Mumbai: To mark the fifth anniversary of the Kantar Creative Effectiveness Awards in India, Kantar— a leading marketing data and analytics company—has unveiled a fresh insight framework rooted in five years of standout Indian advertising: Culture is the Context. Creativity is the Catalyst. Impact is the Outcome.
A deep dive into India’s most resonant campaigns across languages, regions, and categories revealed a consistent pattern. While formats, trends, and technologies continue to evolve, the heart of great storytelling remains universal: it is emotional, culturally grounded, and enduring.
Key Insights from Kantar’s 2024 Analysis:
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Culture is the Comfort Food
Like dal, the best Indian advertising is warm, familiar, and deeply rooted in memory and meaning. The tadka—that creative spark—is what brings it to life. -
Moments Matter
The most effective ads go beyond broad cultural strokes, tapping into micro-moments: a festival ritual, a colloquial phrase, or the quiet poignancy of a rainy train platform.-
Campaigns that stood out: Pond’s emotional twist on a Bollywood classic, Godrej Fab’s bold political satire, and Nihar’s challenge to gendered grooming stereotypes.
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Brands like Amazon, Meesho, and Red Label captured evolving family dynamics, local quirks, and category-specific moments to deliver truly resonant narratives.
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Execution is Everything
Indian storytelling thrives on music, idioms, humour, and casting. These tools elevate emotional connection and memorability—crucial to campaign success. -
Speak to a Multilingual India
A regional cultural lens—not just language—is key to unlocking growth. Brands that ground their storytelling in regionally relevant moments outperform those relying on generic messaging. -
Influencers as Impact Multipliers
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Influencer content holds attention 2.2x longer than traditional branded content.
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It delivers higher brand salience, with an average impact percentile score of 58, making it a potent tool in the modern attention economy.
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The Big Idea
Great storytelling doesn’t invent culture—it tunes into it. Then it serves it back with thought and flavour.
Kantar tested over 12,000 creatives globally in 2024, including 1,350 from India. The 2024 winners represent the most creative and effective ads, as judged not by industry peers—but by the consumer jury. These awards, unique in their methodology, reflect the voices that truly shape a brand’s journey: the consumers themselves.
The India report highlights over 200 standout ads across diverse categories, regions, audiences, and platforms—each demonstrating how culturally rooted storytelling and sharp execution can drive real business results.
Soumya Mohanty, Managing Director and Chief Client Officer – South Asia, Insights Division, Kantar, said, “As we celebrate five years of the Creative Effectiveness Awards in India, it’s clear that creative evaluation has evolved from a checkpoint to a growth driver. With content crafted for varied platforms and audiences, Kantar LINK helps brands test and optimise creative—from TVCs and digital films to influencer collaborations.
While influencer content delivers short-term impact, its full potential is unlocked when executed with precision. Powered by the world’s largest creative intelligence database, LINK enables marketers to move from guesswork to great work. The winning campaigns from Danone, Hindustan Unilever, Haleon, and Godrej are proof of how emotionally resonant, culturally anchored storytelling drives business impact.”
Prasanna Kumar, Head of Creative Domain – Insights Division, Kantar, added, “Our five-year pattern analysis shows what truly resonates—stories rooted in culture, sparked by creativity, and rich in emotional truth. But turning resonance into results needs more than instinct. That’s where Kantar LINK comes in—bringing the voice of the consumer into the creative process. It’s about understanding the finer executional details that amplify impact, not just validating ideas but enhancing them.”
