PRESENTS

STREAMING PARTNER POWERED BY

GOLD PARTNERS

COMMUNICATION PARTNER
 PRESENTS

STREAMING PARTNER POWERED BY

GOLD PARTNERS

COMMUNICATION PARTNER
 B L E E N T S
TA C O N T
OF 10
E R 1 I N G
P T T I S
CHA D V E R
D I A’S A
IN S T RY 26
IND U
T I S I NG
E R 2 D V E R
T A
C H A P DIGITAL
D I A’S
IN S T RY 46
IND U
P T E R3 R I N T 78
CH A LUE P
1 0 : B O GY
NE X T D O L
T H O
C H ME
E S E AR
R
FOREWORD
Marketing in India has always moved with the times - often faster than the
language we use to describe it.

We learned how to speak, then how to reach at scale. Only later did we begin to
listen with intent. That order matters. In a country as diverse and demanding
as ours, relevance is never accidental. It is earned.

There was a time when a painted sign outside a shop was enough. Print, radio,
and television expanded reach. Digital rewrote the equation, allowing brands to
connect with millions in seconds. And yet, earning attention has never been
harder.

Earlier, value in advertising was easy to define - the front page, prime time,
the opening seconds. Now, it lives in a quieter moment: the pause before someone
chooses whether to engage or move on.

Inside organisations, we speak in channels and metrics. Outside, people simply

know whether something respects their time and context. Media is no longer
something people step into; it is embedded in everyday life.

The dentsu e4m Digital Advertising Report 2026 reflects this reality. Marking
a decade of partnership, it captures how platforms and formats evolve, while
one truth remains constant: people engage when they feel understood.

Retail has become media. Video shapes preference early. AI is shifting media
from static plans to systems that learn and adapt.

At dentsu, growth comes from bringing creativity, media, data, and technology
together - anchored in how people live and aspire. This is what it means to
‘Innovate to Impact’.

This report is an invitation to do exactly that.

HARSHA RAZDAN
CEO,South Asia,dentsu

02
FOREWORD DIGITAL IN AN ERA OF AI AND HUMAN TOUCH:
TWO ENDS OF THE SAME SPECTRUM
Our lives have become deeply digital. We have all, in many ways, become screenagers,
navigating most aspects of our day through glowing rectangles.

From work and entertainment to shopping and social interactions, screens are no longer just
tools but primary gateways to information, connection and choice, quietly shaping how we
think, behave and make decisions.

However the more the digital grows, the value of human touch becomes more valuable. As
consumers are exposed to endless content, notifications and automation, attention is
becoming scarce and trust, harder to earn. This is where meaningful human connections,
authenticity and real-world experiences stand out.

AI’s growth and Gen AI getting better and better is also creating more opportunities. From
sharper targeting and faster insights to creative assistance and automation, AI is changing
how brands plan and execute marketing. Yet, this technological leap is also prompting
marketers to rethink balance.

The growth of digital and AI life is leading to re-emergence of print, OOH, cinema and
experiential in a big way. These channels offer scale with credibility, sensory impact and
emotional depth that purely digital platforms often lack.

Digital ad fraud is growing and so are detection tools. This makes effectiveness and
accountability critical questions for marketers today.

Digital is undoubtedly growing, but the more important question is whether it is truly
effective.

Is there an ROI that goes beyond clicks, impressions and short-term conversions?

As platforms multiply and metrics become more complex, marketers are being forced to look
past dashboards and rediscover fundamentals. In an era dominated by performance marketing,
DR. ANNURAG BATRA we know brand building matters even more, because trust, memory and emotional connection
cannot be automated or optimised away.
Chairman and Editor in Chief,
BW Businessworld
Founder, exchange4media Group

04
FOREWORD As India’s media and marketing ecosystem enters its next phase of evolution, the nature of
interaction itself is beginning to change. Artificial intelligence has moved decisively
from the background of digital experiences to the foreground. Conversational platforms and
AI-powered assistants are no longer limited to answering questions or enabling discovery.
They are beginning to test advertising, commercial listings, and transactional prompts
within everyday interactions.

As platforms such as ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity explore embedded commercial

participation, advertising is entering a new phase. One that is less interruptive, more
contextual, and increasingly integrated into how people search, decide, and act. This shift
signals more than the introduction of new inventory. It reflects a redefinition of how
brands show up within moments of intent, as intelligent interfaces respond in real time and
accompany users through decision-making journeys.

Against this backdrop, India finds itself at a particularly significant moment. The
questions shaping the future of Indian media are no longer limited to scale, speed, or
adoption. Those conversations belong to an earlier chapter. Today, the opportunity is to
imagine what kind of media ecosystem India can build as commerce, content, and culture
converge in real time, mediated increasingly by intelligent and adaptive systems.

India’s media landscape is being built while in motion. Media and commerce are no longer
separate domains. Storytelling and transaction increasingly coexist within the same
experiences, while culture has become the medium through which relevance is earned. This
convergence has opened up an expansive possibility space. India is not merely adopting
global media models, but reshaping them in ways that reflect its unique social, linguistic,
and cultural fabric.

As traditional measures of success are reconsidered, attention, emotional connection, and

cultural resonance are emerging as the new currencies of value. In this environment,
creativity becomes central, not as decoration, but as a strategic capability that enables
brands to participate meaningfully in people’s lives.

The dentsu e4m Digital Advertising Report 2026 is anchored in this spirit of possibility.
It brings together perspectives from across the ecosystem to examine the forces shaping
Indian media over the next decade. As India looks ahead, the future will be defined not by
inherited playbooks, but by the willingness to imagine new ones, and to shape media that is
NAWAL AHUJA confident, connected, and deeply human.
Co-Founder and Director
exchange4media

06
 India’s advertising industry continues its stable expansion, closing 2025 at ₹1,21,339

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY crore, with growth projected to reach ₹1,40,001 crore by 2027 at a CAGR (Compound annual
growth rate) of 7.41%. The market is increasingly shaped by stronger domestic demand, deeper
INDIAN ADVERTISING INDUSTRY AS OF 2025 participation in digital commerce, and policy-led accelerators such as MSME digitalisation
and the Make in India initiative. Traditional media retains scale, yet its share continues
to decline as audiences and brands shift toward more measurable, digital-first environments.

Digital Media remains the industry’s primary growth engine, rising 19% in 2025 to reach
₹71,621 crore and projected to grow at a CAGR of 17%, touching ₹98,034 crore by 2027 -
ADVERTISING INDUSTRY DIGITAL ADVERTISING INDUSTRY equivalent to 70% of total advertising spends. Social and online video dominate this mix,

₹ 1,21,339 Crore while retail media is emerging as a major disruptor, with e-retail ad spends surging 55.86%
2025 ₹ 71,621 Crore
(~ $ 14.06 Bn) (~ $ 8.30 Bn) in 2025 to ₹17,601 crore.

Across verticals, FMCG, e-commerce, telecom and BFSI lead total and digital advertising
spends. Digital-first sectors now concentrate heavily on video, social and search, while
2026f ₹ 1,30,416 Crore ₹ 84,977 Crore
(~ $ 15.11 Bn) (~ $ 9.85 Bn) categories such as real estate and consumer durables maintain a stronger presence on
television. The industry is converging toward a more data-driven, automated and
commerce-integrated advertising ecosystem.

2027f ₹ 1,40,001 Crore ₹ 98,034 Crore

The next decade will redefine how media, technology, culture and commerce converge, creating
( $ 16.22 Bn)
~
(~ $ 11.36 Bn)
a more immersive, adaptive and values-driven landscape. Retail media will become a core

7.41 % CAGR 17 % CAGR advertising pillar, enabling full-funnel storytelling powered by behavioural insight.
Attention will increasingly guide measurement, while cultural influence shapes long-term
relevance. India’s creative economy will expand through women-led, regional and
micro-community voices, reshaping narratives and elevating local culture globally. Purpose,
transparency and emotional wellbeing will steer brand expectations, as value bundles, hybrid
experiences, AI-enabled personalisation and spatial interfaces create a future where media
shifts from viewing to meaningful participation.

08
 1
CHAPTER

INDIA’S
ADVERTISING
INDUSTRY
10
 21.8% 21.4%
Growth Ad Industry

₹ 1,30,416 CR

₹ 1,40,001 CR
Note: AdEx baseline reset in 2023 to include

₹ 1,21,339 CR
SME long-tail digital spends

₹ 1,12,042 CR
18.2%

₹ 1,04,139 CR
₹ 85,812 CR
10.8% 9.4%
8.9% 7.6%

₹ 59,619 CR

₹ 72,603 CR
8.3%
7.5% 7.3%

₹ 68,475 CR
₹ 56,471 CR

₹ 62,564 CR
₹ 51,851 CR

-12.9%

2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026f 2027f

1.1. GROWTH OF INDIA’S ADVERTISING INDUSTRY

in mobility and housing will support momentum, while the election cycle should lift near-term
advertising across mainstream and regional media.

With these drivers, the industry is expected to grow 7.5% in 2025, reaching ₹1,30,416 crore by
The Indian advertising Industry grew by 8.3% in 2025, reaching ₹1,21,339 crore, underscoring the
end of 2026.
sector’s steady momentum despite macro-economic uncertainties. This expansion was anchored by
The 2026 outlook is defined by expanding 5G access, maturing adtech capabilities, the advent of
continued digital adoption, improving consumer sentiment, and stronger performance-led marketing
commerce-linked ad formats through UPI 2.0, and the mainstreaming of AI-enabled media
across categories.
optimisation. Public-sector communication around Smart Cities Mission milestones and state-level
Growth in 2025 is expected to be driven by stronger consumption, broader digital commerce, and digital governance campaigns will further propel investment.
the expanding reach of India’s Digital Public Infrastructure (UPI/ONDC). Policy tailwinds
The industry is projected to reach ₹1,40,001 crore by end-2027, growing at 7.3%, led by
including MSME digitalisation, Make in India–led manufacturing visibility, and sector pushes e-commerce, telecom, BFSI, automotive, and real estate.
12
 PRESENTS

OOH
₹ 4,724 CR
4%
STREAMING PARTNER POWERED BY

RADIO GOLD PARTNERS

₹ 1,501 CR COMMUNICATION PARTNER

1% CINEMA
₹ 935 CR
1% 1.2. MEDIA-WISE ADVERTISING SPENDS

Digital media now contributes ₹71,621 crore, commanding a dominant 59% share of the Indian
advertising Industry. This milestone marks a structural shift in how brands engage audiences,
reflecting both scale and sophistication in India’s digital ecosystem.

Television remains the largest traditional medium with a 21% share (₹25,964 crore), sustaining
PRINT its relevance through live sports, high-impact entertainment and regional programming. Print
₹ 16,594 CR follows with 14% (₹16,594 crore), continuing to deliver trust-led visibility in key markets and
14% categories.

The industry’s media mix between digital and traditional media has transformed dramatically from
12:88 in 2016 to 59:41 today, signalling a systemic and long-term rebalancing of advertising
strategies and priorities.

Driven by a mobile-first internet ecosystem, performance-led measurability, Digital Public

Infrastructure, AI-powered optimisation, and the rise of regional and short-video content,
digital media has emerged as the cornerstone of India’s advertising landscape.
DIGITAL
₹ 71,621 CR
India's advertising landscape is witnessing a paradigm shift as retail media emerges as the
TELEVISION 59%
fastest-growing segment. By converging commerce and media within unified ecosystems, these
₹ 25,964 CR
platforms are solving advertising's oldest challenge—connecting investment to measurable
21%
outcomes through full-funnel advertising solutions leveraging trillions of shopping and
streaming signals that eliminate traditional measurement gaps.

14
 PRESENTS

STREAMING PARTNER POWERED BY

1.3. THE CHANGING MEDIA MIX

GOLD PARTNERS

COMMUNICATION PARTNER
12% 15% 17%
20%
26%
29% The share of advertising spends on digital media has risen sharply from 12% in 2016 to 59% by
35%
6%
end-2025, reflecting sustained adoption of digital-first marketing approaches. This trajectory
6% 48% is expected to continue, with digital projected to command 70% of total advertising spends by
2% 6% 54%
2% 6% end-2027, driven by expanding digital infrastructure, deeper commerce integration and measurable
4% 2% 59%
4% 2% 3% 65% 70% performance-led outcomes.
4% 0.5%
35% 4% 2%
3% 0.4%
34% 2% Among traditional formats, OOH emerges as the only segment expected to grow over the forecast
2% 0.3%
31%
period. The medium is projected to expand at a 3% CAGR, reaching a 4% share by 2027, supported
2%
29%
4% by the scaling of digital OOH networks, modernised transit infrastructure and growing demand for
26%
0.3% high-impact urban visibility.
23% 4%
2%
22% 0.3%

1%
4% Conversely, television’s share is expected to decline from 21% today to 15% by 2027, while print
0.8%
18% 4%
is projected to drop from 14% to 10% over the same period, reflecting structural shifts in
1%
0.7% content consumption and advertiser preference.
16% 4%
1%
14% 0.7%

1% The reallocation of spends is driven by a decisive movement towards personalised, measurable,

12%
42% 42% and commerce-ready media. Audiences continue to migrate towards digital video, streaming
40% 40% 40% 39% 10%
39%
platforms and short-form content, prompting advertisers to prioritise channels with richer
29% engagement and clearer attribution. At the same time, AI-led optimisation and outcome-based
25%
21% planning increasingly favour formats that offer granular data, while upgraded urban
18% 15%
infrastructure is enabling the rise of digitised OOH. In contrast, traditional television and
2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025a 2026f 2027f print are seeing reduced time spent and greater fragmentation, contributing to their declining
share.
TELEVISION PRINT RADIO CINEMA OOH DIGITAL

Note: Digital AdEx baseline reset in 2023 to include SME long-tail spends This evolving media mix reflects an industry reorienting towards agility, precision, and
digital-led reach at scale.
16
 PRESENTS

Amazon Ads helps you connect with audiences across its online
touchpoints- while they shop, stream, and explore everything STREAMING PARTNER POWERED BY

in the middle
FULL-FUNNEL ADVERTISING:
GOLD PARTNERS

THE STRATEGIC SHIFT

COMMUNICATION PARTNER

RESHAPING INDIA'S
MARKETING FUTURE
Girish Prabhu, VP & Head, Amazon Ads India
63%
Ad-supported reach across
India’s digital MAU on O&O
inventory²

Indian marketers face an unprecedented challenge—fragmented media consumption across multiple

digital channels including video, social media, online shopping, and search. Traditional siloed
media planning no longer reflects this reality. The solution? Full-funnel advertising that
unifies the customer journey from awareness to loyalty.
Amazon Ads also helps you reach a wider internet audience across third-party
popular streaming, news & information and payment services
Full-funnel advertising strategically departs from performance marketing's focus on immediate
conversions. While performance advertising captures existing demand, full-funnel strategies
Brands implementing full-funnel strategies see impact across brand health measures³
create tomorrow's buyers while converting today's shoppers—building awareness through
storytelling, guiding consideration through remarketing,
interest-based ads, all executed and measured holistically.
and driving conversion through
110%
lift in consideration
193%
lift in purchase rates
109%
lift in new customer acquisition

India's digital advertising landscape is uniquely positioned for this shift with Retail media
SMBs and emerging brands can leverage full-funnel strategies leveraging self serve video
being the fastest-growing advertising channel and expected to reach 15% share of India’s total
streaming & display ads and AI-powered creatives and campaign creation to expand audience reach
ad-spends in 20261. At Amazon Ads, we deliver full-funnel advertising solutions at scale,
beyond search advertising for long-term growth.
reaching 63% of the country's online audience2 through owned services and third-party
collaborations. This scale, powered by trillions of first-party shopping and streaming signals, As India's advertising industry reaches ₹1.3 lakh crore+ by 2026 with digital commanding 65%

enables relevant reach across shopping, streaming and other online touchpoints to deliver share, the question isn't whether to adopt full-funnel strategies—it's how quickly brands can

measurable brand and business impact. shift to integrated approaches that build sustainable competitive advantage.
Source [Link] e4m Digital Advertising report 2026 estimate, [Link] India data, November 2025, [Link] internal data

18
 PRESENTS

STREAMING PARTNER POWERED BY

FMCG
₹ 36,084 CR
GOLD PARTNERS

COMMUNICATION PARTNER

30%
OTHERS
₹ 16,162 CR 1.4. SPENDS BY INDUSTRY VERTICALS
13%

FMCG continues to lead the Indian advertising industry, contributing 30% (₹36,084 crore) of total
spends, driven by high-frequency categories and sustained competition across staples and
personal care. E-commerce follows at 18% (₹22,132 crore), reflecting its growing scale and
aggressive customer-acquisition strategies, while the automotive segment contributes 7%,
supported by renewed demand across both EV and ICE portfolios.
TOURISM
₹ 918 CR In 2025, the strongest growth in advertising emerged from e-commerce, which expanded by 40.8%
1% E-COMMERCE
over the previous year. The telecom sector recorded 24.2% growth, driven by 5G-enabled service
₹ 22,132 CR
18% diversification and content-led bundling. BFSI, automotive and real estate also demonstrated
MEDIA steady increases as consumer sentiment and credit availability improved.
& ENTERTAINMENT
₹ 2,560 CR
2% The strong growth across these sectors is driven by the rapid expansion of e-commerce logistics
AUTO
and quick-commerce models, rising 5G-led service diversification in telecom, and BFSI’s push
₹ 7,821 CR
7% towards digital payments, credit products and insurance penetration. Real estate and automotive
GOVERNMENT
₹ 3,421 CR have benefited from urban demand recovery, premiumisation trends and improved financing
3% conditions. These developments, supported by regulatory openness and broader digital enablement,
have collectively intensified sectoral visibility and accelerated digital advertising
CONSUMER DURABLES
investments.
TELECOM ₹ 7,450 CR
₹ 3,647 CR 6%
3% Together, these shifts reinforce a market where high-growth, digitally enabled sectors are
reshaping the advertising landscape with scale, speed and precision.
RETAIL EDUCATION REAL ESTATE BFSI PHARMACEUTICAL
₹ 3,676 CR ₹ 3,847 CR ₹ 3,857 CR ₹ 4,830 CR ₹ 4,933 CR
3% 3% 3% 4% 4%
20
 74%

49%
48% 48%
72% 44%
42% 29% 28%
38% 32%
67% 64%

5% 4%
7%
0.6% 0.4%
2.3% 66%
4% 1.0% 6%
2% 2%
0.6%
4% 3.8% 5% 65%
3% 0.8% 53%
4% 0.4% 2% 2.4% 49%
0.7%
0.9%
10% 3% 6% 27% 28% 46%
1.5%
1% 20% 2%
3% 9% 0.3%
0.8%
3% 4% 0.3% 3%
5%
3%
0.8% 0.6%
0.7% 1%
0.4% 0.2%
5%
2% 8% 42% 23% 22% 20%

17% 22%
19% 29% 31% 25% 11%
9%
6% 5%
0.1%

TELECOM E-COMMERCE PHARMACEUTICAL FMCG CONSUMER DURABLES BFSI REAL ESTATE AUTO TOURISM MEDIA & EDUCATION RETAIL GOVERNMENT OTHERS
ENTERTAINMENT

TV PRINT RADIO CINEMA OOH DIGITAL

1.5. MEDIA ALLOCATION BY VERTICALS

Telecom, e-commerce, pharmaceuticals, and FMCG now allocate the largest share of their media real estate (42%), consumer durables (31%) and FMCG (29%), where the combination of reach,
budgets to digital, reflecting the need for precise targeting, measurable outcomes and always-on credibility and demonstrative storytelling continues to influence purchase decisions.
consumer engagement. These sectors rely heavily on performance-led campaigns, regional digital
Print media retains strong relevance among government & social organisations (65%), education
content and commerce-linked journeys, making digital their dominant investment channel.
(53%), retail (49%) and media & entertainment (46%), driven by the need for trust, localised
communication and regulatory or public-information messaging.
In contrast, television remains a key medium for high-impact visibility in categories such as
22
 HOW TRUECALLER “Cricket gives brands emotional connection.
Truecaller deepens this connection by helping

NATURALLY FITS INTO

brands show up at moments when people are ready
to act, placing them in trusted, decision-led
environments during cricket and turning

INDIA’S CRICKET CULTURE

attention into real outcomes.”

HEMANT ARORA, VP, GLOBAL AD BUSINESS TRUECALLER

Call Moments Make Truecaller The Go-To

Call Moments Make Truecaller The Go-To
Screen During Cricket
KEY INSIGHTS
76% 41%
In India, cricket does not arrive with the toss and leave
with the final over. It spills into living rooms, cafés, Screen During Cricket
offices and group chats. Phone calls coordinate plans,
messages drive conversations, and food orders turn emotion
into intent. Cricket, in other words, is not just watched.

1 in 2
It is anticipated, planned and experienced. Cricket viewers Say the most trusted,least-disruptive
are active on Cricket viewers use their
ad environments during cricket are
That insight sits at the heart of The Great Indian Cricket utility-led, with calling environments
Truecaller phones while watching a match
ranking among the top, alongside
Fan on Truecaller, a new study by Truecaller in partnership
during matches payments
with digital intelligence platform VTION.

The study shows that during cricket, the phone becomes the
true action layer of the game for cricket viewers on
Cricket-Driven Call Moments Activate
Truecaller in India. This behaviour plays out on a platform Commerce on Truecaller
with over 310 million users nationwide, giving brands Incremental reach As cricket drives a surge in calls, Truecaller becomes a trusted point
access to moments where coordination, trust and driving a surge in of communication for commerce actions across key categories.

+21%
decision-making converge at scale. match-time calling
and incremental F&B Ecommerce Payments
“Cricket shifts people into action mode. During live active usage on 1.45X Lift 1.56X Lift 1.09X Lift
matches, phones become the place where coordination, trust Truecaller versus 22 M+ Users 23 M+ Users 220M+ Users
and decisions actually happen, with calling moments pre-cricket baselines.
sitting at the centre of that behaviour,” said Archana
Roche, Global Head of Measurement & Analytics, Truecaller.

The findings position cricket as a behavioural system that

actively shapes how Indians decide, coordinate, trust and SCAN QR TO DOWNLOAD THE FULL REPORT
spend. Or Email us [Link]@[Link] for the full report.

24
2
CHAPTER

INDIA’S
DIGITAL
ADVERTISING
INDUSTRY
26
 67.0%
Growth Digital Ad Industry

₹ 98,034 CR
Note: Digital AdEx baseline reset in 2023

₹ 84,977 CR
to include SME long-tail spends

₹ 71,621 CR
₹ 29,784 CR

₹ 60,209 CR
₹ 49,737 CR
₹ 21,353 CR
39.5%

₹ 13,683 CR

₹ 15,782 CR
32.4%
31.7% 35.3%

₹ 10,859 CR
21.1%
26.0%
₹ 8,202 CR

19.0% 18.6%
₹ 6,228 CR

15.3%
15.4%

2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026f 2027f

2.1. GROWTH OF INDIA’S DIGITAL ADVERTISING INDUSTRY These forces are projected to sustain a 18.6% growth rate through 2026, taking digital media to
₹84,977 crore by year-end.
The Indian Digital Media Industry grew by 19% in 2024, closing 2025 at ₹71,621 crore, and firmly
The surge is driven by mobile-first use, short-form video, creator-led commerce, and AI-led
establishing digital as the centre of gravity for brand investment. Its rapid expansion reflects
adtech improving targeting and attribution. Regional content, performance marketing, and
both the scale of India’s connected population and the increasing sophistication of digital
embedded digital payments are further expanding digital’s influence across sectors.
commerce and content ecosystems.

Digital media will remain India’s top ad channel, backed by policy and infrastructure. DPI, UPI Looking ahead, digital media is expected to grow at a CAGR of 17%, reaching ₹98,034 crore by
and ONDC growth along with MSME digitalisation and broadband programmes are deepening 2027, and contributing 70% of total Indian Advertising spends, marking a definitive shift to a
participation and enabling more measurable ad journeys. digital-first communication economy.
28
 PRESENTS

STREAMING PARTNER POWERED BY

DISPLAY BANNERS GOLD PARTNERS

₹ 11,581 CR COMMUNICATION PARTNER

16%

2.2. DIGITAL ADVERTISING SPENDS ACROSS FORMATS

SOCIAL MEDIA
₹ 21,057 CR Social media commands the largest share of digital ad spends at 29% (₹21,057 crore), driven by
29%
high user engagement, creator-led ecosystems and the expanding role of social commerce. Online
video follows closely with 28% (₹20,004 crore), supported by the explosive growth of short-form
content, OTT platforms and mobile-first video consumption.

ONLINE VIDEO
Paid search contributes 23% (₹16,581 crore), reflecting its continued importance in intent-led
₹ 20,004 CR
28% marketing and conversion-driven campaigns, while display banners account for 16%, anchored in
retargeting and broad-reach visibility.

Spend patterns reflect a strong preference for formats that combine scale with measurable
PAID SEARCH
₹ 16,581 CR performance. Social and video dominate due to their immersive, high-engagement environments,
23% while search retains a significant share for its proven efficiency in capturing bottom-funnel
demand and driving commerce outcomes.

OTHER INCL. CLASSIFIED

₹ 2,399 CR
3%

30
 PRESENTS

STREAMING PARTNER POWERED BY

GOLD PARTNERS

COMMUNICATION PARTNER

7% 6% 5% 4% 4% 4% 3% 3% 3% 3% 3% 3%

16% 16% 15%

2.3. FORECAST OF DIGITAL SPENDS ACROSS FORMATS
16% 16% 16% 16%
16%
20%
20% 21% 21% Online video is projected to grow at 22.30%, reaching a 29% share by end-2026, reflecting its
rise as the most immersive and high-engagement format for India’s mobile-first audience. Social
media is expected to grow at 18.77%, closing 2026 with a 29% share, maintaining its lead through
23%
24% 23% 23%
creator ecosystems, conversational commerce and community-driven engagement. By 2027, online
24% 23% 23% 23%
video is expected to overtake social media’s share, signalling a convergence of viewing and
26% 25% 25%
social behaviours across platforms.
27%

30% This momentum is driven by the rapid expansion of short-form video, deeper OTT penetration,
22% 28% 28% 28% 28% 28% 29%
21% 28% and the widespread integration of AI-powered personalisation-making video and social formats
18% 19%
central to both brand-building and commerce-led outcomes.

Paid search is expected to grow at 16.54%, stabilising at a 23% share by 2026, while display
banners are projected to grow at 16.16%, accounting for 16% of spends. These formats continue
28% 28% 29% 28% 29% 29% 29% 29% 29% 29% 29% 29% to play essential roles in intent capture, retargeting and broad digital reach.

2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025a 2026f 2027f

SOCIAL MEDIA ONLINE VIDE0 PAID SEARCH DISPLAY BANNERS OTHERS [Link]

32
 PRESENTS

STREAMING PARTNER POWERED BY

GOLD PARTNERS

COMMUNICATION PARTNER

2.4. GROWTH OF E-RETAIL PLATFORM ADVERTISING

By the end of 2025, advertising spends on e-retail platforms reached ₹17,601 crore, contributing
AD SPENDS 24.58% to total digital media spends. This represents a remarkable 55.86% growth over 2024,
ON E-RETAIL PLATFORMS

₹ 17,601
driven by expanding marketplace inventories, richer first-party data environments, and rising
investments in performance-led commerce advertising across categories.

CRORE
Over the next two years, commerce and media will increasingly converge, as retailers evolve into
full-funnel advertising ecosystems. Retail platforms will no longer be limited to lower-funnel
conversions; they will weave together storytelling, discovery, transaction and closed-loop
measurement within the same environment.

24.58% OF DIGITAL
E-retail platforms are redefining digital advertising by transforming from transaction venues
into comprehensive full-funnel advertising ecosystems. Unlike traditional digital channels that
MEDIA SPENDS operate in silos—video, search, social, and shopping managed separately—retail media unifies
these touchpoints within closed-loop environments. This integration enables advertisers to reach
GROWING

55.86%
consumers across awareness, consideration, and conversion stages while measuring downstream
AT impact with unprecedented precision. The ‘Full-funnel’ advantage is backed by three pillars.

Real-time first-party consumer signals based on shopping and streaming to inform campaign
strategies and drive precision in targeting

Comprehensive media suite covering owned Video and audio streaming inventory (e.g. Amazon
Prime video, Amazon MX Player), social amplification(e.g. Amazon Influencer program),open
internet(programmatic access) and e-marketplace shopping touchpoints and

Holistic measurement based on brand health metrics, mid funnel measures and conversions
(online and offline)
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2.5. RISE OF AUDIO IN THE MODERN MEDIA MIX

For much of the last decade, audio has played a supporting role in media
planning—valued for emotional resonance and brand-building, but rarely central to
performance conversations. That assumption no longer holds. India is entering a
pivotal moment where digital audio is emerging as a full-funnel, measurable, and What makes this moment different is capability. Streaming platforms now offer

highly effective advertising channel. For agencies, this represents both an logged-in environments, deterministic targeting, and full-funnel measurement.

opportunity and a planning imperative. Interactive audio formats can drive clicks, site visits, app installs, and leads,
allowing audio to move beyond awareness into performance. Creative can also be

Audio consumption in India has reached a depth and consistency that few other digital adapted by device—across in-car systems, home speakers, wearables, gaming consoles,

channels can match. Nearly half of Indian audio consumers spend more than 90 minutes and personal headphones—enabling contextual, device-aware storytelling.

a day listening to music, podcasts, and audio series, with usage deeply embedded into
daily routines such as commuting, workouts, household tasks, and downtime. Listening Audio’s unique strength lies in reaching consumers during “do moments,” when they are

peaks during morning and evening commute hours—high-attention windows with limited actively engaged in life rather than passively scrolling. These moments—driving,

screen distraction. Importantly, this behaviour cuts across geographies and cooking, exercising, unwinding—offer high receptivity and low clutter, making audio

languages, with regional and local content dominating consumption, making audio one environments immersive rather than fleeting.

of India’s most democratized media channels.

For marketers, the implication is clear: interactive audio should no longer be

Despite this scale and engagement, audio remains significantly underweighted in media treated as experimental. Platforms like Spotify, which grew 35% year-on-year and is

budgets. While a large share of listeners spend over two hours a day with audio, only now recognized by Comscore as the third-largest OTT platform, are becoming core to

a small fraction of total ad spend is allocated to the channel—signaling a clear modern media planning. The question is no longer whether audio belongs in the media

planning inefficiency for agencies focused on attention efficiency and ROI. mix, but how quickly agencies are willing to adapt to its breakthrough moment.

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CONSUMER DURABLES ₹ 3,625 CR 5%

OTHERS ₹ 10,697 CR 15%
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2.6. DIGITAL ADVERTISING SPENDS

COMMUNICATION PARTNER

AUTO ₹ 3,425 CR
BY INDUSTRY VERTICALS
5%

E-COMMERCE ₹ 15,836 CR 22%

The FMCG segment continues to dominate India’s digital media landscape, contributing 32%
PHARMACEUTICAL (₹23,243 crore), driven by high-frequency consumption categories and always-on digital
₹ 3,328 CR 5%
engagement. E-commerce follows with 22% (₹15,836 crore), reflecting its scale, aggressive
acquisition cycles and deep integration of performance marketing. Other growth-driving sectors
include consumer durables, automotive and pharmaceuticals, all of which are accelerating digital
TELECOM ₹ 2,702 CR 4% adoption through targeted communication and richer product-discovery experiences.

BFSI In 2025, the e-commerce sector recorded the highest surge in digital media spends at 56%, fuelled
₹ 2,315 CR 3%
by rapid category expansion, quick-commerce proliferation and intensified marketplace
competition. This was followed by tourism (54%), education (50%) and automotive (48%),
REAL ESTATE ₹ 1,843 CR each benefiting from renewed consumer demand, improved affordability and digital-first
3%
service models.

EDUCATION ₹ 1,228 CR 2% Growth across these sectors is supported by rising mobile-first consumption, increased use of
short-form video and creator ecosystems, and stronger performance-driven marketing. Government
RETAIL ₹ 1,066 CR 1% policies - such as digital enablement for MSMEs, incentives supporting India’s tourism missions,
and accelerated EV adoption frameworks, have further stimulated sectoral visibility.
MEDIA & ENTERTAINMENT ₹ 983 CR 1% Additionally, the expansion of UPI-led payments and ONDC-linked commerce infrastructure has
GOVERNMENT ₹ 945 CR 1%
enabled frictionless discovery-to-purchase pathways, encouraging brands to invest more deeply
in measurable, full-funnel digital advertising.
FMCG ₹ 23,243 CR 32% TOURISM ₹ 386 CR 0.5%

38
 1% 2% 2% 4% 0.3% 4% 4%
9%
11%
13% 14%
16% 16% 21% 20%
15% 28% 15%
18% 13% 20%
19% 17%
8%
20%
18%
23% 38% 22% 18% 23%
42%
26%
36% 30% 25% 27%

45%
29%
16%
29% 24% 38% 10% 29% 21%
37%
17%
18% 27%
12% 15%

29% 30% 28% 30% 25% 21% 26% 20% 30% 28% 25% 40% 32% 32%

TELECOM E-COMMERCE PHARMACEUTICAL FMCG CONSUMER DURABLES BFSI REAL ESTATE AUTO TOURISM MEDIA & EDUCATION RETAIL GOVERNMENT OTHERS
ENTERTAINMENT
SOCIAL MEDIA ONLINE VIDEO PAID SEARCH DISPLAY BANNERS OTHERS INCL. CLASSIFIED

2.7. DIGITAL FORMAT ALLOCATION BY VERTICALS

The telecom sector allocates 29% each to social media and online video, balancing high-impact FMCG, dedicating 45% to online video and 30% to social media, prioritises reach, visual
storytelling with continuous engagement for plans, bundles and service updates. E-commerce storytelling and regional penetration across high-frequency [Link] mixes reflect each
directs 38% of its budget to paid search and 30% to social media, reflecting its need to capture sector’s consumer journey: telecom and FMCG focus on broad reach and visual impact; e-commerce
high-intent shoppers while stimulating discovery through influencer and content-led demand. and pharma prioritise precision and intent capture; and social media remains central across
categories for personalisation, community influence and rapid optimisation.
The pharmaceutical sector, with 42% spends on paid search, relies on search-driven accuracy to
reach users with condition-specific queries while operating within stringent compliance
frameworks.
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10% 15%
2.8. TRENDS IN DIGITAL MEDIA BUYING
18%

25%

Programmatic Media Buying continued its strong momentum in 2025, driven by deeper automation,

38% 40% 42% 42% 42% 43% 43% richer data signals and the expanding adoption of AI-led optimisation across advertisers and
42%
agencies. Growth was also powered by increased reliance on first-party data, the rise of retail
media networks, and the integration of audience insights from Digital Public Infrastructure,
enabling more precise and privacy-aligned targeting. Key trends include the expansion of
90% Programmatic DOOH, greater use of outcome-based buying models and the shift towards attention
metrics over traditional impressions.
85%

82% By the end of 2025, programmatic buying contributed 42% (₹30,081 crore) of India’s digital media
75% spends, growing 19% over 2024. It is expected to grow at a CAGR of 18.77%, reaching ₹42,435 crore
62% and a 43% share by 2027.
60%
58% 58% 58% 58% 57% 57%
Programmatic will increasingly become the default buying layer - more transparent, AI-augmented
and integrated across screens, enabling advertisers to operate full-funnel, data-driven and
outcome-optimised campaigns at scale.

2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025a 2026f 2027f

DIRECT PROGRAMMATIC

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MOBAVENUE’S A³ STRATEGY
A³ as a Growth Operating System
REDEFINES FULL - FUNNEL
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GROWTH IN A FRAGMENTED
COMMUNICATION PARTNER

MEDIA ERA
“The advertising market doesn’t lack platforms. It suffers from disconnected execution.
Mobavenue exists to solve this disconnection through an A³ full-funnel ecosystem
(Awareness - Acquisition - Activation), designed in-house as an integrated system, because
end-to-end growth can’t be achieved through fragmented tools that were never meant to
Today’s advertising challenge isn’t complexity. It’s speak to each other,” says Ishank Joshi.
fragmentation becoming the norm, and uncertainty being
treated as acceptable. Audiences now move seamlessly Awareness focuses on memory-building through controlled frequency and premium environments.
across OTT & CTV, short-form video, mobile apps, search, PrsmX, an AI-powered unified brand awareness and omnichannel programmatic engagement
commerce platforms & offline channels. Yet most
platform, helps brands drive impact across Video, CTV, OTT, mobile, desktop, and retail media.
advertising still optimizes for channels rather than
outcomes, leading to duplicated reach, frequency waste, Acquisition becomes outcome-driven, using AI to predict conversion likelihood instead of
noisy attribution, and “performance” celebrated without chasing clicks. Engineered on a central AI-powered model, SurgeX & DiscvrX (Acquisition
being fully understood. Platforms) and OrbitX (Contextual Platform) are built to maximize growth while maintaining
India is one of the most dynamic digital markets efficiency and quality.
globally, with consumers spending significant time
across platforms and formats throughout the day. In a Activation ensures attention through intelligent sequencing, not repetitivea retargeting.
connected world, growth cannot rely on disconnected Ishank Joshi Powered by ResurgeX, it retargets and re-engages users at every stage to create a connected
MD & CEO, Mobavenue AI Tech Limited
campaign execution. It requires systems. performance journey rather than isolated bursts.

Execution without Truth Has Become Expensive The Next Era Rewards Engineered Growth
Brands must no longer accept ambiguity as “how advertising works.” If impact can’t be
The digital ecosystem won’t become simpler as fragmentation is permanent. To win, brands must
explained, it can’t be trusted, and if it can’t be trusted, it can’t be scaled. The biggest
move from campaign thinking to system thinking. Mobavenue’s A³ framework, powered by the
risk today isn’t under-spending. It’s funding the wrong outcomes every month because the
numbers look reassuring. Agentic framework, is built for this reality - where AI governs decisions, personalization
respects human emotion, and technology sovereignty ensures transparent, accountable, and
AI is now central to how advertising is planned and optimized. In this environment, black-box
scalable growth.
platforms and walled gardens create structural risk. Brands need accountability and a clear
line of sight from investment to impact.
44
CHAPTER
SHAPING NEXT
DECADE OF INDIAN
MEDIA INDUSTRY
10
NEXT

BLUEPRINT

46
 THE RISE OF ATTENTION & CULTURAL INFLUENCE

2025–2035

RETAIL MEDIA & COMMERCE-DRIVEN STORYTELLING

2025 - 2027 IMMERSIVE & SPATIAL MEDIA EXPERIENCES

2032–2035
CULTURAL & DEMOGRAPHIC CREATIVE RENAISSANCE

2025-2031

NEXT
PURPOSE-DRIVEN & VALUES-BASED STORYTELLING

2025-2031

SUBSCRIPTION FATIGUE & VALUE RE-BUNDLING

10
BLUEPRINT
2028–2031
CORPORATE MEDIA RENAISSANCE

2028–2031

OMNICHANNEL TRUST & HYBRID BRAND PRESENCE

AI-DRIVEN PERSONALIZATION & EMOTIONALLY INTELLIGENT MEDIA
2028–2031
2025-2035

AI-GOVERNED MEDIA ECOSYSTEMS & TECHNOLOGY SOVEREIGNTY

2025-2035

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RETAIL MEDIA AND COMMERCE Retail media is shifting from a performance channel to a central engine of brand building. As
retailers develop full funnel ecosystems, their platforms now operate like media networks

DRIVEN STORYTELLING enriched with first party data and real time visibility into discovery, engagement, and
purchase. This integration allows brands to design narrative journeys across the retail
environment, moving consumers from homepage discovery to educational content, social proof, and
TIME HORIZON: SHORT TERM
personalised checkout offers. With exposure and transaction housed in one system, measurement
2 YEARS becomes more accurate, enabling granular testing of creative, formats, and audiences and feeding
(2025-2027)
insights back into upper funnel planning.

At the same time, retailers are expanding creative capabilities through content studios, creator
partnerships, live commerce formats, and shoppable video, elevating the storytelling potential
of commerce spaces. For brands, the challenge is to go beyond price messaging and bring
distinctive worlds and characters into retail contexts through modular creative tailored to
micro segments. This evolution also demands organisational alignment, with trade, ecommerce,
media, and CRM teams operating from a unified audience view as retail media becomes a core pillar
of modern marketing.
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Retail media is undergoing a fundamental transformation. What began as

performance-driven sponsored product placements at the point of purchase is evolving

RETAIL MEDIA 2.0:

into comprehensive full-funnel advertising ecosystems capable of building brands, not
just driving conversions.

‘MOVING UP THE FUNNEL’ This shift—Retail

bottom-funnel tactics
Media
into
2.0—represents
awareness and
retail
consideration
platforms'
stages.
expansion
By integrating
beyond

streaming entertainment, video content, and display advertising with shopping

environments, retail media networks now offer what traditional channels cannot: the
ability to reach consumers during content consumption and seamlessly guide them to

THE FUTURE - RETAIL MEDIA 2.0 purchase within unified ecosystems.

The convergence is powered by first-party shopping and streaming signals that enable
precise targeting across the entire customer journey. Brands can now build awareness
Full-funnel engagement
Insights & 1P signals from entertainment through premium video content, nurture consideration through strategic retargeting,
for precise reach content to commerce and drive conversions through shopping ads—all while measuring the complete path from
touchpoints impression to transaction. Retail media platforms are also expanding creative
capabilities through content studios, creator partnerships, live commerce formats,
and shoppable video, elevating their storytelling capabilities.
Omnichannel Evolution in marketing
measurement organizational structures
For digital-first brands historically over-indexed on performance marketing, this
evolution offers a critical opportunity to escape over-reliance on search and
retargeting by investing in sustainable brand building that drives long-term growth.
This transformation requires cross-functional coordination, bringing together trade,
ecommerce, media, and brand marketing functions around a shared customer
perspective as retail media establishes itself as a key element of contemporary
marketing strategy.

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CULTURAL AND DEMOGRAPHIC India’s cultural landscape is being reshaped by regional language audiences, women led creators,
and voices from smaller towns. Their authentic storytelling builds trust and emotional

CREATIVE RENAISSANCE
connection while increasingly reaching global platforms. For brands, success will depend on
culturally aware segmentation, locally rooted creativity, and deeper collaboration with diverse
communities shaping this evolving cultural economy.

TIME FRAME:2025-2031

RISE OF WOMEN The next wave of growth in content consumption and commerce is being driven by women led, local

AND REGIONAL AUDIENCES language, and Bharat centric audiences. These groups bring distinct cultural perspectives,
everyday realities, and storytelling styles that differ from traditional metro focused
narratives. Their rising influence is reshaping what resonates, pushing brands to prioritise
TIME HORIZON: SHORT TERM
2 YEARS authenticity, regional nuance, and creators who reflect the lived experiences of diverse
(2025-2027)
communities across the country.

LOCAL STORYTELLING, Regional creators and micro communities are poised to become global exporters of culture as

GLOBAL AUDIENCES
streaming and creator ecosystems expand their reach. Their distinctive voices will grow into
scalable IP based properties, enabling individual creators to build micro franchises that take

5 YEARS
TIME HORIZON: MEDIUM TERM local stories to worldwide audiences while preserving authenticity.
(2028-2031)
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PURPOSE-DRIVEN Younger audiences view consumption as an expression of their values, expecting brands to act
with integrity. Purpose driven storytelling will matter only when supported by real commitments

AND VALUES-BASED STORYTELLING

and transparent practices. As Gen Z and Alpha prioritise wellbeing and fairness, they will
favour grounded, empathetic content, rewarding brands that demonstrate authenticity and
accountability.

TIME FRAME:2025-2031

PURPOSE-DRIVEN STORYTELLING Purpose driven storytelling will become central to how brands build cultural impact. Companies

TAKES CENTRE STAGE are moving beyond traditional CSR to embed ethics, community benefit, and social contribution
into their core narratives. Long form formats such as documentaries, series, and in-depth
digital stories enable brands to show real progress and complexity. Impact based metrics are
TIME HORIZON:SHORT TERM
2 YEARS increasingly used to strengthen credibility, build equity, and earn deeper public trust.
(2025-2027)

GENERATIONAL SHIFT TO A generational shift toward value-based consumption will intensify as Gen Z and Alpha place

VALUE-BASED CONSUMPTION authenticity, mental wellness, and social purpose at the centre of their expectations. These
emerging consumers will seek balance, mindfulness, and emotionally supportive storytelling to
5 YEARS
TIME HORIZON:MEDIUM TERM
counter rising attention overload. Brands that embrace transparency, empathy, and meaningful
(2028-2031) contribution will earn stronger loyalty in this evolving cultural landscape.
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SUBSCRIPTION FATIGUE The rapid expansion of subscription services across entertainment, productivity, commerce, and
connectivity has created a fragmented and often expensive ecosystem. Many households now pay for

AND VALUE RE-BUNDLING multiple platforms they rarely use, leading to growing fatigue and a desire for simplicity. In
response, consumers will shift toward consolidated lifestyle bundles that integrate OTT content,
news, gaming, and everyday services under transparent pricing or ad supported models. These
TIME HORIZON:MEDIUM TERM
unified packages will simplify access, reduce costs, and deliver clearer value across
5 YEARS categories, making them increasingly attractive to mainstream users.
(2028-2031)

As this consolidation accelerates, power will move toward intermediaries such as telecom
companies, device ecosystems, and major digital platforms that control bundle design,
distribution, and data frameworks. For brands, this transition will require new approaches to
planning and creativity. Advertising will become part of the value exchange that keeps services
affordable, pushing brands to create useful, unobtrusive, and contextually relevant content.
With free and ad tier offerings gaining scale, brands will benefit from new premium inventory
inside streamlined, consumer friendly ecosystem bundles.

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CORPORATE MEDIA As audiences increasingly prefer ad free and interruption free experiences, brands will move
away from relying solely on paid placements and begin building their own media ecosystems.

RENAISSANCE Instead of isolated campaign bursts, they will develop ongoing content properties such as
podcasts, video series, newsletters, and community platforms that reflect their expertise,
values, and long-term ambitions. These properties will evolve into independent destinations,
TIME HORIZON:MEDIUM TERM
blending storytelling with commerce through shoppable moments, memberships, and experiential
5 YEARS engagement. To succeed, brands will need capabilities similar to entertainment studios,
(2028-2031)
producing content with accuracy, inclusion, and meaningful value. Audiences will reward brands
that create trusted, high-quality spaces worth returning to.

In this emerging landscape, brands will operate more like cultural creators, building long
running franchises across OTT platforms, podcasts, social video, and immersive environments.
They will craft narrative worlds and recurring formats that foster sustained audience
relationships rather than short lived attention spikes. These content ecosystems will deepen
loyalty, unlock new revenue opportunities, and position brands as enduring media entities rather
than traditional advertisers.
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OMNICHANNEL TRUST People now move fluidly between physical and digital touchpoints, and trust grows when a brand
feels consistent across all of them. Any mismatch in tone, service, or problem resolution

AND HYBRID BRAND PRESENCE creates friction and erodes confidence. To support seamless journeys, brands will build hybrid
ecosystems where stores act as experience centres and digital platforms replicate those
interactions through rich content, virtual consultations, and personalised recommendations.
TIME HORIZON:MEDIUM TERM
Authenticity will matter more than ever, as people quickly notice gaps between what a brand says
5 YEARS and what it delivers. Measurement will shift toward relationship health, with repeat behaviour,
(2028-2031)
satisfaction, and sentiment becoming key signals of trust and reliability.

Audiences will increasingly expect the ease of digital interactions paired with the reassurance
and credibility of offline experiences. Brands will therefore blend physical and virtual
touchpoints into unified, intuitive systems where design, tone, and service remain coherent
across contexts. Those that provide frictionless transitions between channels and demonstrate
transparent, dependable behaviour at every stage will earn stronger trust, deeper engagement,
and long-term loyalty in an environment where consistency becomes a defining competitive
advantage.
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THE RISE OF ATTENTION Attention has become the true measure of impact as impressions lose relevance. Deeper engagement
emerges through time spent, interaction, and cultural participation, pushing brands to create

AND CULTURAL INFLUENCE

meaningful, conversation worthy ideas that drive lasting relevance.

TIME FRAME:2025-2035

ATTENTION AS THE Attention will become the key currency of media effectiveness as advertisers shift from
NEW MEDIA CURRENCY impressions to attention minutes and emotional engagement. Measurement will prioritise depth,
interaction quality, and emotional response. Brands delivering immersive, meaningful
TIME HORIZON: SHORT TERM
2 YEARS experiences will achieve stronger impact in a crowded media landscape.
(2025-2027)

FROM CLICKS Success metrics will move from short term clicks to long term cultural impact. Brands will be

TO CULTURAL IMPACT
judged on sustained attention, community influence, and contribution to social conversations.
Marketers will prioritise ideas that spark dialogue, shape shared meaning and build lasting

10 YEARS
TIME HORIZON: LONG TERM community engagement.
(2032-2035)
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OF MEDIA:

Attention
38% Spotify’s influence extends well
34%
27% beyond passive listening. HNI audi-
16%
ences are 72% more likely to choose
Niyati Sah
13%

ATTENTION,
12% Spotify while working out and 69%
Enterprise Marketing Lead, listen while commuting, making it a
Spotify India
constant companion across high-en-
20 sec 30 sec 20 sec 30 sec 20 sec 30 sec 20 sec 30 sec

CULTURE,
ergy, transitional, and reflective
Spotify Online Platform Social Platform A Social Platform B
moments throughout the day. This
Video ads on Spotify hold active consumer attention for longer duration sustained presence allows Spotify to

AND SPOTIFY
than video ads on social media shape taste, mood, and discovery—key
Source: Attention study by Amplified Intelligence using the AttentionTRACE tool
drivers of cultural influence.

Arunima Anand
In India’s rapidly fragmenting media Marketing Science Lead, For brands, the implication is clear. Spotify offers focused,

SPOTIFY
landscape, reach alone is no longer enough. Spotify India
positive, and repeatable attention in contrast to feed-based
The true currency today is attention and environments built around interruption. Indian users spend
cultural influence—how deeply platforms engage
MORE ATTENTION IN STREAM AUDIO 7.8x more time per visit on Spotify than on Instagram,
audiences and integrate into daily life. This
ADS SCORED
reflecting an attention dynamic rooted in intention,
ON YOUR MESSAGE
is where Spotify’s role in India stands apart. not distraction. At scale, Spotify delivers the equivalent

18 %
of one to two IPL finals’ worth of listening every month,
Spotify is the #1 most home-screened app, with
consistently.
Opted-In Attention
SPOTIFY
94% of users incorporating it into their daily
routine. Among High Net Worth Individuals, 81% — ensuring ads are seen
use Spotify daily, signalling not just scale and heard, not ignored Trust further amplifies this impact. IN STREAM VIDEO
but strong habit and loyalty. More 82% of Gen Z see Spotify as an antidote ADS DRIVE

28 %
importantly, Spotify is chosen in moments that
matter. During self-care and wind-down
One Ad at a Time to doom-scrolling, and 78% trust
ABOVE BENCHMARK Spotify with their personal data more
moments, 47% of HNIs turn to Spotify, nearly
ON ATTENTION than other apps. As audio formats
twice as often as social or video platforms.
Context-Appropriate
SCORES
converge, Spotify sits at the
These are moments of emotional openness, where
Ad Placement intersection of attention, trust, and
attention is high and cultural connection is culture—emerging as a true cultural
HIGHER ATTENTION UNITS
strongest. THAN BENCHMARK
engine in India.

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 WHY IMPRESSIONS STOP WORKING? BENCHMARKS BY STAGE
As supply explodes, exposure loses meaning. What matters Across digital media, only around 60–80% of served
is not whether something was delivered, but whether it was impressions are actually viewable, and just 20–40% of
noticed, explored, and acted upon.

FROM ATTENTION
those attract measurable attention. Within interactive
formats, typical interaction rates range between 2–10%,
and of those interactions, roughly 10–30% translate into a

TO INTERACTION
downstream action such as a click, visit, or lead. This
WHAT AN EXPERIENCE-LED MEDIA SYSTEM REQUIRES makes interaction and post-interaction behaviour far more
reliable indicators of impact than delivery metrics alone.

Next Decade of Indian Media Will Be UNIFIED CREATIVE + MEDIA + DATA LAYER
Built on Experiences, Not Impressions INTERACTION IS NOW STANDARDIOUR
INTERACTION-FIRST FORMATS ACROSS SCREENS Advertising has become something people do, not just something
they see.

THE SHIFT Prrincey Roy PERFORMANCE-LED CREATIVE OPTIMISATION IN REAL TIME

For the last decade, the media industry has been optimised Co-Founder & CEO, Huella
around delivery, reach, frequency, CPM, and scale. This made SCAN (QR / LINK) SUBMIT (FORMS/LEADS)
EXPERIENCE ANALYTICS BEYOND IMPRESSIONS

EXPERIENCE SHIFT
sense when attention was abundant and digital inventory was CTV, DOOH, TV FINANCE, AUTO, REAL ESTATE
scarce.

In the next decade, this equation flips. How audiences respond to interactive vs passive media
India will not suffer from a shortage of impressions. It will
BROWSE (CAROUSEL)

10-45 SEC 10-30% ATTENTION IS NOT THE

suffer from a shortage of meaningful attention & interaction.
VIDEO, CTV, RETAIL
As screens multiply, platforms fragment, and content volumes

END GOAL. IT IS THE GATEWAY.

explode, attention becomes the true scarce resource and
interaction becomes its strongest signal. TIME SPENT ON INTERACTIVE POST-INTERACTION
VS 2–5 SEC PASSIVE ACTION RATE CHOOSE (SELECT/FILTER) PLAY (GAMES/QUIZZES)
This is the fundamental shift Huella is built on: moving What matters is what happens after attention is captured. COMMERCE, PRODUCT ADS GAMING, YOUTH CONTENT

2-10% 5-10x
marketing from a delivery-first to an experience-first model,
from counting impressions to designing moments people actually
engage with.
ENGAGEMENT ON HIGHER USER SIGNAL
DID THE CONSUMER EXPLORE Interaction has
expectation.
moved from being a feature to being an

WHAT EXPERIENCE-FIRST ACTUALLY LOOKS LIKE.

INTERACTIVE FORMATS VS PASSIVE FORMATS DID THEY CHOOSE Huella is building for this shift turning interaction from

DID THEY LEARN

isolated tactics into a consistent, measurable system across
*Indicative benchmark screens.
People don’t watch. They choose.
Brands don’t broadcast. They invite. DID THEY ACT
WHAT SHOULD LEADERS DO NEXT?
As media has scaled, attention has not scaled with it.
Measurement isn’t reach. It’s response. Over the last decade, the industry solved for reach,
access, and distribution, creating abundance across This is why interaction becomes the new unit of value. It
screens, formats, and content. In that environment, is where brand meaning is created, intent is shaped, and
exposure becomes easy, but impact becomes harder to outcomes are influenced.
earn. This is why the system is shifting from optimising Redesign creative and Measure beyond Treat experiences
for delivery to designing for response. media into a single delivery, track attention as assets, not
EXPOSURE ATTENTION INTERACTION INTENT system, not two silos. & interaction quality. formats.
Interactive and experience-led formats add meaning to
reach by creating moments where audiences can explore,
choose, and act. Huella operates in this layer of the Huella is building the foundation for the industry.
ACTION LEARNING BACK INTO CREATIVE & MEDIA A system that reduces waste, slows creative decay, and
ecosystem, helping brands design better experiences
makes marketing smarter as it scales.
inside the media they already use. Our role is not to
add more inventory, but to connect creative, Huella acts as the architect of this system connecting The next decade will not be won by those who buy the most
interaction, and measurement into a learning loop that creativity, data, and distribution into a single adaptive media, but by those who build the most intelligent
improves with every campaign. framework that learns and improves as it scales. experiences and buy media that enables them.

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AI-DRIVEN PERSONALIZATION AND Artificial intelligence will transform media into adaptive, context aware experiences shaped by
behaviour and emotional cues. Human creativity and AI variation will combine to deliver

EMOTIONALLY INTELLIGENT MEDIA

personalised journeys. As systems grow more emotionally responsive, ethical boundaries and
transparent data use will be essential for building trust and meaningful connection.

TIME FRAME:2025-2035

PREDICTIVE & CONTEXTUAL AI will anticipate context, mood, and micro intents to deliver real time adaptive experiences,

PERSONALIZATION shaping content

individual needs.
instantly and creating smoother, more intuitive journeys tailored to

TIME HORIZON:SHORT TERM

2 YEARS (2025-2027)

AI-HUMAN HYBRID CREATIVITY AI human hybrid creativity will become standard, blending human imagination with AI driven

BECOMES THE NORM production. Brands will scale personalised variations while preserving identity, enabling richer
storytelling, faster iteration, and highly adaptive content for diverse audiences.
2 YEARS (2025-2027)
TIME HORIZON:SHORT TERM

EI (EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE) DRIVEN An emotionally intelligent ambient media ecosystem will emerge as voice, wearables, homes, and

AMBIENT MEDIA ECOSYSTEM vehicles deliver seamless, context aware experiences. Biometric signals will shape adaptive
content, while predictive and neuro adaptive systems personalise media with empathy.
10 YEARS (2028-2035)
TIME HORIZON:MEDIUM TO LONG TERM
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 PRESENTS

THREE STRUCTURAL SHIFTS WILL SHAPE STREAMING PARTNER POWERED BY

INDIAN MEDIA OVER THE NEXT TEN YEARS.

HOW MEDIA IS
GOLD PARTNERS

Jignesh Shah COMMUNICATION PARTNER

Co-founder, Think Result

FIRST, FIRST-PARTY DATA WILL EVOLVE FROM TARGETING TO DECISION-MAKING.

BECOMING AN With digital accounting for over half of India’s advertising spends and privacy norms
tightening, first-party data has become foundational. Its real value, however, lies in

INTELLIGENCE
governing relevance, sequencing and engagement intensity. As consumer exposure rises and
attention fragments, performance will increasingly be driven by restraint. AI’s role is not
scale, but control, reducing noise rather than amplifying it.
Niyati Mehta

DISCIPLINE
Marketing Strategy
and Client Success Head,
Think Result
SECOND, ATTENTION WILL RESET AROUND EXPERIENCE, NOT EXPOSURE.
Indian consumers already spend over five hours a day across screens, yet tolerance for
interruption continues to fall. As digital environments saturate, audiences are gravitating
Indian media is entering a defining decade not because of new platforms, but because AI is towards participative, opt-in platforms. Gaming, with hundreds of millions of users in India,
reshaping how decisions are made. No longer is an optimization layer, AI becoming the operating is a clear signal. Platforms like Volt XO* demonstrate how immersive touchpoints can add value
system that governs priority, timing and restraint. to time spent rather than compete for it.

Across more than 15 years at the intersection of publishing, data, audience development and “Consumers don’t want more advertising. They want better experiences. Media has to feel
media planning, one pattern is clear: technology creates lasting advantage only when it like part of their life, not an interruption to it.” says Niyati Mehta, Marketing Strategy
operates across the full consumer funnel. Point solutions improve efficiency at specific and Client Success Head, Think Result.
stages, but rarely compound value. The next phase of growth will be driven by intelligence
that connects discovery, engagement and conversion into a single, continuous journey.
THIRD, MEDIA WILL SHIFT FROM CAMPAIGN EXECUTION TO OMNICHANNEL JOURNEY DESIGN.
This has direct implications for entrepreneurs and companies building AI tools today. Those
designed to influence behavior across the funnel will define the next generation of category Despite omnichannel rhetoric, planning still happens in silos, TV, digital, social, retail
leaders. It is also a rare moment to build in high-entry-barrier domains where deep data, long media, OOH and on-ground activations optimized independently. This maximizes channel
learning cycles and cross-functional expertise allow AI to create durable advantage rather efficiency but fragments consumer experience. The next decade will redefine effectiveness.
than incremental efficiency. Media will be judged not by frequency, but by progression, whether each interaction advances
the consumer journey across offline and digital touchpoints.
“The next decade will not reward brands that generate the most intelligence, but those
that apply it with clarity. AI’s real power lies in deciding what not to do,” says Looking ahead, the next ten years will reward discernment over intensity. In an ecosystem
Jignesh Shah, co-founder, Think Result. defined by abundance, the real competitive advantage will lie in clarity,control and cohesion.
*Volt XO is a new gaming media platform launched by Think Result

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 09
PRESENTS

STREAMING PARTNER POWERED BY

GOLD PARTNERS

COMMUNICATION PARTNER

AI-GOVERNED MEDIA ECOSYSTEMS Artificial intelligence will reshape media and commerce through autonomous systems that manage
data flows, authenticity and user-controlled permissions. Intelligent agents will curate

AND TECHNOLOGY SOVEREIGNTY

relevance and negotiate access, making transparency and provenance essential. Brands that uphold
strong consent standards and responsible AI practices will earn deeper trust. For India,
technology sovereignty will grow as the nation develops indigenous AI and governance frameworks
TIME FRAME:2025-2035 that protect local data while enabling an innovation-led media ecosystem.

INDIA'S DIGITAL PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE India’s digital public infrastructure will accelerate media innovation through secure,

POWERS MEDIA INNOVATION consent-based data flows. Systems like UPI, ONDC, and Account Aggregator will enable safer
targeting, unified commerce journeys, and more transparent, privacy aligned brand experiences.
TIME HORIZON:SHORT TERM
2 YEARS (2025-2027)

AI-GOVERNED MEDIA ECOSYSTEMS AI governed media ecosystems will autonomously manage discovery, curation, targeting, and

AND AUTONOMOUS INFRASTRUCTURE transactions. Evolving ethics and provenance standards will protect authenticity,
consumers license their data. Machine to machine trading will create a self regulating, data
while

10 YEARS (2028-2035)
TIME HORIZON:MEDIUM TERM responsible economy.

Data will be treated as consumer owned intellectual property, giving individuals control over
DATA AS CONSUMER-OWNED IP how it is licensed. Clear value exchanges will guide access, pushing brands to earn permission
through transparency, trust, and responsible data use.
10 YEARS (2032-2035)
TIME HORIZON:LONG TERM

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 10
PRESENTS

STREAMING PARTNER POWERED BY

GOLD PARTNERS

COMMUNICATION PARTNER

IMMERSIVE AND SPATIAL MEDIA Spatial computing and extended reality will transform media into immersive environments that
people can enter, explore, and shape. Instead of linear narratives, stories will unfold as

EXPERIENCES places, supported by sound, motion, and depth that create a strong sense of presence. Users will
move through interactive worlds ranging from historical settings to branded experiences,
navigating them in intuitive, exploratory ways. Commerce will integrate naturally, allowing
TIME HORIZON:LONG TERM
people to preview products in context, try virtual demos, and transition smoothly from
10 YEARS exploration to purchase. Education and training will also benefit as complex subjects become
(2032-2035)
tangible through interactive, three-dimensional models.

As these experiences mature, designers will need to prioritise comfort, accessibility, consent,
and cultural diversity to ensure they remain inclusive and responsible. Immersive and spatial
storytelling will become a dominant narrative form, shifting media from passive viewing to
active participation. People will interact with characters, shape story paths, and blend
entertainment, learning, and retail in new ways. Brands that create culturally rich and
meaningful spatial environments will unlock deeper emotional engagement and open new pathways
for discovery and commerce.
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 PRESENTS

RESEARCH
METHODOLOGY STREAMING PARTNER

GOLD PARTNERS
POWERED BY

COMMUNICATION PARTNER

The findings presented in the report have been arrived through primary and secondary research.

PRIMARY RESEARCH
Interviews were conducted with advertisers and stakeholders across industry verticals, media
agencies, online publishers, and ad networks to understand their advertising investments across
media, along with other focus areas in digital media.

SECONDARY RESEARCH
Secondary research was done to identify the market structure and dynamics of the digital ad
market in India. Information was collected from various external and internal sources and
analysed thoroughly for validating the primary data.

DESIGN SYNOPSIS
Inspired by technical drawings, the report adopts a blueprint aesthetic—structured grids,
precise linework, and callout labels—to present a clear, engineered view of complexity.
Conceived as a blueprint of the next decade of Indian media, the design blends generative AI
tools with human creativity to deliberately shape this decadal vision.

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 REPORT RESEARCH
AND DESIGN
Abheek Biswas
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Prabhupreet Singh Ahuja
SPECIAL THANKS Sachin Sadanandan

Harsha Razdan
Kartik Iyer
Narayan Devanathan
Amit Wadhwa
Anubhav Sonthalia
Yosuke Murai
Sujit Vaidya
Harini Muralidharan
Prabhat Naik
Bishwarup Chakrabarti
Suraj Karvi
Manavendra Davar
Arvinderjit Singh
Vinod Thadani
Srikant Ganesh
Imtiyaz Vilatra
Saagar Sethi
Vinita Pachisia REPORT
Sujata Dwibedy
Kaushik Chakraborty
Abhijan Nandy
EDITING AND
Hemant Kshirsagar
Manika Juneja COMMUNICATIONS
John Thangaraj
Nikhil Narayanan Anindita Sarkar
Nikhil Kumar
Gunashekar Selvaraj Lubna Surti
Megha Jain Alifiya Hirani
Banisha Singh Anand Prerna Sagvekar
Krishnakumar Naidu Archie Kothari
Kiran BV Jheel Jain

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