Shaadi Season 2025: Rs 6.5 lakh crore wedding economy drives 12–15% surge in ad spends

New Delhi: Shaadi Season 2025 has become India’s largest marketing battleground. Brands are swapping celebrity one-shots for creator-led series and vernacular storytelling to win aspirational Bharat. 

“We’re seeing brands invest around 12–15% more than last year’s festive cycle, driven by a stronger wedding economy and rising media costs,” said Ratnakar Bharti, Vice President - Media, Mudramax. 

Vaishal Dalal, Co-founder & Director, Excellent Publicity, added, “Ad expenditure during the 2025 shaadi season is projected to exceed previous records. Consumer spending from nearly 46 lakh weddings is expected to reach Rs 6.5 lakh crore, pushing ad budgets higher. Categories like jewellery, fashion, FMCG, and tech are leading the momentum.”

Nikhil Rangnekar, CEO at MediaCircle, noted, “Brands have a big opportunity in the wedding and consumer durables categories. With high gold prices, smaller brands may spend more on digital, while jewellery brands will promote affordable ranges.” 

Yasin Hamidani, Director, Media Care Brand Solutions, said, “Ad spends this shaadi season are expected to rise by around 10–15% compared to last year. Growth is steady, with brands focusing on experience-led storytelling rather than sheer frequency.”

Luxury brands are also tapping into India’s growing wedding narrative. Audi India, for instance, has turned wedding emotions into the centrepiece of its storytelling. Building on its Journeys with Audi brand platform, the company launched the #MomentsBeforeMoments campaign, capturing the intimate, reflective moments that happen inside a car just before a wedding.

Gaurav Sinha, Head of Marketing & PR, Audi India, said, “At Audi India, we celebrate the journeys our customers take, and a wedding is one of life's greatest journeys of all. The #MomentsBeforeMoment campaign is our way of being a part of that emotional place — when life is about to change forever and you’re sitting in your Audi collecting your thoughts. It’s where anticipation meets aspiration, and we are happy to tell these stories.”

Digital takes the mandap

Digital is central to campaigns, commanding roughly 45–50% of total ad spend, driven by social, influencer, and commerce-led content. TV retains emotional storytelling value, print works in regional markets, and OOH is seeing a resurgence.

“Digital is now the centre of creative strategy, allowing brands to build ongoing narratives instead of one-off celebrity films,” said Bharti. 

Namita Kothari, Founder at Akoirah by Augmont, added, “Innovation is happening on social platforms, creator-driven video, and commerce-linked content. Print and TV remain relevant for mass visibility.”

Dalal said, “Digital engagement is led by Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts, and OTT platforms. Print remains through wedding supplements and bridal magazines. OOH is resurging with creative billboards, mall activations, and moment marketing like Zepto x Shaadi.com.” 

Vinit Patil, Creative Director, SW Network, summarised, “Digital is no longer the plus one; it’s the groom. The magic is in combining digital, TV, print, and OOH for a cohesive story.”

The celebrity-to-creator shift

Patil noted, “Consumers want to feel something, not just follow someone. Campaigns are moving from celebrity-heavy to story-heavy, often resembling mini-series with real characters as the focus.” 

Prithviraj Kothari, Managing Director at RiddiSiddhi Bullions, said, “Brands are now focusing on digital-first storytelling with short films, influencer partnerships, and live selling, while still running TV and OOH for mass awareness.”

Dalal shared examples: “Britannia & Zepto staged a mock wedding with 100+ influencers. Myntra’s ‘Myntra Mohalla’ depicts small-town wedding chaos. Eno’s ‘Buffet Baazi’ is an influencer comedy series. Even celebrity appearances now complement larger storylines.”

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Vincent Noronha, Head of Marketing, HyFun Foods, added, “B2B brands are using content-driven storytelling to educate and inspire partners, integrating products into real wedding experiences.”

Tier II & III markets drive the new wedding economy

Bharti said, “Tier II and III India is rewriting wedding marketing rules. Advertisers blend regional creativity with hyper-local media to make campaigns feel authentic while retaining premium aspiration.”

Hamidani noted, “Regional audiences want relatable stories, local creators, and regional humour or values. Media plans focus on print, regional TV, and vernacular digital platforms. Messaging emphasises value, pride, and shared community celebrations.”

Dalal added, “Brands are customising messaging and media to resonate with aspirational Bharat. Regional language campaigns, small-town storytelling, and collaborations with local influencers and OTT platforms are growing.”

Patil said, “Tier II and III cities aren’t catching up; they’re leading. Smart brands focus on emotion and relatability rather than luxury, making communication feel personal.”

The rise of creator commerce

Bharti said, “Influencer-led commerce and live selling are turning Instagram and YouTube into active bridal marketplaces.”

Dalal said, “Influencer collaborations now command over Rs 700 crore in ad spend. Micro and nano influencers offer a stronger ROI than A-lis celebrity ads. Live selling and Instagram Shops enable real-time purchase experiences.”

Patil added, “Weddings are now shoppable on social media. Influencers host, review, and sell products in real time. Brands think of ‘content-to-cart’ rather than just influencer campaigns.”

Kothari said, “Creator-first commerce is the new engine of growth, increasingly replacing traditional endorsements.”

Challenges and opportunities

Bharti said, “The biggest challenge is balancing speed, scale, rising costs, and compressed creative timelines while staying culturally relevant. Winners will integrate content, commerce, and community seamlessly.”

Hamidani added, “Fatigue and budget pressures are real. Rising media rates push brands to find smarter efficiencies. Opportunities lie in personalisation, micro-moments, regional storytelling, and co-created experiences.”

Dalal noted, “Rising media costs and ad clutter are challenges, but the market is at an all-time high. AR filters, viral OOH, and short-form content offer fresh storytelling. Tier II and III markets present untapped potential. Extended seasonality allows phased campaigns.”

Patil concluded, “The challenge is rising costs and shrinking timelines. The opportunity is love, hope, and spectacle. Brands that win will be human, understanding that shaadis are about celebrating, not selling.”