Connected TV and OTT platforms have emerged as the advertising environments Indian festive shoppers trust most, according to VDO.AI’s Festive Consumer Index 2026. Based on a survey of around 1,200 respondents across Tier 1 and Tier 2 cities, the report offers a timely read on how consumers are navigating festive advertising.
Trust sits with CTV and OTT, discovery sits with social
Nearly 38% of respondents named CTV and OTT as the most trustworthy environment for festive advertising. Social media followed at 29%, shopping apps at 19%, AI search at 10%, and news websites at 4%.
But trust and discovery do not sit on the same platform. Social media remains the leading discovery channel at 47.1%, followed by online marketplaces at 25%, influencers at 16.3%, brand websites at 4.8%, CTV/OTT ads at 5.8%, and friends and family at 1%.
That split matters. Consumers often meet a brand on social, then evaluate it elsewhere. For marketers, this suggests that festive campaigns should be planned as connected journeys rather than a single-platform burst.
Spending is resilient, but shoppers are more deliberate
The festive spending mood remains strong: 89% of respondents plan to maintain or increase their festive expenditure this year. At the same time, buying behaviour is becoming more considered. More than 70% compare at least three brands before purchasing, and 58% delay purchase while waiting for festive sales or better offers.
Relevance is the real attention driver
High frequency is not enough — and can backfire. The report found that 29.8% of respondents ignore festive ads because they have seen them too many times. Irrelevant messaging makes 22.1% tune out, while 17.3% say ads that look like every other ad lose them.
What keeps people engaged:
- 45.2% will spend more time with an ad if the offer is relevant to them.
- 30.8% prefer personalised product recommendations.
- 16.3% want to explore or compare products inside the ad itself.
There is also clear appetite for action. Almost 61.5% said they would definitely purchase directly from an advertisement if they could, and 23.1% said they might. Meanwhile, 51.9% are open to brands using AI to personalise festive recommendations or messaging, with another 34.6% saying maybe.
Arjit Sachdeva, co-founder of VDO.AI, framed the shift as a move from competing for attention to earning it. He said consumers value “advertising that helps them navigate those choices,” rather than simply adding more noise.
What marketers should do with this
The report points to distinct roles across the festive purchase journey. A practical full-funnel plan could look like this:
- Discovery: Use social media and influencers to introduce products where attention naturally begins.
- Trust building: Run CTV and OTT creative that combines brand storytelling with richer, more useful product exploration.
- Evaluation: Ensure marketplaces and brand websites are ready to help shoppers compare and decide.
- Conversion: Add shoppable or actionable ad formats, since a majority are willing to buy directly.
For festive campaign planners, the takeaway is clear: relevance and utility now matter more than reach alone.
Source: ETBrandEquity.com
