Why It’s Trending Now
India’s festive ad war season has always been the stage for brand rivalries, spanning from Raksha Bandhan in August to Christmas in December, accounting for more than 40% of the country’s annual retail spend. But 2025 is breaking new records. Ad spends are expected to cross ₹20,000 crore this quarter, with campaigns flooding television, OTT platforms, social media, and retail stores.
From Reliance and Amazon to PepsiCo, Coca-Cola, Tanishq, and Zomato, every major player is sharpening its strategy to capture consumer attention in making the most competitive shopping window of India’s festive advertising war.
The Big Picture
Rising disposable incomes, financing, and digital-first consumer journeys have transformed festive shopping into an experience economy. In this environment, advertising is no longer about pushing discounts; it’s about cultural storytelling, personalisation, and creating moments.
India’s festive shoppers are more engaged and ready to spend than ever before. Study reveals that 85% of Indians rate shopping as their top festive activity, with 83% allocating bigger budgets than last year and an average spend of ₹23,000 per consumer. The study also highlights that 83% shop online, 79% discover products via app notifications, and 92% are more likely to buy when they see the same ad across mobile, TV, and web. (Festival report by InMobi Advertising and Glance (July 11-14, 2025))
Brand Strategies at a Glance
1. Reliance Retail & JioMart: The Omnichannel Advantage
For India’s festive ad war, Reliance is lining up for online and offline shopping at scale. Being one of the largest multi-channel homegrown e-marketplaces aims to transform the digital retail by empowering local kiranas, small and medium businesses, local artisans, and women entrepreneurs.
2. Amazon India: AI-Driven Personalisation
Amazon is leaning on its tech strength. AI-powered recommendations, shoppable live streams, and gamified ad formats. Amazon’s Great Freedom Festival returns with attractive offers on electronics, fashion, beauty and home essentials from India’s leading brands, local artisans and women-led enterprises.
3. Flipkart: Affordability as Aspiration
Flipkart’s Big Billion Days 2025 is designed to reach middle India. India’s festive advertising war must balance sentiment with functionality. Brands that link cultural rituals with consumer needs tend to stay ahead. Flipkart’s approach connects respect for tradition and modern shopping behaviour.
At its heart, this is not only about India festival ads. It’s also about where commerce is headed. The rituals matter, but so does quick delivery. Flipkart’s festive move makes that balance work. The result is a story that speaks to consumer sentiment and at the same time reinforces a strong business edge.
4. PepsiCo vs. Coca-Cola: The Festive Cola Wars
The rivalry between Pepsi and Coca-Cola, known as the “Cola Wars,” is one of the most fascinating case studies in the history of marketing. For over a century, these two beverage giants have gone head-to-head, each employing bold strategies to outmanoeuvre the other. Their competition has not only defined the soft drink industry but has also set the gold standard for marketing innovation.
5. Tanishq: Jewellery as Ritual and Heritage
Tanishq’s India’s festive ad war push aligns with both Diwali and the wedding season. Tanishq, being India’s most trusted jewellery brand from the House of Tata, proudly presents the 2025 edition of Festival of Diamonds – Sparkle Your Way, an ode to the modern woman and her many radiant expressions.
6. Zomato: Food as Festive Connector
Zomato highlights its role in creating shared moments from midnight Navratri snacks to Diwali mithai deliveries. Partnerships with local sweet shops and festive-themed offers position Zomato as a participant, not just a platform. This Diwali, Zomato celebrates the festival’s spirit with its campaign ‘Mission Diwali,’ inspired by the famous NASA photo of India during Diwali. The campaign emphasises that the festival’s true glow comes from human connections, with food as a key unifying element
India’s festive season continues to be the biggest battleground for brands, with digital ad spending projected to touch ₹58,550 crore in 2025. Festive campaigns drive nearly 30% of annual ad volumes, making this quarter crucial for sales and brand impact. The surge is fueled by cross-device strategies, CTV adoption, and a 12.5% rise in ad spending between 2020 and 2025. (according to the Digital Advertising in India Report by Dentsu Aegis Network.)
Editorial Takeaway
India’s Festive Ad War 2025 is more than a contest of ad budgets; it’s a test of cultural intelligence. The brands that will stand out are not those shouting the loudest but those blending tradition with technology, affordability with aspiration, and commerce with culture. In a cluttered market, the real winners will be those who don’t just sell products but create moments that last long after the festive lights fade.
