As India’s biggest shopping season kicks off, the streets and screens alike are buzzing with anticipation. Festivals in this country aren’t just cultural milestones- they are economic engines that decide the pulse of consumer spending. Diwali, Navratri, Onam, and even region-specific new year celebrations turn into make-or-break moments for brands, where every second of consumer attention is fiercely contested.
But unlike earlier years where celebrity-heavy endorsements or mass media blitzes took centre stage, festive 2025 is being defined by creators. From nano influencers in tier-3 towns to internet sensations driving pan-India conversations, brands are betting big on influencers as the bridge between festive emotions and shopping intent. What was once a supporting channel has now become the core of strategy, commanding a 20-40% jump in spends compared to last year.
The shift is more than just about budgets- it’s about trust, relatability, and cultural relevance. Shoppers today look to Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts, and hyperlocal creators for product cues, styling inspiration, or festival gifting ideas. This blend of festive sentiment and digital storytelling has made influencer-led campaigns not just effective but indispensable.
For marketers, this festive season is shaping up to be the ultimate stress test of how authentically creators can move the needle in a cluttered, high-stakes environment.
Rising Spends and Festive Momentum
With the confluence of festive consumerism and GST incentives, brands are increasing influencer marketing budgets this year. Himanshu Arora, CEO Creative at LS Digital, explained why the market conditions make this festive season particularly significant.
“The GST benefits, coupled with festive demand, have created a perfect storm for increased marketing activity. Consumers are waiting to make purchases, and brands are responding with higher budgets. Influencer spends are likely to go up 30% to 40% this year, and compared to non-festive months, it’s roughly a 50% increase,” he said, illustrating how policy changes are influencing marketing strategy.
Expanding on this, Rajni Daswani, Chief Growth Officer at SoCheers, explained how festive budgets are concentrated across the year and the rationale behind allocation across influencer tiers. “What we’ve seen is that 60% of the yearly spend happens during festive seasons. It’s not just Diwali, it could be Onam, Navratri, or the end-of-year holidays depending on the brand,” she said, emphasising the dominance of festive periods in annual planning.
She also noted that smaller spikes occur during regional celebrations: “There’s also a smaller spike in April due to New Year’s and regional festivities like Gudi Padwa. Brands really go all out during these periods.”
On year-on-year budget growth, she added,“Influencer budgets have increased by roughly 20% to 25% compared to last year. Until recently, brands focused mainly on macro creators, but now there’s a clear shift toward regional influencers and expanding regional reach.”
Furthermore, Umer Madhiya, Team lead – Influencer Marketing, White Rivers Media, “For 2025, budgets are up 18%-22% over last year. The period between Navratri and Diwali sees two to three times more activity than regular months. Creators are now seen as essential drivers of discovery and conversion,” he said.
Alongside, Ojaswini Bharti, Founder, Brown Creatives, highlighted the early data on festive season spends, “As of now, we just started. And you can actually have the final data by the end of the year, but I will say it’s been like a 20% increase compared to last year and if you compare festive season with a non-festive season.”
Macro vs. Micro Influencer Allocation
Festive campaigns often require a recalibration of influencer budgets, with brands balancing high-visibility macro creators against the growing impact of micro and nano influencers. Daswani explained how brands strategically allocate budgets across all influencer tiers, combining reach with performance-driven goals.
“10% of the budget goes to nano-micro creators, around 75% to celebrity or large influencers, and 15% to mid-tier influencers. This bottom-heavy allocation reflects the stronger role of smaller creators in driving consideration and purchase, while larger creators are reserved for high-visibility spikes,” she said, underscoring the rationale behind tiered spending.
Meanwhile, Bharti, shared her observations on how allocations shift during the festive season compared to regular months. “During a regular month, the split is such that 70% to 80% of the budget goes to macro influencers, and only 20% to 30% to micro creators.”
“But during the festive season, I’ve seen an almost equal allocation roughly 50-50 between macro and micro creators,” she explained, highlighting how festivals prompt brands to diversify spending across influencer tiers.
Meanwhile, Arora emphasised that while the split percentages remain consistent, the overall spend increases due to heightened consumerism, “Splits remain the same, to be honest. So if the split says in such a way that about 30% to 40% goes to micro influencers and about 30% to 40% goes to macro, and 20%-30% goes to A-tier influencers.
Moreover, he added, “The split remains the same. It’s just that there’s more volume out there. Because logically, it’s the same thought process. It’s just that you spend more because consumerism is going up”.
Adding further perspective, Madhiya noted how festive budgets are bottom-heavy this year,“Budgets this year are bottom-heavy. Nano and micro creators are capturing a larger share than macro or celebrity influencers, reflecting their stronger role in driving consideration and purchase. Larger creators are reserved for high-visibility spikes,” he said, emphasising how operational strategy is shaping tier allocations.
Big Creators and Cost Dynamics
Festive campaigns often rely on top creators to maximise visibility. Daswani explained how competitive dynamics and topical relevance affect fees,“For festive campaigns, the brief is always about making the loudest noise. That impact comes from the big creators,” she said.
“However, the number of large creators is limited, and many brands compete for the same talent. For instance, Samay Raina and Rebel Kid have recently become extremely popular. Brands now want them even as micro creators.”
Daswani described how popularity affects pricing: “Samay Raina has worked on content with at least four brands simultaneously. When a creator is topical or in the news, their rates can spike significantly. During the festive season, rate hikes of 30% to 40% are common for hot creators because multiple brands are reaching out and they can pick the best deals.”
She added that even outside the festive period, high-demand creators see rate increases: “Even outside festive periods, hikes happen if creators are in conversation. But during festivals, the demand is higher, which pushes costs up.”
Regional Relevance and Consumer Engagement
When it comes to festive campaigns, reaching audiences beyond metro cities has become a key driver of performance. Tier-2 and Tier-3 markets are no longer just secondary audiences, they are highly engaged, culturally attuned consumers whose preferences can make or break a campaign’s ROI. For brands, this means tailoring content to local languages, customs, and everyday experiences, rather than relying on a one-size-fits-all approach.
Culturally aligned content resonates far more with these audiences. Influencer marketing thrives when creators can reflect the lived experiences of their viewers, connecting on a level that mass campaigns often miss. Arora explained, “Influencer marketing succeeds when content is both relevant and relatable. In smaller cities, creators who speak the local language and reflect everyday experiences naturally engage better than someone from a metro city.”
The business impact of such regional campaigns is tangible. Daswani highlighted how brands are redirecting a substantial portion of budgets to tap into these markets,“Regional campaigns show higher ROI because content is tailored to local cultures rather than a one-size-fits-all approach. For brands active across India, roughly 80% of the budget goes beyond top metro cities, tapping into smaller, region-specific markets. Smaller creators in these regions are seeing multiple brand opportunities because brands are eager to reach these audiences.”
Engagement metrics reinforce this trend. Madhiya added. “Engagement in Tier-2 and Tier-3 markets has grown significantly. Regional creators deliver up to 30% higher engagement than English-first content, making them critical for measurable brand lift.”
Operational challenges remain. Bharti noted, “The main challenges are availability and maintaining quality under tight timelines. Teams must work faster, approvals need to be quicker, and production quality cannot be compromised, even in a crowded festive landscape.”
Platforms, Formats, and Creative Shifts
Festive campaigns are increasingly shaped by the platforms and formats that audiences prefer. With attention spans shorter and competition higher than ever, brands are leaning into short-form, vernacular, and platform-specific content to drive engagement. Understanding where different segments spend their time is crucial for both reach and performance.
Platform preferences vary across demographics. Arora explained,“YouTube Shorts dominates among Tier-2 and Tier-3 Millennials and older audiences, while Instagram remains preferred for Gen Z and early millennials. Vernacular content is key, and emerging platforms like Snapchat, and potentially TikTok if it returns, could further change consumption patterns.”
The rise of short-form content is driving both creative strategy and budget allocation. Madhiya highlighted this trend,“Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts lead, with influencer-led short content growing 35%-40% year-on-year. Connected TV is also gaining traction, accounting for 6%-8% of digital spends.”
Operational realities also shape content formats. Bharti noted,“Last-minute approvals and tight timelines push content to short form because audiences are more active on these formats during the festive season.”
In a crowded market, creative differentiation remains critical. Daswani emphasised,“Influencer content educates audiences, but unless creators do something unique, it won’t stand out. Offline activations blending into digital campaigns are becoming increasingly important.”
Planning, Execution & Timelines
Successful festive campaigns require meticulous planning and precise execution. With multiple festivals occurring in quick succession, brands must coordinate timelines, creative production, and influencer availability to ensure campaigns launch at peak moments. The pressure of limited windows makes early preparation critical.
Early booking of influencers has become a standard practice. Arora highlighted, “Typically, brands book influencers 15 days to two months in advance, though large e-commerce campaigns may lock in three to four months prior. Festivals are always part of the annual calendar, so the shift is more about timing and budget allocation than strategy.”
Pre-planning also ensures campaigns remain relevant and culturally resonant. Daswani explained,“Giving influencers a heads-up on content allows them to plan and produce it ahead of time, ensuring campaigns go live during peak festive periods.”
The high demand for top-tier creators has accelerated the booking cycle. Madhiya noted,“Brands are booking influencers two to four weeks earlier. Regional collaborations are expanding despite added localization costs, as cultural nuance proves invaluable.”
Operational realities further shape execution. Bharti emphasised, “Availability and quality maintenance are the biggest challenges. Teams need to work faster, approvals must be quicker, and production quality must remain consistent.”
Outlook for Festive 2025
Looking ahead, experts agreed that short-form content, regional creators, and authenticity will continue to drive budgets and engagement. Arora highlighted that relevance and performance will guide the largest allocations. “Budgets will be 15%-20% higher than last year, flowing into platforms and creators that can deliver culturally relevant and performance-driven campaigns,” he said.
On the other hand, Daswani emphasised that creative differentiation will remain crucial. “Unless influencers do something unique, campaigns will struggle to stand out,” she noted.
Madhiya highlighted the continued importance of regional engagement and short-form content. Bharti concluded, “The personality and messaging of influencers are becoming even more important. Raw, approachable content resonates better than traditional polished endorsements,” she said.
The takeaway for brands navigating festive 2025 is clear: invest in creators who drive authentic engagement, diversify into regional markets, and embrace short-form, interactive content. This festive season is poised to be a benchmark for influencer marketing, demonstrating the growing role of trust, cultural resonance, and community in driving measurable impact.
