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India's 2026 festive ad spend could reach Rs 60,000-62,000 crore as brands are urged to shift from campaigns to conversations
Datum Intelligence's estimate would be roughly 34 to 35 per cent of annual advertising spend, and an opinion piece cites Coca-Cola's Milke Hi Manegi Diwali campaign as a model. Google research finds 82 per cent of shoppers plan festive purchases in advance.
The numbers
Figures from BW Marketing World
| Google and YouTube share of new-brand discovery journeys: | 87 per cent |
|---|---|
| Festive shoppers using generative AI for gift ideas: | 80 per cent |
| Shoppers using eight or more festive touchpoints: | seven in ten |
Why it matters for the brand
With 82% of shoppers planning purchases in advance, Google and YouTube in 87% of new-brand discovery journeys, and 80% using generative AI for gift ideas, brands should fund always-on search, video and AI-ready product content well before the festive peak instead of relying on one-off campaigns.
What to track next
- A revised festive ad-spend estimate from Datum Intelligence or another agency, moving outside Rs 60,000-62,000 crore
- Festive share of annual ad spend moving away from the 34-35% estimate
- Major advertisers announcing always-on or conversational festive programmes instead of single hero campaigns
- Google or YouTube announcing festive-season ad products or advertiser uptake figures
- Brands publicly tying festive campaigns to generative-AI gift discovery
Likely next moves
Our read of what comes next — analysis, not reported by the source.
- Large consumer brands are likely to begin festive planning earlier, since 82% of shoppers plan purchases in advance, and to start campaigns before the peak buying weeks.
- Google and YouTube are likely to promote their role in the 87% of new-brand discovery journeys they feature in, using it to pitch for a bigger share of festive budgets.
- Agencies and media-measurement firms such as Datum Intelligence may refine or restate the Rs 60,000-62,000 crore estimate as advertiser bookings firm up.
- Brands may start testing content and product listings built for generative-AI gift-idea queries, given that 80% of shoppers use these tools.
- Marketplaces and challenger brands may use always-on, two-way engagement to win new-brand discovery from incumbents that rely on single seasonal campaigns.
The source
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