Coca-Cola placed 47.6% of all beverage ads on Kenyan radio, TV and print in the first half of 2026. East African Breweries Limited (EABL) placed 27.1%. Yet their share of airtime was almost level: 38.0% for Coca-Cola, 37.3% for EABL.
That 0.7-point gap is the story of the sector. Counting ads tells you who is loudest. Counting airtime tells you who holds attention.
Two routes to visibility
Coca-Cola wins on frequency. Its short spots, promos and mentions run across a wide spread of stations. EABL wins on duration, with longer programme and activation formats that build exposure from fewer placements.
The same pattern appears across categories. Spirits accounted for 19.8% of beverage ads but 29.9% of airtime. Neither approach is wrong. But a competitor reviewed on spot counts alone will look smaller, or bigger, than it really is.
Challengers are closing the gap without matching volume
In energy drinks, Kenafric placed 20.8% of category ads and took 45.3% of category airtime. In ready-to-drink, Bidco Africa placed 43.3% of ads and took 64.9% of airtime, ahead of a rival with more placements.
For challenger brands, this is the opportunity. You do not need the leader's budget to compete for attention. You need the right format, station and timing.
Where the ads run
Radio carried 72.6% of all beverage placements, spread across many national and regional stations. No single radio station held more than 10.4%. Television is far more concentrated: Citizen TV carried 67.7% of TV placements.
That split matters for planning. Radio offers reach across language and regional audiences. TV offers concentrated presence on a few channels.
What's inside the report
The Kenya Beverage Sector Media Intelligence Report (H1 2026) covers:
- Share of ads and share of airtime across 13 beverage sub-industries
- Category leaders in beer, spirits, soft drinks, energy drinks, water, teas and ready-to-drink
- Radio, TV and print breakdowns by station and by company
- Market context, including the EABL ownership change and new energy drink launches
Download the full report to see how your brand and your competitors compare.
Need a closer look?
The report shows the sector. We can show your category, your competitors and your stations in detail, from campaign timing to placement formats and dayparts. Contact us at info@reelanalytics.net to request custom advertising insights.
