Where ad money is going in India this year, and what it means for your brand

Every year a few big industry reports come out about advertising in India, and every year clients ask us the same thing after reading the headlines: "So what should we actually do?" This year we sat down with the reports from WPP Media and Amazon Ads and tried to answer that in plain terms.

First, the big picture. WPP Media's mid-year forecast from June 2026 puts India's total ad revenue at around ₹2 trillion (about US$22.5 billion) for 2026, up 8.8% on last year. They expect growth to go back to double digits from 2027. So the market is still growing. What's changing is where the money goes.

Ads next to the buy button

The fastest-growing area is commerce media: ads inside Amazon, Flipkart and quick-commerce apps like Blinkit, Zepto and Instamart. WPP Media expects it to grow about 29% this year to roughly US$3.9 billion.

From a design point of view this changes a lot. Your ad is often a small tile in a list of other products, seen for a second while someone scrolls. Big lifestyle photos and long taglines don't survive that. A clean product shot, a clear offer and a logo you can recognise at small size do.

Creators, reels and micro-dramas

Social and other digital ads are forecast to grow around 13% to about US$8.3 billion, mostly through short video, creator content and the short serial videos people are calling micro-dramas. Brands are moving away from one big celebrity post towards longer relationships with smaller, often regional creators whose followers actually listen to them.

The practical problem we see is that creators make content fast, and the brand slowly loses its look. The fix is a simple brand kit: logo files, colours, a couple of fonts, a few templates and some do's and don'ts. Give creators that instead of finished ads, and let them work in their own voice.

AI makes ads quicker to produce

Both WPP Media and Amazon Ads talk about AI moving from single tools to systems that help plan, make and adjust campaigns. In real terms, it's now much quicker to turn one idea into twenty sizes and five languages, and to test which version works.

The downside is that a lot of AI-made ads already look alike. When anyone can make an ad in a minute, the thing that makes yours stand out is a strong, recognisable brand. That's the part we'd protect.

Streaming TV is getting serious

Amazon Ads says India's video streaming audience has crossed 600 million, and Ormax counted about 129 million active connected-TV users in 2025. More advertisers now judge streaming ads by results like sales or sign-ups, not just how many people saw them. Traditional TV, on the other hand, is forecast to shrink by about 6.8% this year.

Fewer clicks from search

With AI answers showing at the top of search results, many people get what they need without visiting any website. That makes it more important that your information is correct and consistent everywhere: your site, your Google Business profile, your listings. Real reviews and clearly written pages help AI tools treat you as a source worth mentioning.

Hoardings aren't going anywhere

Outdoor advertising is forecast to grow about 8.6%, helped by new metros, highways and transit spaces. We still design a lot of outdoor work, and the rule hasn't changed in years. One message, big type, high contrast. If you can't read it from a moving car, it's too busy.

If we had to boil it down

• Check how your ads look as small tiles and stories, not just as posters.
• Get your brand kit in order before you start working with creators.
• Use AI to make versions faster, but keep the idea and the look your own.
• Measure enquiries and sales, not only impressions.

“When making an ad gets cheap, a brand people recognise becomes the most valuable thing you own.”

We make campaign creatives, social media designs, brand kits and outdoor ads for businesses and government campaigns. If you're planning something for the coming months, we'd be glad to talk it through.