Mumbai: YouTube, at its flagship event Brandcast 2025, spotlighted its position as India’s “New TV,” driven by the convergence of short- and long-form content across mobile and Connected TV. The platform today commands over 650 million monthly logged-in viewers on Shorts (June 2025) and a 75 million+ Connected TV audience ages 18+ (April 2025).
Highlighting this transformation, Gunjan Soni, Country Managing Director, YouTube India, said, “India is witnessing a fundamental shift in how people connect with content, and YouTube is at the heart of this change. YouTube is the new TV for a generation that demands a personalized and interactive experience. Indians aged 18 and older watch over 72 minutes of YouTube daily. YouTube is not just a wealth of content, but also a barometer for audience feedback and a platform that fosters genuine community. It is this direct and deep engagement that makes it the most powerful platform for brands to reach engaged audiences.”
Survey insights revealed that 87% of Indian viewers are more likely to use YouTube every day than traditional TV/VOD, positioning the platform as a holistic solution for brands navigating today’s fragmented media landscape.
Brands like Acko, Myntra, Sebamed, and Instamart are already harnessing YouTube’s dual-screen growth.
- Acko adopted a full-stack strategy across CTV, Shorts, and Demand Gen, achieving 40% YoY business growth with an 82% reduction in media costs.
- At Brandcast 2025, Ashish Mishra, CMO, Acko, said, “This year we are leading with a digital first media approach, doubling down on YouTube as the primary medium. By leveraging CTV and our first-party data, we’ve reached premium audiences with precision and scaled our business cost-effectively. We’re now building on this by exploring YouTube’s creator ecosystem and Google AI tools to tell the ACKO story in fresh ways and rethink how insurance is sold in India.”
- Myntra deployed a Shorts-first strategy during its Big Fashion Festival, reaching 19 million users at a 60% lower cost-per-reach.
- Sebamed partnered with creators and leveraged Partnership Ads, driving a 2x sales uplift and a 33% YoY increase in brand searches.
- Instamart leveraged AI with Veo 3 for its festive campaigns, achieving a 6% more efficient CPA for AI-generated assets.
To further empower brands, YouTube unveiled new ad solutions:
- Immersive Masthead on CTV, offering full-screen cinematic experiences.
- Urban-Rural Targeting, a new India-first feature for tailored campaigns.
- Creator Partnerships Hub, enabling seamless creator collaborations within Google Ads.
- Peak Points, powered by Gemini, to help brands place ads at high-engagement moments in popular content.
With Indians spending over an hour daily on YouTube, the platform continues to redefine video consumption and brand storytelling, making reputation, reach, and results converge on both small and big screens.
