Digital Agencies

Alcohol digital ad spend grows to 24% in 2020

Published

5 years ago

May 25, 2021

MUMBAI: Alcohol ad spend in 12 key markets, including India will grow by 5.3 per cent in 2021, ahead of the 4.9per cent growth of the ad market as a whole, as brands recover from a much steeper drop last year, according to a report by media agency Zenith published on Monday. Alcohol advertising will then grow roughly in line with the market, with 4-5 per cent annual growth in 2022 and 2023.

Pandemic forced the alcohol ad spend to move online

Alcohol brands have historically been slow to commit to digital advertising, devoting less than half as much of their budgets to it than the average brand in 2020. This is changing rapidly now. The closure of hospitality venues meant that brands needed a new route to market. Breweries, distilleries, bars, and restaurants diversified into direct-to-consumer shipping and takeaway drinks, facilitated by e-commerce, and advertised heavily on digital media, particularly social media. Alcohol brands increased their spending on digital media from 21per cent of budgets in 2019 to 24per cent in 2020. Seeking to create compelling brand experiences at home instead of at the bar, drinks companies invested in owned assets such as brand websites and educational content. Spirits brands were particularly prominent, using influencers and trade partners to teach consumers to mix their cocktails, for example.

“Spirit brands have surpassed beer brands in terms of sales value by offering more premium experiences and rituals around their product and serve,” said Zenith global chief strategy officer Ben Lukawski. “With the pandemic taking audiences away from the on-trade we have seen a greater emphasis on bringing these premium experiences in the home through owned digital content.”

Consumers are now much more aware of the available options for buying alcohol online, and alcohol brands now have distribution networks in place to supply them. Zenith expects brands to expand their digital advertising to support alcohol eCommerce even after pubs and restaurants are fully open, fueling 9.2per cent annual growth in digital ad spend between 2019 and 2023 when digital advertising will account for 30per cent of alcohol advertising budgets.

Adspend on Television & OOH less effective

Alcohol brands traditionally rely heavily on television and out-of-home advertising, spending twice as much on television as the average brand and nearly four times as much on out-of-home. Alcohol brands devoted 49 per cent of their budgets to television in 2020, compared to 24 per cent for the average brand, and 19per cent to out-of-home advertising, compared to 5per cent. This tactic has become less effective as audiences shift to digital media, though, particularly the young consumers most likely to visit a new bar and try out a new drink.

Zenith predicts alcohol brands will reduce their expenditure on television by 2.4per cent a year to 2023, compared to the 2019 baseline, as traditional broadcast audiences continue to shrink. Out-of-home advertising, by contrast, will grow by 1.1per cent a year, even taking into account the pandemic-induced reduction in foot and road traffic. Television’s declining reach makes out-of-home ubiquity even more valuable.

Alcohol advertising to recover from 2020 decline by 2023

Alcohol advertising shrank nearly twice as fast as the overall ad market in 2020, falling by 11.6per cent compared to 6.4per cent of the market as a whole, Brand finances were squeezed by reductions in consumption volume, the average price per drink, and profit margins. With bars, pubs, and restaurants closed, consumers drank less alcohol and bought the drinks they did consume from shops where they cost less, with a much lower mark-up. Brands cut back their marketing sharply to protect their bottom lines, and their combined ad spend fell from $7.6bn in 2019 to $6.7bn in 2020.

Brands are now bringing money back into the market as vaccine programmes have consumers socialising in person again, and the hospitality industry has begun to reopen. But the return to normality will be slow, and alcohol ad spend will still be 8per cent below the 2019 level by the end of 2021, at $7.0bn. Zenith does not expect alcohol advertising to exceed the pre-pandemic peak until 2023 when it will reach $7.7bn.

“The alcohol industry has suffered more from the pandemic than most, and that was reflected in the steep drop in ad-spend last year,” said Jonathan Barnard, Head of Forecasting, Zenith. “The recovery won’t be as dramatic as the downturn, but investment in digital communication will drive steady growth in alcohol advertising for the next few years.”

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GUEST COLUMN: Deepankar Das on the feedback problem slowing creative teams

Published

3 weeks ago

February 2, 2026

indiantelevision.com Team

BENGALURU: For years, creative teams have learned to live with ambiguity. Vague comments, last-minute changes, feedback that arrives without context, clarity, or conviction. It became part of the job – something teams worked around rather than getting it solved.

But as we head into 2026, that tolerance is wearing thin.

Creative work today moves faster, scales wider, and involves more stakeholders than before. Teams are producing more content across more formats, often with distributed collaborators and tighter timelines. In this environment, guesswork is no longer a harmless inconvenience. It’s a cost – to time, to budgets, and to creative mindspace.

The real problem isn’t feedback, it’s how it’s given

Most creative professionals you see today will tell you they’re not against feedback. In fact, they rely on it. Good feedback sharpens ideas, strengthens execution, and pushes work forward. The problem is ‘unclear’ feedback. When someone says “this doesn’t feel right” without context, they aren’t just revising – they’re basically decoding. They’re guessing what the problem might be, trying different directions, and burning time in the process. Multiply that by a few stakeholders and a few rounds, and suddenly days disappear.

In 2026, when teams are expected to deliver faster without compromising quality, interpretation is a luxury most can’t afford.

Scale has changed rverything

Creative projects used to be smaller and simpler. A designer, a manager, maybe one client contact. Feedback loops were short, even if they weren’t perfect.

Today, the same project might involve internal marketing teams, agencies, freelancers, brand reviewers, and regional teams. Everyone has a say. Everyone leaves comments. And often, those comments don’t agree. More people reviewing work means alignment matters more than ever. Clear feedback isn’t just about being nice to creative teams, it’s about keeping projects moving when complexity increases.

Guesswork quietly wears teams down

One of the less talked-about impacts of unclear feedback is what it does to people.

When feedback is vague or contradictory, creatives second-guess their decisions. They hesitate. They overwork. They keep extra time buffers “just in case.” Over time, confidence drops. Ownership fades. Work becomes safer, not stronger. Creative energy gets spent on managing uncertainty instead of pushing ideas forward. And in an industry already grappling with burnout, unclear feedback adds unnecessary mental load.

Actionable feedback is a shared skill

Clear feedback doesn’t mean controlling creative decisions or dictating every detail. It means being specific enough that someone knows what to do next.

Actionable feedback answers three basic questions:

What exactly needs attention?
Why does it matter?
What outcome are we aiming for?
This applies whether you’re reviewing a video frame, a design layout, or a copy draft. The clearer the feedback, the fewer follow-ups it creates. In 2026, teams that treat feedback as a skill and not an afterthought, will move faster with less friction.

Tools shape behaviour (whether we admit it or not)

The way feedback is delivered is often dictated by the tools teams use. Comments buried in long email threads, messages split across chat apps, or notes detached from the actual work all contribute to confusion.

When feedback lives outside the work, context often gets lost. When it’s disconnected from versions and timelines, decisions get questioned. When it’s scattered, accountability disappears. More teams are starting to realise that feedback problems aren’t just communication issues, they’re workflow issues. How work moves between people matters just as much as the work itself.

From Opinions To Alignment
One of the biggest shifts happening in creative teams is a move away from purely opinion-driven feedback. Instead of “I like this” or “I don’t,” teams are asking better questions:

● Does this meet the brief?

● Does this solve the problem?

● Does this align with the goal?

This change reduces unnecessary back-and-forth and helps feedback feel less personal and more productive. It also makes decisions easier to explain and defend. As creative work becomes more strategic, feedback has to support that shift.

2026 Is About Fewer Loops, Not Faster Loops

There’s a misconception that speed means moving through feedback cycles faster. In reality, the most creative teams aren’t just accelerating loops, they’re reducing them. Clear, actionable feedback upfront leads to fewer revisions later. Clear approval stages prevent last-minute surprises. Clear decisions stop work from circling endlessly.

In 2026, efficiency won’t come from working harder or longer. It will come from designing workflows that respect creative time and attention.

Ending guesswork is a mindset change

Ultimately, ending creative guesswork isn’t just about better tools or processes. It’s about mindset. It’s about recognising that clarity is an act of respect – for the work, for the people doing it, for the time invested and for the mindspace used. It’s about moving from “figure it out” to “here’s what we’re aiming for.”

Creative teams that embrace this shift will find themselves not only delivering faster, but also enjoying the process more. And in an industry built on imagination, that might be the most valuable outcome of all.

Digital Agencies

Kunal Wanvari steps up as senior brand and digital marketing manager at Franklin Templeton India

Published

1 month ago

January 19, 2026

indiantelevision.com Team

MUMBAI: Franklin Templeton India has elevated Kunal Wanvari to senior brand and digital marketing manager, signalling a continued push towards data-driven brand building and digital-first engagement in a crowded asset management market.

Wanvari has spent nearly eight years with Franklin Templeton India, steadily rising through the marketing ranks. Prior to this role, he served as marketing manager and assistant marketing manager, working across brand strategy, content, digital media and campaign execution from the firm’s Mumbai office.

Before joining Franklin Templeton, Wanvari built his digital credentials at WATConsult, where he handled brand strategy and account leadership roles, and earlier at Kush Infosystems, focusing on SEO and performance marketing. His career began in sales and marketing roles, giving him a ground-up understanding of commercial storytelling.

A computer engineer by training with deep digital marketing expertise, Wanvari’s elevation reflects Franklin Templeton’s bet on hybrid marketers—equal parts brand, data and digital—as competition for investor attention intensifies.

Digital Agencies

PSB Xchange appoints Ankush Aggarwal as CXO, Sahil Sikka as CBO and CFO

Published

2 months ago

January 2, 2026

indiantelevision.com Team

MUMBAI: PSB Xchange, India’s digital marketplace for financial solutions and a flagship platform of Veefin Solutions Limited, has reinforced its leadership team with two senior appointments as it prepares for its next phase of growth.

Ankush Aggarwal has been named chief experience officer, bringing with him more than 20 years of experience across corporate banking and the SME ecosystem. In his new role, he will focus on shaping simple, seamless and results-oriented experiences for banks, corporates and ecosystem partners. Aggarwal has previously held leadership roles at Kotak Mahindra Bank, IndusInd Bank and SG Finserve, where he led initiatives across customer onboarding, credit processes, servicing operations and digital transformation.

Widely recognised for connecting technology, operations and business strategy, Aggarwal has consistently built scalable and compliant experience models. At PSB Xchange, his focus will be on strengthening platform thinking, governance and continuous improvement to enhance efficiency and customer outcomes.

Alongside him, Sahil Sikka joins PSB Xchange as chief business officer and chief financial officer. With over 15 years of experience in banking and financial services, Sikka has played a key role in building and scaling businesses. He was part of the founding leadership team at SG Finserve, where he helped create a listed NBFC, overseeing business strategy, capital planning, product development and governance. His work earned him the best CFO financial services award at the India CFO Awards 2024.

Earlier in his career, Sikka worked with HDFC Bank, Aditya Birla Finance and Kotak Mahindra Bank, driving growth across corporate banking and structured finance. In his dual role at PSB Xchange, he will focus on strengthening growth strategy, scaling operations sustainably and delivering long-term value through strong governance and collaboration.

Commenting on the appointments, PSB Xchange and Veefin Solutions Limited CEO Sorabh Dhawan, said the additions reflect the platform’s ambitions as it expands its engagement with banks and financial institutions. He added that Aggarwal’s experience-led approach and Sikka’s strategic and financial expertise will be central to driving sustainable growth and value creation in the years ahead.