AD Agencies
India’s advertising market is anticipated to reach a projected value of 15.84 billion
Mumbai: The Indian advertising market has experienced an impressive upswing, surpassing expectations and establishing itself as one of the world’s fastest-growing industries. It secured the 8 spot in the global ad spend, emerging as the fastest-growing market among the top 10 in 2023. Initially projected to grow at a moderate rate of 8–10 per cent in the fiscal year 2022-23, the digital advertising sector defied expectations. Fueled by Economic Tailwinds in 2023-24, digital ad expenditure is forecasted to more than double, reaching Rs 21 billion by 2027-28.
Currently, India’s advertising sector has shifted digitally with the rise in smartphone and internet users. According to IBEF, this has fueled a thriving digital ad market, projected to reach $ 7.9 billion dollars by 2027 with a 12.3 per cent of CAGR. While TV and traditional marketing holds their ground, the internet and digital platforms dominate. Social media leads with 30 per cent of ad expenditure (Rs 8,757 crore or $ 1.05 billion), followed by online video at 28 per cent (Rs 8,319 crore or $ 1 billion). Paid search constitutes 23 per cent (Rs 6,895 crore or $ 892.23 million) and display banners make up 16 per cent (Rs 4,816 crore or $ 579.2 million).
What to expect in 2024?
The dynamic landscape of digital marketing in India demands constant awareness of evolving trends for sustained business growth. Projections indicate that advertising revenue in India is set to hit Rs 394 billion ($ 5.42 billion) by 2024.
RMT (Red Matter Technologies), COO, mentor & marketing coach at T-Hub and IIT Madras Vaasu Gavarasana said, “Anticipate significant shifts in marketing approaches, notably a surge in TV advertising expected to reach Rs 394 billion ($ 4.89 billion) in 2024. Outperforming global counterparts, Out-of-Home (OOH) advertising is poised for growth at a remarkable CAGR of 9.9 per cent . The digital industry is gearing up to contribute 38 per cent to India’s overall advertising sector, matching television’s impact. Expect a substantial uptick in spending on social media marketing, fueled by the ascent of short videos and internet advertising”.
Red Matter Technologies CEO and co-founder of RMT, Srikant Rajasekharuni said, Moreover, in anticipation of the upcoming 2024 interim budget announcement highlights, ‘A potential game-changer lies in the proposed tax reduction for digital platform advertising from 18 per cent to a lower rate. Currently, digital ads bear an 18 per cent tax, in stark contrast to the 5 per cent tax imposed on print media ads. Recognising the explosive growth of the digital market in India, it becomes crucial for the Indian budget to reevaluate and alleviate the tax burden on digital media, fostering advertising and future revenue expansion.’
Factors contributing to digital marketing and advertising
In 2024, various factors will shape the landscape of digital marketing and advertising. Television is poised to dominate the Indian media market, capturing 40 per cent closely trailed by print media at 13 per cent, and the burgeoning OTT and gaming industries at 8 per cent. This landscape creates a ripe environment for digital advertisements on these platforms including the advertising-based video on demand (AVoD) segment which is projected to experience significant growth, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 24 per cent reaching a substantial $ 2.6 billion by 2025.
As we look ahead, an estimated 600-650 million Indians will actively engage with short-form videos, dedicating 55 to 60 minutes of their day to this content, as reported by IBEF. By 2027, India is poised to become the fourth-largest TV advertising market globally, trailing only behind the United States, Japan, and China. Additionally, mobile internet advertising is set to claim a significant share, constituting 73 per cent of internet advertising income in India by the same year, shaping the ever-changing digital advertising terrain.
These developments signal a transformative period for digital advertising, impacting businesses across all levels and ushering in a new era of interactive marketing and innovation. The future promises a dynamic landscape, where strategic adaptation to emerging trends will be pivotal for businesses seeking to thrive in this evolving digital marketing environment.
AD Agencies
AdTrust Summit 2026 to examine trust, AI and Gen Alpha in advertising
Two-day summit in Mumbai to explore ethics, regulation and the future of advertising trust
MUMBAI: At a time when advertising is navigating a delicate trust deficit, the Advertising Standards Council of India is preparing to bring the industry to the table. On 17 and 18 March, the body will host the inaugural AdTrust Summit 2026 in Mumbai, a two-day gathering designed to spark conversation around responsibility, regulation and credibility in modern advertising.
The summit, to be held at the Jio World Convention Centre in Bandra Kurla Complex, will bring together leaders from advertising, media, technology and policy to examine how brands can build trust in a marketplace increasingly shaped by algorithms, influencers and artificial intelligence.
In an age of deepfakes, dark patterns and blurred lines between content and commerce, the question is no longer just how brands capture attention, but whether audiences believe what they see. The AdTrust Summit aims to unpack that challenge.
Day one will turn its attention to the youngest digital natives. Titled Decoding Gen Alpha, the session will unveil ‘What the Sigma?’, a study by ASCI and Futurebrands Consulting that explores how children growing up in a hyper-digital environment encounter advertising and commercial messaging.
The report presentation will be delivered by Santosh Desai, founder and director at Think9 Consumer Technologies and a social commentator known for his insights into consumer behaviour. The discussion that follows will attempt to decode how Gen Alpha consumes media, interacts with brands and navigates the growing overlap between entertainment and marketing.
In a move that mirrors the subject itself, two Gen Alpha students will also join the conversation, offering a rare perspective from the generation advertisers are trying to understand.
The second panel of the day will shift the focus from observation to implication, asking what the report’s findings mean for brands, agencies and society. Speakers include Karthik Srinivasan, communications strategy consultant; Preeti Vyas, president at Mythik; and Abigail Dias, associate president planning at Ogilvy. The session will be moderated by Sonali Krishna, editor at ET Brand Equity.
Day two moves from insight to regulation. Under the theme From Compliance to Trust, ASCI will release its Ad Law Compendium, a comprehensive guide to India’s advertising regulations.
The day will open with a keynote by Sudhanshu Vats, chairman at ASCI and managing director at Pidilite Industries, followed by a chief guest address by Sanjay Jaju, secretary at the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
Legal experts from Khaitan & Co., including Haigreve Khaitan, senior partner, and Tanu Banerjee, partner, will present an overview of the current advertising law landscape in India and examine whether existing frameworks are equipped to deal with emerging technologies and formats.
Subsequent panels will explore issues increasingly shaping the industry’s ethical compass. Conversations will range from the limits of persuasive design and the rise of dark patterns, to the growing scrutiny brands face from digital creators and consumer watchdogs.
One session will also feature Revant Himatsingka, widely known online as the Food Pharmer, whose critiques of packaged food brands have sparked debate around transparency and corporate accountability.
Later discussions will turn toward media literacy among Gen Alpha, asking how children can be equipped to navigate a digital world where gaming, content and commerce are becoming indistinguishable.
The summit will conclude with a final panel on the future of advertising, bringing together voices from agencies, legal circles and technology platforms to discuss how innovation, intelligence and integrity can coexist.
For an industry built on persuasion, trust has always been its quiet currency. But as audiences grow more sceptical and digital ecosystems more complex, that currency is under pressure.
Events like the AdTrust Summit suggest the advertising world knows it cannot afford to take credibility for granted. The real challenge now is turning conversation into commitment.
