Shamita Islur

As answer engines prioritise independent citations over advertising spend, communications leaders unpack why public relations is moving from brand amplification to managing discoverability itself.

As AI moves from pilots to enterprise deployment, EXL's CMO Shirley Macbeth discusses how B2B marketers are adapting to new decision-makers, AI-led workflows and the growing need for human-led expertise.

Balar talks about how ITC is approaching the Navratri-to-Diwali window, from a campaign built around emotions and ragas to the role of quick commerce and cold storage in deciding where Fabelle can reach buyers.

Agencies say KPIs are now agreed before the money moves, tracked from footfall to redemption and measured across Dussehra, Dhanteras and Diwali.

Anand Parameswaran of Kantar explains how inflation, a weak monsoon and higher borrowing costs are changing what Indian households buy this festive season, and what brands can do about it.

From the nine nights, wardrobe to quick commerce, consumer intent changes with each evening, and brands are being asked to show up differently.

Sattva Group's Piali Dasgupta Surendran discusses how the developer markets to festive-season homebuyers, allocates digital spends between Google and Meta, uses OOH and emerging platforms such as ChatGPT and Reddit, and adapts its campaigns to reach younger buyers.

E-commerce platforms, brands and agencies are planning around smaller towns, premium upgrades and measurable returns, with humour and creators carrying the message between sale days.

Amazon's Nidhi Thakkar explains how YouTube Shopping and Pinterest links are shrinking the gap between discovery and purchase, how the company plans for Diwali, and why measuring creator sales gets harder as brand budgets grow.

Gaurav Verma of PharmEasy on adapting its festive marketing to seasonal healthcare needs, builds consumer trust beyond medicine delivery, and uses regional insights, media choices and preventive health initiatives to strengthen long-term engagement.