Indian D2C Brands Build Owned Media to Slash Acquisition Costs and Lift ROAS

Brands like Bombay Shaving Company, Nykaa and The Whole Truth are launching studios, podcasts and communities to cut paid-ad dependence—where a ₹1,000 product can carry ₹500 ad spend. Sidebar: q-comm race heats up, AllHome's ₹200 Cr Series B, Honasa's ₹135 Cr Fluence Pharma buy.

— Filed Tue, 30 Jun, 2026, 11:09 IST · Source Inc42 · Buzz · Updated

Indian D2C brands are building owned media—studios, podcasts, communities—to cut acquisition costs and boost ROAS. Sidebar buzz: q-comm expansion (Amazon, Flipkart, Swiggy churn), AllHome's ₹200 Cr Series B, Honasa's ₹135 Cr Fluence Pharma nutraceuticals buy.

Why this matters

Indian D2C brands are shifting from paid-ad dependence to owned media channels as acquisition costs climb, with players like Nykaa, Bombay Shaving Company and The Whole Truth investing in studios, podcasts and communities.

Retail-brand signals steady at 2,117 over the past 90 days.

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