iWorld
Social media has evolved from a brand awareness platform to now driving direct sales for consumers: Ruksheen Palia
Mumbai: In the bustling lead-up to India’s festive season, the digital marketing landscape is set for a significant boost, with brands across e-commerce, retail, FMCG and small businesses are eyeing this time to connect deeply with consumers through digital avenues, aiming to capture the excitement and enthusiasm that characterises Diwali, Dussehra, and other festivals. As online engagement becomes the core strategy, brands are leaning into innovative digital marketing trends that make their presence felt and drive conversions.
This season is also known for an uptick in consumer spending and has traditionally been the prime time for brands to invest heavily in advertising. It is primarily driven by the need to engage India’s increasingly digital-first population, where mobile phones are the primary medium for product discovery and purchases. Brands are setting aside significant budgets for click-to-WhatsApp ads, video content, and social media campaigns to capture consumer interest during this period of heightened shopping activity.
Indiantelevision.com’s Rohin Ramesh caught up with Social Panga VP – business & strategy Ruksheen Palia, where she touched upon ad spends expected this festive season and some Key trends to look out for in digital marketing.
Edited excerpts
On the overall marketing budget are brands planning to allocate specifically for this festive season compared to previous years
While budgets will differ industry to industry, marketers are upping their spends this festive season for campaigns. However the focus is changing from traditional to digital advertising with real time bidding AI generation, which will allow brands to maximise their spends.
From the past years’ experience, brands are estimated to spend 25-30 per cent of their marketing budgets on festive campaigns which is similar to previous years but will be more focused on digital advertising strategies.
On media channels (social media, traditional media etc) you are seeing the most significant increases in ad spend this festive season
For 2024, the obvious answer would be the digital side of marketing is going to get the biggest ad spends this festive season. From social media, connected TV & retain media playing a huge part.
On the anticipated ROI metrics for ad spending during this festive season
Brands are optimistic this festive season & are targeting higher ROI metrics compared to last year. With enhanced AI, content personalisation & omnichannel strategies to make content creation especially of videos more efficient & cost effective.
Brands are also focusing on emotional connections, convenience & innovative strategies to build more long term goals to acquire customers. They are not just looking at short-term sales but also focusing on building lasting relationships and brand loyalty, which can pay dividends beyond the holiday season
On importance of data analytics in shaping ad spend decisions for the upcoming festive campaigns
A crucial role! With increasing competition & higher expectations from all consumers today, brands are relying extensively on targeting accurately. Data analytics help with personalisation & targeting, Real time optimisation, Channel selection & more data analytics to help improve strategies.
This festive season, data analytics will play an important part in decision making, helping brands optimise both short-term & long-term goals to build consumer loyalty.
On importance of personalised marketing during the festive season and strategies are brands using to create personalised experiences
One of the ways to cut through all the noise this festive season, will be to adopt personalised marketing! Since personalised marketing helps in boosting engagement, enhances customer experience & increases likelihood of conversion a lot of brands should adopt this strategy. Few of the strategies that can be adopted by brands are: Personalised mailers, AI, Dynamic content websites & interactive and experiential marketing.
On the role you foresee social commerce playing in festive marketing campaigns this year
This year even more than before, Social commerce is going to play a huge role in festive marketing campaigns. With the integration of e-commerce & social media on platforms like Instagram, FB the role this would play for customers would be: Seamless shopping experience, quick on the go shopping, influencer led & testimonial based buying.
On brands investing more in social media platforms for sales
Yes, most definitely. Brands are significantly increasing their investments on social media platforms for sales, especially during the festive season. Social media has evolved from a brand awareness platform to now driving direct sales for consumers.
iWorld
JioHotstar enters micro-drama space with 100 shows under Tadka banner
Short-form push targets 300M users as content meets commerce in new format
MUMBAI: JioStar has made a bold play in India’s fast-growing micro-drama space, rolling out over 100 short-form shows under its new Tadka banner on JioHotstar, timed with the massive viewership surge of the Indian Premier League 2026.
The scale of the launch signals clear intent. Rather than testing the waters, the company has dived in headfirst, releasing a wide slate of content on day one. Each show is designed for quick consumption, with episodes running 60 to 90 seconds in a vertical format tailored for mobile-first audiences.
The move comes as India’s micro-drama market, currently valued at around $300 million, is projected to grow tenfold to over $3 billion by 2030. Globally, the format has already proven its mettle, with China’s micro-drama sector recording explosive growth in recent years.
What sets this rollout apart is its built-in monetisation strategy. The shows are free to watch and ad-supported, with brand integrations woven directly into storylines from the outset. It reflects a broader shift where content and commerce are increasingly intertwined, rather than operating in silos.
The timing is equally strategic. With more than 300 million users already tuning in for IPL action, JioHotstar is effectively turning cricket’s biggest stage into a discovery engine for its new format.
The company is not entering an empty arena. Early movers like Kuku TV, MX Player and platforms backed by Zee Entertainment Enterprises have already laid the groundwork, building audiences and validating demand for snackable storytelling.
Now, with scale, distribution and advertiser interest aligning, the big players are stepping in. For JioStar, Tadka may well serve as a proving ground for the next evolution of digital entertainment, where every minute counts and every second sells.
If the bet pays off, India’s next big content wave might just arrive in under 90 seconds.
