Mumbai: WARC has released ‘The Pace Principle: India at Two Speeds’, a new strategic report aimed at helping marketers unlock growth by effectively balancing brand building with performance marketing in a rapidly evolving digital landscape.
Drawing from WARC’s broader Pace Principle research, along with expert insights and case studies, the report contextualises key APAC learnings for India’s complex and diverse market. It highlights the need for brands to operate at “twin speeds”—delivering short-term results while simultaneously building long-term brand value.
Biprorshee Das, India Editor, WARC, said, “This report is an India-focused extension of The Pace Principle, contextualising its APAC findings for the realities of advertising and marketing in one of the world’s most complex and fast-evolving markets. India’s scale, diversity and deep cultural fragmentation make applying global effectiveness principles more nuanced and more demanding in practice.
“At the heart of it is a simple idea: marketing today operates at two speeds. The ‘twin pace’ of growth demands that brands deliver short-term results through performance, while building long-term value through brand.
“What makes this more urgent in India today is its digital tipping point. As measurement becomes more immediate and visible, there is a growing risk that effectiveness is judged by short-term signals rather than long-term value. In this environment, the challenge is not choosing between brand and performance, but making both work together.”
Brand Building Under Pressure
The report underscores that while India has a strong legacy of building culturally resonant brands, increasing short-term pressures are reshaping marketing priorities. Data from Kantar BrandZ shows that India’s top 75 brands have grown 6% faster than the broader market over the past decade, reaffirming the long-term value of brand investment.
However, rising scrutiny from business stakeholders is accelerating short-termism. Research by The Womb India indicates that 60% of CFOs question marketing’s commercial impact, creating a growing imbalance between long-term brand building and immediate performance demands.
WARC’s findings suggest that a balanced 50:50 split between brand and performance delivers optimal growth outcomes globally—a principle that remains relevant in India despite its more competitive and price-sensitive environment.
Digital Growth Reshapes Measurement
India’s advertising ecosystem is increasingly driven by digital channels, powered by a mobile-first internet base and commerce-led platforms. As a result, performance-driven environments such as search, social media, and e-commerce are becoming central to marketing strategies.
This shift, however, has led to an over-reliance on easily measurable metrics, often at the expense of long-term indicators such as brand equity and mental availability. The report cautions that marketers risk optimising for short-term gains unless measurement frameworks evolve to incorporate both immediate and sustained impact.
Navigating Cultural Complexity
The report also highlights India’s cultural diversity as both an opportunity and a challenge. While consistent brand building remains a universal growth driver, success in India requires tailoring communication to local nuances across regions, languages, and consumer segments.
According to WARC, brands that establish strong cultural connections can achieve up to 25% higher growth than competitors. However, fragmentation across markets often leads to inconsistencies in messaging. The report notes that 35% of brands and 42% of APAC agencies cite the lack of a unified brand platform as a key barrier to effectiveness.
In this context, WARC emphasises the importance of strong, cohesive brand platforms that can anchor communication while allowing flexibility for local execution.
The report ultimately reinforces that in India’s high-growth, high-pressure environment, marketers must move beyond choosing between brand and performance—and instead integrate both to drive sustainable, long-term success.
