Digital takes the lion’s share in ad spends this Diwali

With Diwali celebrations in full swing, brands are seizing the festive fervour with campaigns that strike a balance between traditional and digital channels, reflecting a shift towards tech-driven and innovative strategies. The season has brought with it increased spending across categories, with brands eyeing a surge in consumer interest and festive demand.

Deleise Ross, Senior VP at Mudramax, estimated that ad spends are up by approximately 15-20% compared to last year, with new product launches and festive promotions in the mix. Highlighting the season’s significance as brands strive for visibility and engagement, she shared, "E-commerce and FMCG brands are investing more monies during this festive period as there is a surge in demand for consumer goods."

Amyn Ghadiali, Country Head at GOZOOP, highlighted digital’s growing dominance, with sectors like FMCG, fintech, gaming, and e-commerce leading the charge. He underlined digital’s precision targeting and high returns on investment.

Ghadiali shared, “While overall Diwali ad spends are expected to grow modestly by 6-8% compared to last year, it’s digital that’s pulling the heavy load, up by 15-20%. Electronics, too, are seeing growth.”

Similarly Namrata Soni, Director – Media Planning & Buying, Dentsu Creative India, shared that brands are exploring newer ways to use AI and similar tech-driven media capabilities to make campaigns more engaging than ever before.

Soni said, “Given the economic situation, digital spends will continue to grow, but with newer mediums and innovations.”

However, not all sectors are upping their spends. Ghadiali pointed out that sectors like automobiles and real estate are opting for cautious, performance-focused campaigns in light of inflation, while consumer-driven categories aim for mass festive visibility to capture the public’s celebratory spirit. “Categories with mass appeal are aiming to create high festive visibility, keeping consumer sentiment in mind,” he explained.

Emphasising the peak sales importance of the Diwali season, Ross said, “Brands will not miss out on this festive period since these months normally add up to 30 – 35% of their annual numbers.”

Ghadiali highlighted the season’s massive spending potential and pointed out that the urban market would be spending close to Rs 1.85 trillion just on gifts, sweets and crockery alone this Diwali.  

A festive media balancing act: TV and digital

In a season when brands compete fiercely for consumer attention, the interplay between traditional TV and digital media is more dynamic than ever. 

Soni observed a significant shift in audience behaviour. She shared that the ‘Bharat’ audience, once dominated by traditional TV viewers, has become increasingly “digitally savvy and prefers consuming content on demand.”

According to Soni, Connected TV (CTV) and OTT platforms are witnessing a surge, particularly around big movie releases aligned with Diwali, as audiences revisit previous parts of these films on streaming platforms. This pattern suggests an expected rise in OTT viewership and, consequently, in OTT ad spends this Diwali.

Ghadiali shared, “The digital competition is fierce—particularly with formats like short-form video on platforms like Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts capturing audiences who are more inclined to ‘tap’ than tune in. Most importantly, digital is measurable, and the efficacy can be analysed.”

He said, “The shift toward digital is disrupting the TV ad space, leaving channels with underutilised inventory.”

He mentioned that Zee and Star Plus have lowered ad rates this season to attract advertisers back and suggested that the notion,‘TV pe aata hai toh acha hi hoga’ [If it’s on TV, it must be good] is losing relevance, as evidenced by the widespread nature of fake news.

Deleise Ross, Senior VP at Mudramax, shared a different angle, explaining that while digital’s precision targeting is appealing to brands, TV remains essential for its broad reach.

She said, “The World Cup was there last year during this period, but there is a lot of content planned specifically around the festive period. Big Boss, KBC and Indian Idol still make a good runway for the festive period programming.”

She explained that digital will be the medium which will have the highest spends only for the fact that it allows brands to sharp target with respect to markets & audience bases making it easier for smaller brands to venture in and target individuals accordingly. 

“And large advertisers still focus on an omni-channel approach during the festive period, which engages audiences across various platforms,” Ross added.

Ghadiali observed that Diwali campaigns have become more tactical, favouring channels that deliver measurable engagement. “Brands are blending digital, TV, and experimental tactics in a calculated media mix,” he said, referencing Cadbury’s ‘Not Just a Cadbury Ad’ campaign that used AI-driven personalised ads for local businesses. This community-focused digital approach was deployed across TV and social media, exemplifying how brands are scaling reach through authentic, story-driven digital campaigns. 

With TV driving mass reach and digital enabling precise, interactive engagement, brands are blending these mediums to optimise their Diwali campaigns.

Innovation in DOOH 

Innovative strategies are reshaping how brands communicate with audiences, particularly through digital and Digital OOH channels.

According to Soni, “Innovations on DOOH have been a growing trend in the last few quarters. Ad inventories like YouTube, Display, and Discovery are expected to dominate ad spend this Diwali.” 

Ghadiali echoes this sentiment, noting that Myntra’s Diwali campaign leverages augmented reality (AR) and digital OOH in metro stations and shopping malls, combining physical presence with digital targeting. 

He explained that geo-targeted displays and interactive screens in high-footfall areas like malls allow brands to engage consumers in dynamic ways. For instance, Flipkart’s geo-targeted digital screens adapt to location and time of day, tailoring content to specific audiences for a more personalised experience.

Ross pointed out that there is a notable shift toward DOOH advertising. Brands are increasingly using digital OOH to penetrate urban spaces like elevators and societies, giving their campaigns a hyperlocal dimension.

As consumer preferences evolve, brands that adapt swiftly to this changing media landscape will likely reap the rewards, solidifying their presence during this crucial selling period.