10 ways advertising is set to change over the next decade

New Delhi: Dentsu’s Digital Advertising Report 2026 shows that digital ad spends in India have crossed Rs 71,621 crore and are set to account for 70% of the country’s total ad spends by 2027. The message is clear. Digital is no longer just a channel or an emerging opportunity; it has become the market itself.

Beyond the headline numbers, the report identifies a series of shifts that are set to redefine how India’s media and advertising ecosystem will operate over the next decade. The focus is not on new platforms but on how existing ones are being transformed through data, automation, and commerce.

Here are the top 10 predictions from the report:

Retail media moves from fast growth to core infrastructure

Retail media is evolving from a performance-driven channel into a full-funnel brand-building ecosystem. What began as sponsored listings at the point of purchase has expanded into media networks powered by first-party data and closed-loop measurement.

With ad spends on e-retail platforms growing 55.86% in 2025 to Rs 17,601 crore, nearly 25% of digital ad spends, retail environments now support discovery, storytelling and conversion within a single system.

Content studios, creator partnerships, live commerce and shoppable video are enabling richer brand narratives, while precise attribution allows insights from purchase behaviour to inform upper-funnel planning. As a result, retail media is emerging as a core pillar of modern marketing, demanding closer alignment between trade, ecommerce, media and brand teams.

Regional reigns

India’s media and creator economy are increasingly being shaped by regional-language audiences, women-led creators and voices from smaller towns, as streaming platforms and social ecosystems expand their reach.

Dentsu’s report points to authentic, locally rooted storytelling as a key driver of trust and emotional connection, with regional creators emerging as scalable IP builders rather than niche influencers.

As these voices find global audiences, brands will need culturally aware segmentation, local creative intelligence and deeper collaboration with micro-communities to remain relevant in an increasingly decentralised cultural economy.

Values-first consumers reshape brand expectations

Younger audiences, particularly Gen Z and Gen Alpha, are increasingly viewing consumption as an extension of their personal values rather than a transactional act. Dentsu’s report notes that purpose-led storytelling will only resonate when backed by real commitments, transparent practices and consistent behaviour.

As well-being, fairness and mental health move to the centre of consumer expectations, these cohorts are gravitating towards grounded, empathetic content that feels emotionally supportive rather than performative.

Brands that demonstrate authenticity, accountability and meaningful contribution are expected to earn stronger trust and long-term loyalty in this evolving value-driven marketplace.

Subscription fatigue pushes consumers towards bundled ecosystems

The rapid spread of subscription services across entertainment, productivity and commerce is creating fatigue, as households juggle multiple paid platforms that often go underused. Dentsu’s report points to a growing shift towards consolidated lifestyle bundles that combine OTT, news, gaming and everyday services under simpler pricing or ad-supported models.

As this consolidation accelerates, control is expected to move to intermediaries such as telecom operators, device ecosystems and large digital platforms that manage bundling, distribution and data.

For brands, this creates new premium advertising opportunities within bundled environments, where advertising becomes part of the value exchange, requiring content that is useful, unobtrusive and contextually aligned with consumer needs.

Brands are now creators

Brands are evolving into media creators, says Dentsu’s latest report. As audiences increasingly favour ad-free, interruption-free experiences, companies are moving beyond traditional paid placements to develop their own content ecosystems, podcasts, video series, newsletters, and community platforms that showcase their expertise, values, and long-term ambitions.

These spaces are no longer just marketing tools; they are destinations where storytelling, commerce, and engagement come together.

The report notes that these content ecosystems foster sustained audience relationships rather than fleeting attention spikes.

By blending shoppable moments, memberships, and immersive experiences, brands can deepen loyalty, unlock new revenue streams, and position themselves as enduring media entities rather than conventional advertisers. In this new landscape, brands are not just selling products, they are creating worlds audiences want to return to.

Attention, not impressions, defines impact

Dentsu’s report highlights a fundamental shift in how brand impact is measured. As impressions lose relevance, attention has emerged as the true currency, with deeper engagement defined by time spent, interactions, and participation in cultural conversations.

Brands are now being pushed to create meaningful, conversation-worthy ideas that resonate beyond campaigns and drive lasting relevance.

Success metrics are moving from short-term clicks to long-term cultural impact. Brands will increasingly be judged on sustained attention, influence within communities, and contributions to social dialogue.

According to the report, marketers are prioritising ideas that spark conversations, shape shared meaning, and foster ongoing engagement, ensuring their presence is felt not just in feeds, but in culture itself.

All things AI

Dentsu’s report predicts that artificial intelligence will revolutionise media by creating adaptive, context-aware experiences shaped by behaviour, mood, and emotional cues. Human creativity combined with AI-driven variation will enable highly personalised journeys, where content responds in real time to individual needs and micro-intents.

As systems become more emotionally responsive, transparent data use and clear ethical boundaries will be essential for building trust and meaningful connections.

The report highlights that AI-human hybrid creativity will become standard, blending human imagination with AI-powered production. Brands will be able to scale personalised content while preserving identity, enabling richer storytelling, faster iteration, and highly adaptive media for diverse audiences.

Over the next decade, emotionally intelligent ecosystems spanning voice, wearables, smart homes, and vehicles will deliver seamless, empathetic experiences, with predictive and neuro-adaptive systems anticipating context and mood to make every interaction intuitive and relevant.

Dentsu’s report highlights how artificial intelligence will reshape media and commerce through autonomous systems that manage data flows, authenticity, and user-controlled permissions.

Intelligent agents will curate relevance, negotiate access, and ensure transparency and provenance, making ethical data practices central to trust. Brands that uphold strong consent standards and responsible AI practices are likely to earn deeper consumer confidence, while technology sovereignty will become critical for India as the nation develops indigenous AI and governance frameworks that protect local data and foster an innovation-led media ecosystem.

India’s digital public infrastructure, including systems like UPI, ONDC, and the Account Aggregator framework, will accelerate media innovation by enabling secure, consent-based data flows. AI-governed media ecosystems will autonomously manage discovery, curation, targeting, and transactions, with evolving ethics and provenance standards protecting authenticity.

Consumers will increasingly own their data as intellectual property, licensing it through clear value exchanges that reward transparency and responsible usage. This emerging model positions India to lead in a self-regulating, data-responsible economy while offering brands a framework to build trusted, permission-driven media experiences.

Spatial computing turns media into immersive worlds

Dentsu’s report predicts that spatial computing and extended reality will transform media into fully immersive environments that people can enter, explore, and shape. Stories will move beyond linear narratives, unfolding as interactive places supported by sound, motion, and depth that create a strong sense of presence.

Users will navigate worlds ranging from historical settings to branded experiences, while commerce integrates naturally, allowing virtual product previews, demos, and seamless transitions from exploration to purchase. Education and training will also benefit as complex subjects become tangible through three-dimensional, interactive models.

As these experiences mature, designers will need to prioritise comfort, accessibility, consent, and cultural diversity to keep them inclusive and responsible. Immersive and spatial storytelling is expected to become a dominant narrative form, shifting media from passive viewing to active participation.

Users will interact with characters, shape story paths, and blend entertainment, learning, and retail in new ways. Brands that craft culturally rich, meaningful spatial environments will unlock deeper emotional engagement, drive discovery, and create new commerce opportunities in a world where media becomes a place people want to inhabit.

Looking ahead, Dentsu’s Digital Advertising Report 2026 makes it clear that the next decade will be defined less by platforms and more by how brands, technology, and audiences interact in a rapidly evolving ecosystem. From immersive spatial experiences and AI-driven personalisation to hybrid retail environments and culturally rooted storytelling, success will hinge on trust, relevance, and sustained engagement.

For brands, the message is clear. Advertising is no longer about fleeting impressions or short-term campaigns. It is about creating worlds, experiences, and ecosystems that audiences want to inhabit, whether online, offline, or in the spaces in between. Those that combine creativity, technology, and cultural insight with ethical practices and audience-first thinking will not only capture attention but also build enduring loyalty in a digital-first India.