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GUEST COLUMN: In 2025, digital marketing accelerated, but human creativity powered impact
Dr. Vikas Katoch, Founder & CEO of Adomantra Digital India Pvt Ltd and a digital advertising specialist with over 14 years of experience, reflects on how 2025 reshaped digital marketing through AI-led innovation while reinforcing the importance of human creativity.
NEW DELHI: 2025 has been a very progressive year for the digital marketing industry. It has been a year, defined by technological leaps, growing consumer expectations, and reshaping of the way brands communicate with consumers. Artificial Intelligence has become a core driver of digital transformation this year, shaping the very idea of the future. It has evolved into an everyday partner- powering campaign design, enhancing content creation, optimizing performance, and deepening consumer engagement.
However, as much as technology has grown, 2025 has proven one thing- technology can accelerate marketing, but human touch and human thinking, creativity, intuition, and emotional intelligence cannot be replaced by machines.
Data driven optimization has been a game changer
Data driven optimizations have been one of the biggest game changers, where AI tools have processed massive datasets in seconds, uncovered patterns and predicted trends, long before the industry sensed it. It helped brands target consumers, using behavioural insights and micro-preferences to deliver hyper-personalised experiences, which further led to faster conversion rates.
For instance, if a male consumer frequently engaged with electronic products, his search ecosystem automatically recommended electronic products like phones, smartwatches, headphones, or even gaming accessories- highly increasing the purchase probability. Yet, despite these advances, human intelligence remains essential. It is people who interpret the insights, apply contextual judgment, ensure brand authenticity, and make strategic decisions that AI alone cannot.
Impact in smaller markets
AI-driven content and video strategies have transformed consumer outreach in smaller cities. Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and WhatsApp have become more crucial for digital marketing, with short-form videos and WhatsApp-led promotions penetrating deep into Tier 2 and Tier 3 markets in 2025. Nearly 70 per cent of small businesses have relied on WhatsApp for customer engagement, and AI helped them tailor content, automate replies, and personalize promotions at scale.
But even with all this automation, the most impactful campaigns have depended on human influence. Micro-influencers and local content creators remained the real connectors, bringing authenticity, cultural connect, and trust that AI cannot replicate. The presence became even more important, considering that almost 95 per cent of consumers in smaller cities preferred regional-language content, where human storytelling dramatically lifted conversion rates by 60–65 per cent.
The impact of Large Language Models
Nearly 75 per cent of the country’s internet users preferred content in their native language, and over 500 million people actively consumed digital content in Hindi, Bengali, Tamil, Telugu, Marathi, and other regional languages, far crossing English-first users. E-commerce leaders like Amazon and Flipkart have rolled out vernacular interfaces, edtech platforms have created lessons in local languages, and OTT players such as Hotstar and SonyLIV have invested heavily in dubbed and original content across multiple dialects to deepen engagement.
In this landscape, AI-driven LLMs have played a crucial role by enabling large-scale, real-time translation and content adaptation across languages. However, for brands, the winning formula lied in combining AI efficiency with human insight. Regional content crafted with this balance helped build emotional connection and long-term consumer evangelists.
Challenges that shaped the year
Greater adoption of AI brought increased calls for responsible use, tighter governance, new skill creation, and sharper differentiation. With over-automation creating risks of content fatigue, brands focused on retaining a unique, human voice. These challenges amplified the need for strategic leadership, creative excellence, and strong human oversight, reinforcing that technology works best when guided by people who understand culture beyond algorithms.
The year 2025 reaffirmed that great marketing thrives on a blend of science and soul. While AI enhanced performance and production, the foundations were still built on human insight, strategic vision, and storytelling.
As we head into 2026, deeper integrations of AI in personalization, richer mixed-reality brand experiences, evolving creator partnerships, and more intelligent data-led campaigns are expected. Yet the heart of digital marketing will continue to beat with human creativity.
Note: The views expressed in this article are solely the author’s and do not necessarily reflect our own.
NEW DELHI: Hamdard Laboratories gathered a cross-section of India’s achievers in New Delhi on Friday, handing out the Hakeem Abdul Hameed Excellence Awards to figures who have left their mark across healthcare, education, sport, public service and the arts.
The ceremony, attended by minister of state for defence Sanjay Seth and senior officials from the ministry of Ayush, celebrated individuals whose work blends professional success with a sense of public purpose. It was as much a roll call of achievement as it was a reminder that influence is not measured only in profits or podiums, but in people reached and lives improved.
Among the headline awardees was Alakh Pandey, founder and chief executive of PhysicsWallah, recognised for turning affordable digital learning into a mass movement. On the sporting front, Arjuna Awardee and kabaddi player Sakshi Puniya was honoured for her contribution to the game and for pushing women’s participation onto bigger stages.
The cultural spotlight fell on veteran lyricist and poet Santosh Anand, whose songs have echoed across generations of Hindi cinema. At 97, Anand accepted the honour with characteristic humility, reflecting on a life shaped by perseverance and hope.
Healthcare honours spanned both modern and traditional systems. Manoj N. Nesari was recognised for strengthening Ayurveda’s place in national and global health frameworks. Padma shri Mohammed Abdul Waheed was honoured for his research-backed work in Unani medicine, while padma shri Mohsin Wali received recognition for his long-standing contribution to patient-centred care.
Education and social development also featured prominently. Padma shri Zahir Ishaq Kazi was honoured for decades of work in education, while former Meghalaya superintendent of Police T. C. Chacko was recognised for public service. Goonj founder Anshu Gupta received an award for his dignity-centred rural development initiatives, and the Hunar Shakti Foundation was honoured for empowering women and young girls through skill development.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to former IAS officer Shailaja Chandra for her long career in public healthcare and governance, particularly in the traditional systems under Ayush.
Speaking at the event, Hamdard chairman Abdul Majeed said the awards were a tribute to those who combine excellence with empathy. “These awardees reflect Hakeem Sahib’s belief that healthcare, education and public service must ultimately serve humanity,” he said.
Minister Seth struck a forward-looking note, saying India’s young population gives the country a unique opportunity to become a global destination for learning, health and wellness by 2047.
The ceremony also featured the trailer launch of Unani Ki Kahaani, an upcoming documentary starring actor Jim Sarbh, set to premiere on Discovery on 11 February.
Instituted in memory of Unani scholar and educationist Hakeem Abdul Hameed, the awards have grown into a national platform that celebrates those building a more inclusive and resilient India. For one evening at least, the spotlight was not just on success, but on service with substance.
