The era of ‘Do It For Me’ will replace ‘Show Me Everything’ as AI simplifies personalization and more - said one of the participating speakers.

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The digital media landscape in 2025 is brimming with transformation. From AI-driven personalization to the rise of retail media networks and a booming short-form video culture, the rules of the game are being rewritten. In MMA Global India’s LinkedIn Café 3, top marketing leaders came together to share actionable insights on where digital media is headed, the tools shaping this future, and the strategies brands need to adopt to thrive.

Featuring voices from companies like Meta, Mondelez, Samsung Ads, ITC, and more, the conversation touched on Generative AI's impact on media strategies, spending growth predictions, and how retail media is evolving into a full-funnel powerhouse.

Here’s a concise look at what’s ahead for 2025:

• Digital media spends in India could grow by 20-25%, with social media and Connected TV (CTV) taking a big slice of the pie.
• Generative AI will revolutionize content creation, enabling hyper-personalized storytelling and seamless consumer engagement.
• Retail media networks (RMNs) will emerge as the cornerstone of digital advertising, integrating first-party data for targeted campaigns.
• Personalization will scale like never before, powered by AI and consumer insights, redefining content delivery across platforms.

Participating speakers

1. Arun Srinivas, MMA India Board, Director & Head - Ads Business, Meta
2. Dhiraj Gupta, Co-Founder & CTO, mFilterIt, MMA India Member
3. Gandharv Sachdeva, Country Head - India, Hybrid, MMA India Member
4. Manan Bajoria, Group VP - Growth Marketing, Ixigo, MMA India Member
5. Prabhvir Sahmey, Senior Director - Ad Sales - India, Samsung Ads
6. Rajiv Dubey, VP Marketing, Dabur, MMA India Member
7. Samir Karpe, Group Director, DoubleVerify, MMA India Member
8. Srikanth Rayaprolu, CEO & Founder, ADScholars, MMA India Member
9. Vanita Rathore, Sr. Director - Global Ad Sales, Truecaller, MMA India Member
10. Vednarayan Sirdeshpande, Director - Consumer Digital, Mondelez India, MMA India Member
11. Jaikishin Chhaproo, Head Media & Brand PR, ITC

These are just glimpses into the bigger picture painted by the panelists, whose perspectives offered a masterclass on marketing in the coming year. Let’s dive deeper.

7 Key Insights That Emerged

1. Emerging Digital Media Trends That Will Dominate in 2025

The opening question sparked discussions about the trends poised to shape digital media this year.

• Arun Srinivas underscored the continued dominance of short-form video, urging brands to adopt "short-form-first storytelling."
• Vednarayan Sirdeshpande highlighted the rise of short-form video, Connected TV (CTV), and shoppable videos as central to consumer engagement in 2025. He also pointed out the growing role of responsible AI use and the need for private LLM ecosystems that prioritize accuracy and data protection.
• Jaikishin Chhaproo painted a vivid picture of Gen Z and Gen Alpha consumers, who prefer snackable content, online gaming, and influencer-driven engagement." Gen Alpha is consuming 60% more video content than in 2022, and 37% aspire to be influencers," he emphasized.
• Manan Bajoria pointed to hyper-personalized content created with Gen AI as the next wave, offering scalable solutions with lower production costs.

2. One bold prediction for the future of digital media in 2025 -

When asked for bold predictions, panelists shared visions of AI taking over, immersive experiences, and new paradigms for digital media.

• Arun Srinivas predicted the rise of fully AI-driven campaigns. “Marketers will need to focus more on analytics than creation,” he said.
• Gandharv Sachdeva envisioned autonomous ad campaigns, where AI handles ideation, creation, and optimization in real time.
• Manan Bajoria predicted that AI-driven digital personas will dominate customer engagement, offering hyper-scalable and cost-efficient solutions.

Rajiv Dubey described a fully immersive future: “Media will become AI-driven, hyper-personalized, and shoppable everywhere. The lines between content, community, and commerce will fade.”

Samir Karpe commented: "The era of ‘Do It For Me’ will replace ‘Show Me Everything,’ as AI simplifies campaign execution and personalization."

3. Growth in Digital Media Spend in 2025

The digital media boom is unstoppable. With numbers pointing toward a massive surge, the panelists outlined the factors behind this growth.

Arun Srinivas commented, “India’s digital media spends will grow at 1.5x the overall media spend, fueled by increasing watch time and digital adoption.”

• Gandharv Sachdeva projected a 23.49% CAGR growth, driven by video content, e-commerce, and AI-driven advertising.
• Samir Karpe cited IPG Mediabrands’ forecast, predicting spends to hit ₹57,757 crore in 2024, accounting for 50% of total ad spends by 2026.
• Manan Bajoria estimated 20-25% year-on-year growth, surpassing ₹50,000 crore in 2025, fueled by digital payments and regional content.
• Vanita Rathore noted that the mobile-first economy and OTT platforms are key drivers of this growth.

Read more: 10 Commandments for Marketers to Thrive in 2025

4. How Brands can Adapt to the Fastest Growing Digital Platforms in 2025

The verdict is clear: short-form videos, retail media, and Connected TV (CTV) are set to dominate in 2025. But what should marketers do about it?

• Arun Srinivas emphasized that GenAI creatives are becoming more mainstream. [ “Advertisers are already adopting AI tools to scale creative production. Short-form video continues to grow as watch time rises, and messaging platforms like WhatsApp are evolving into bottom-funnel conversion tools,” he said. ]
• Vednarayan Sirdeshpande pointed to platforms like Meta, Google, and WhatsApp, which offer scale and diversity. [“Reels, Shorts, and WhatsApp Commerce will continue to drive engagement and conversions,” he noted. ]
• Manan Bajoria predicted that Insta Reels and YouTube Shorts will grow exponentially. [“Consumers want snackable, trend-driven content. Brands need to focus on authenticity and creative storytelling, leveraging influencers for awareness,” he added. ]
• Jaikishin Chhaproo highlighted the rise of gaming platforms and new-age platforms like Threads and Sharechat. [“Brands must tailor messages specifically for these platforms rather than repurposing TV ads,” he stressed. ]
• Samir Karpe noted the increasing dominance of retail media networks and CTV, both fueled by first-party data and rising video consumption

5. Generative AI: The Creative Revolution in Digital Media

Generative AI was the star of the show, with leaders emphasizing its transformative impact on content creation, automation, and engagement.

• Gandharv Sachdeva called Gen AI a game-changer, enabling personalized storytelling and rapid A/B testing. [ "This technology improves storytelling with interactive and engaging ads," he said. ]
• Vednarayan Sirdeshpande emphasized balancing AI precision with human creativity, explaining how AI can elevate consumer experiences through deeper personalization.
• Samir Karpe added that AI would handle real-time optimization and sentiment analysis, allowing marketers to focus on strategy and creativity.
• Jaikishin Chhaproo noted that Gen AI will revolutionize cohort-based planning and sharper analytics, enhancing real-time engagement.
• Dhiraj Gupta cautioned against vanity metrics, stating, "Marketers must recognize that Gen AI’s amazing capabilities also require meaningful KPIs to track impact.

6. Impact of Rising Demand for Personalization in Digital Media

Personalization isn’t optional anymore - it’s the expectation. But delivering this at scale requires smart strategies and innovation.

Arun Srinivas said, “AI now allows marketers to create unique ads for different cohorts - something we couldn’t achieve before.” He called it a “boon for marketers,” making hyper-personalized campaigns feasible in real time.

• Gandharv Sachdeva shared how Dynamic Creative Optimization (DCO) enables brands to adjust messaging in real time based on user behavior, location, and preferences. [“It’s about delivering relevance, engagement, and conversions,” he added. ]
• Rajiv Dubey emphasized micro-segmentation: [ “From brief writing to hyper-local delivery, AI is transforming every consumer touchpoint.” ]
• Samir Karpe cautioned marketers to be aware of challenges: “Generative AI can create unsafe content, and ad fraud is rising. Brands must balance personalization with quality control and inventory safety.”

7. Marketers! Prepare to Enable and Leverage Retail Media in Your Marketing Mix

Retail media networks (RMNs) are no longer just about ads 0 they’re evolving into full-funnel marketing platforms. So, how can marketers adapt?

• Arun Srinivas called for omnichannel planning and measuring offline sales alongside digital spends. [ “Marketers must adopt tools that integrate retail media with overall strategies,” he said. ]
• Vednarayan Sirdeshpande highlighted RMNs’ ability to highly personalize ads across websites, apps, and in-store digital displays. [“They’re becoming essential for CPG/FMCG innovation,” he added. ]
• Samir Karpe stressed interoperability:[ “RMNs are great at using first-party data, but the challenge is enabling advertisers to have a full view of the consumer journey.” ]
• Rajiv Dubey pointed to retail media’s new role as a hub for experiential marketing and first-party data generation.

Read more: Retail media 2.0: Moving up the Funnel

The Takeaway

 

The LinkedIn Café 3 session provided a blueprint for navigating 2025’s digital media ecosystem. From AI-powered personalization to the retail media boom, the insights shared by these industry leaders offer a clear roadmap for marketers looking to thrive in an ever-evolving landscape.