Gurugram: India’s automotive sector recorded a landmark festive season, with 52.3 lakh vehicles sold, including a 23% rise in passenger vehicles and a 57.5% surge in EVs. Amid this robust growth, digital advertising for automotive brands also saw a significant boost, according to the latest Automotive Ad Engagement Benchmark Study by VDO.AI.
The study, which analysed over 200 automotive campaigns across Connected TV (CTV) and Display, found that CTV continues to dominate as the medium of choice for high-intent automotive buyers, delivering a Video Completion Rate (VCR) of 93%, well above the industry benchmark of 85%. Automotive campaigns on Display achieved a 0.75% Click-Through Rate (CTR), nearly double the industry benchmark, underscoring Display’s role in driving high-frequency engagement and brand recall during India’s peak festive auto season.
VDO.AI’s analysis highlighted a clear trend: Remote-enabled CTV and In-Scroll Display dominated festive-season campaigns in 2025. Remote-enabled CTV emerged as the preferred format, with 60% of brands using it to deliver immersive, full-screen stories that actively engaged viewers. In-Scroll Display accounted for 40% of adoption, driving discovery and recall through dynamic, contextually triggered creatives across comparison and news platforms.
Regional insights revealed distinct patterns. Northern markets, including Delhi, Jaipur, Lucknow, and Chandigarh, recorded 78% higher ad engagement than Southern and Western cities such as Bengaluru, Chennai, Mumbai, and Pune. While the North responded strongly to CTV-led brand storytelling, the South and West saw sharper CTR spikes during festive offer peaks, highlighting the importance of region-specific creative strategies for automotive advertisers.
Arjit Sachdeva, Co-founder of VDO.AI, said, “Today’s car buyers are less influenced by flash; they seek information, trust, and relevance. Our study shows that immersive Remote-enabled CTV and Interactive In-Scroll Display formats deliver the highest engagement and video completion rates during the festive season. Auto brands need ad formats that align with these buyer expectations, and at VDO.AI, we help them do just that, blending storytelling with interactivity so campaigns not only capture attention but also inform, influence, and convert.”
As India’s automotive market becomes increasingly digital, campaigns that combine storytelling, interactivity, and contextual relevance are expected to define the next wave of high-performing advertising.
