Indian marketing is clearly entering a more mature phase as the 2026 business cycle takes shape. The conversation has shifted. Marketers are no longer spending time figuring out how tools like Gemini or Veo function at a basic level. Instead, they are applying them directly to business problems that feel very real, and often very complex. Companies including Lenovo, Myntra, and Swiggy are now using AI systems to understand how people search, generate ad creatives in minutes, and reach customers in moments that genuinely matter.
What stands out is the intent behind this shift. The focus is no longer awareness alone. Brands are trying, perhaps more deliberately than before, to connect discovery directly to sales using automation and constant optimization. In many ways, AI has moved from being an experiment on the side to becoming the operating layer of marketing itself.
Key Takeaways
- Brands are using AI to interpret conversational search queries, including Hinglish and regional language patterns
- Video ad production timelines have dropped from hours to just minutes
- Real-time content matching on platforms like YouTube is pushing higher conversion rates
- Automation is absorbing technical campaign work, allowing marketers to focus more on strategy
Decoding search intent in India
The way people in India search online has changed quite noticeably. Searches now resemble conversations more than keyword strings. A simple list of keywords, on its own, is often no longer enough to capture what a shopper actually wants. Brands such as Policybazaar and Lenovo have adopted AI Max for Search, which looks beyond words and focuses on meaning.
For Policybazaar, this shift translated into tangible results. The company reported a 28 percent increase in bookings while reducing costs by 23 percent. Lenovo, working in a very different category, recorded a 73 percent jump in purchases by aligning ads more closely with user intent. These are not small gains, and they hint at how much inefficiency existed in older keyword-based approaches.
Language continues to be a major growth lever, especially outside metro cities. Myntra used Google AI to transliterate English keywords into more colloquial patterns that better match how people actually search. Tira Beauty took a similarly practical route, using Gemini to update around 600,000 product titles so they reflected everyday speech. The result was a 50 percent rise in organic clicks, which suggests that subtle language shifts can make a meaningful difference.
Precision in the moment
Reaching a customer today often depends on timing and context rather than scale alone. MakeMyTrip uses AI to classify YouTube videos in real time into categories such as domestic or international travel. By placing hotel ads alongside relevant content, the brand saw conversions rise by 300 percent. It is a strong reminder that relevance in the moment can outperform broad targeting.
Education platforms are applying similar logic. Emeritus uses Demand Gen tools to identify high-intent learners across Google’s visual platforms. By targeting users when they are already thinking about upskilling, the company achieved 15 percent higher payment rates for its executive courses. The approach feels less intrusive and, arguably, more respectful of user intent.
Speed as a growth tool
In a market as fast-moving as India, speed has become a competitive advantage in its own right. Myntra FWD uses predictive tools to identify Gen Z fashion trends early, cutting product launch timelines from months to just weeks. This kind of responsiveness would have been difficult, if not impossible, a few years ago.
For Swiggy Instamart, speed shows up in creative execution. The brand uses the Veo 3 video model to generate festive ads that align with current cultural moments almost instantly. The ability to react quickly seems especially valuable during peak seasons when relevance can fade within days.
Cost reduction has followed closely behind speed gains. Zee5 used AI to edit trailers in under an hour, compared to the 16 hours the task previously required. Editing costs dropped by 95 percent. Zepto and AJIO are producing hundreds of personalized video ads per hour. Zepto, in particular, converted static images into video formats and improved its cost per install by 11 percent. These efficiencies tend to compound over time.
The 2026 roadmap
Looking ahead, it seems likely that AI will become the default layer for marketing teams throughout 2026. Agentic AI is already beginning to handle daily tasks such as campaign planning, optimization, and error resolution. Tools like Ads Advisor and Analytics Advisor increasingly behave like working partners rather than dashboards.
There is also a noticeable shift toward what many describe as culture-first content. Brands are focusing on creating material that feels genuinely helpful and authoritative, answering real questions from Indian consumers. Feeding this content into AI-driven search systems helps ensure that brand interactions feel natural rather than forced.
As automation absorbs routine execution, Indian marketers are gaining more space to think about human insights, creative direction, and long-term growth. That balance, between machine efficiency and human judgment, may end up defining successful marketing in 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1: How does AI help Indian brands reach rural customers?
A1: AI systems understand local dialects and Hinglish search patterns. Brands use transliteration and translation tools so their content aligns with how people in non-metro areas naturally speak and type.
Q2: Can AI reduce the cost of making video ads?
A2: Yes. Brands like Zee5 and Zepto have reduced editing times from several hours to under 60 minutes. This lowers production costs and makes large-scale personalization more practical.
Q3: What is Agentic AI in marketing?
A3: Agentic AI refers to systems that can act independently to achieve a defined goal. In 2026, these tools manage background tasks such as budget optimization and technical troubleshooting based on marketer objectives.
Q4: How does real-time context improve sales?
A4: By analyzing what a user is viewing at that exact moment, AI can place ads that feel relevant to the situation. Showing a hotel deal during a travel video, for example, increases the likelihood of a booking.
