CTV and OTT lead festive ad trust as shoppers seek relevance and direct purchase paths

VDO.AI’s India Festive Consumer Index, based on about 1,200 respondents, finds 38% trust CTV/OTT most for festive advertising. Social media remains the leading discovery channel, while 61.5% say they would definitely buy directly from an ad—raising the premium on actionable, personalised omnichannel campaigns.

— Source publishedTue, 22 Sept, 2026, 12:20 IST·First seen Tue, 22 Sept, 2026, 17:06 IST·Source ET BrandEquity

What happened

VDO.AI's India Festive Consumer Index finds CTV and OTT are the most trusted ad environments, while social media leads product discovery. Shoppers show

Key facts

  • ~1,200 respondents
  • 38% trust CTV/OTT most for festive advertising
  • 89% plan to maintain or increase festive spending
  • 47.1% discover products via social media
  • 61.5% would definitely buy directly from an ad

What changed

VDO.AI's India Festive Consumer Index finds CTV and OTT are the most trusted ad environments, while social media leads product discovery. Shoppers show sustained festive spending intent but compare brands, wait for offers, and prefer relevant, interactive, actionable advertising.

Why this matters

Pair trusted CTV/OTT festive video with social-led discovery and frictionless shoppable ad journeys, as value-conscious consumers are willing to buy directly but remain deal-sensitive.

What to watch

  • Growth in CTV/OTT ad formats supporting QR codes, product feeds, click-to-cart and retailer integrations.
  • Brand-level evidence that CTV-exposed audiences convert at higher rates or have stronger repeat purchase than social-only cohorts.
  • Festival-period CPM inflation on premium video versus social performance media.
  • Rising use of coupon codes, price-comparison searches and cart abandonment, indicating increased deal dependence.
  • Marketplace and quick-commerce platforms expanding co-funded video advertising and closed-loop measurement.

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