MUMBAI, INDIA – Dentsu India has unveiled the 10th edition of its Digital Advertising Report, marking ten years of documenting India’s media and advertising evolution. The anniversary edition, ‘Next 10: Forces shaping the next decade of Indian media’, reflects a market transitioning from scale-led growth to strategic maturity – where earning attention, staying relevant, and driving outcomes matter more than ever.
India’s advertising market: Digital at the core
According to the report, India’s advertising industry closed 2025 at ₹1,21,339 crore and is projected to grow to ₹1,40,001 crore by 2027, at a CAGR of 7.41%.
Digital continues to power this growth. Digital advertising expanded 19% in 2025 to ₹71,621 crore and is expected to reach ₹98,034 crore by 2027, accounting for nearly 70% of total advertising spend.
Traditional media is recalibrating rather than retreating. While television and print are expected to see a gradual decline in share, out-of-home advertising is recording steady growth, supported by digitised networks, infrastructure investments, and the expansion of modern transit systems.
Commerce media and the new battle for attention
One of the most defining shifts highlighted in the report is the rapid rise of commerce-led media ecosystems. Advertising on e-retail platforms accelerated sharply in 2025 as marketplaces increasingly integrate content, discovery, and transaction into unified, closed-loop environments.
FMCG remains the largest contributor to advertising expenditure, while e-commerce is the fastest-growing category, fuelled by platform investments and changing consumer behaviour. Within digital, social media and online video dominate spend, reflecting India’s mobile-first audience and the growing convergence of attention, engagement, and conversion.
Three phases that will shape the next decade
The report outlines three distinct phases that will define the future of Indian media:
- The short-term (2025–27) will be driven by commerce-led ecosystems, AI-powered personalisation and a shift from impressions to attention as the true measure of effectiveness.
- The mid-term (2028–31) will see culture-led and regional storytelling scale globally, with brands increasingly operating as media owners, not just advertisers.
- The long term (2032–35) points to AI-governed and immersive environments, where autonomous systems, consumer-owned data and extended reality redefine participation, influence and value exchange.
To access the full report, click here: https://www.dentsu.com/in/en/reports/dentsu_e4m_digital_advertising_2026
Commenting on the special edition, Harsha Razdan, CEO, South Asia, dentsu said, “Reaching ten editions of this report gives you perspective. You realise how much has changed, and how much hasn’t. Tools have evolved, the pace has accelerated, and expectations are higher. But the most meaningful shift has been human. People are far more deliberate about what they give their attention to. Innovating to Impact grew out of that learning. It is about doing work that earns its place, respects people’s time, and delivers outcomes that last.”
Narayan Devanathan, President and Chief Strategy Officer, South Asia, dentsu added, “A decade ago, the challenge was understanding rapid change. Today, it is navigating complexity with clarity. The next phase of growth will belong to organisations that can bring creativity, data, media and technology together in ways that work in the real world. This report is designed to help leaders move beyond channels and focus on building relevance, resilience and long-term value.”
