The ‘Festive Decode 2025’, a first-of-its-kind consumer insight report conducted between August and October 2025, reveals that while emotion continues to anchor festive advertising in India, humor has quickly emerged as the new favorite.
For years, festive campaigns have leaned on nostalgia, sentiment, and celebrity sparkle. But this year’s findings show a distinct shift — consumers now prefer ads that feel human, authentic, and relatable rather than overly sentimental.
Emotion Still Wins, But Humor Catches Up
According to the report, 35% of respondents said they connect most with emotional advertising, but humor follows closely at 34.6%, marking one of the narrowest gaps seen between the two in recent years.
Meanwhile, 21.1% said offers and discounts grab their attention, while celebrity-led campaigns appealed to only 5.8%, reflecting clear fatigue toward traditional star-driven advertising. The least engaging were influencer-led campaigns, with just 3.6% saying they found them appealing.
“The festive ad that makes you smile is now the one that gets shared. Emotion remains the anchor, but humor has become the hook.”
Authenticity Drives Purchase Influence
The report also found that 57% of respondents said festive ads do influence their purchase decisions — but authenticity is key.
- 24.6% said ads influence them strongly
- 32.2% said sometimes
- 20.2% said rarely
- 23% said not at all
This underscores the growing importance of genuine, relatable storytelling over formulaic festive content.
Social Media Leads the Attention Game
When asked where they notice festive ads the most, 48.6% of respondents cited social media, followed by 24.6% for TV and just 3.4% for print — reaffirming the dominance of digital channels in capturing festive attention spans.
A New Blueprint for Brand Storytelling
‘The Festive Decode 2025’ is a first-of-its-kind data-led insight report, capturing over 10,000 consumer responses nationwide. The findings paint a clear picture of a changing festive landscape — one where emotion, authenticity, and humor define connection, and storytelling that feels real drives both engagement and action.
As the report concludes, the era of heavy-handed sentiment is giving way to an age where laughter, lightness, and honesty win festive hearts — and wallets.
