,656 crore during the latest reported quarter, reflecting a sequential increase of around 9.6 percent over the previous quarter. While the spend remained marginally lower than the corresponding period a year ago, the quarter-on-quarter rise marks HUL's highest advertising outlay in several quarters as the company invests behind its portfolio transformation and growth strategy.
The increase in marketing investments comes alongside HUL's efforts to integrate AI across multiple functions, including creative development, consumer insights, campaign optimisation and media planning. The company has been expanding its use of AI-powered tools to improve marketing efficiency while enabling faster decision-making and more personalised consumer communication.
HUL has consistently highlighted technology and data as key enablers of its business strategy. AI is increasingly being used to analyse consumer behaviour, optimise media allocation and support content creation at scale. The company has also adopted AI-driven analytics to improve demand forecasting and better understand changing consumption patterns across categories.
The maker of brands such as Dove, Surf Excel, Lakmé, Lifebuoy and Horlicks said it continues to prioritise investments that strengthen its portfolio and support long-term competitiveness. Management noted that stable demand conditions and favourable macroeconomic indicators encouraged the company to increase investments aimed at accelerating portfolio transformation during the quarter.
HUL reported revenue growth during the quarter, supported by steady demand across several product categories. Beauty and Wellbeing, Home Care and Foods remained among the key contributors to business performance, with premiumisation and innovation continuing to play an important role in driving growth. The company has also maintained its focus on expanding digital capabilities as consumer interactions increasingly shift towards online and omnichannel platforms.
Artificial intelligence has become an increasingly important part of the marketing ecosystem for consumer goods companies. Brands are using AI to automate repetitive tasks, generate creative assets, personalise customer experiences and improve campaign measurement. For large FMCG companies such as HUL, these technologies also support faster product innovation and more efficient allocation of advertising budgets across digital and traditional media channels.
Industry analysts note that AI is transforming how brands engage with consumers by enabling real-time optimisation of campaigns and deeper audience segmentation. At the same time, companies continue to maintain significant investments in brand building, recognising that technology complements rather than replaces long-term marketing strategies.
HUL has previously stated that digital media accounts for a substantial share of its overall advertising mix, reflecting changing consumer media habits and the growing importance of online platforms in reaching target audiences. The company's continued investments in AI and marketing are aligned with its broader objective of strengthening brand equity while improving operational efficiency.
As consumer goods companies navigate an increasingly competitive environment, HUL's latest advertising and technology initiatives underline how AI is becoming a central component of modern marketing. The company's strategy reflects a wider industry trend in which businesses are combining increased media investments with AI-powered capabilities to enhance customer engagement, improve campaign effectiveness and support sustainable growth.