TLDR: A new report by GIPSI’s GRWAi highlights the significant role of artificial intelligence, including generative AI, in shaping festive marketing strategies in India for 2025. The study reveals a massive surge in AI platform-related searches, indicating a fundamental shift in consumer behavior, with AI influencing everything from product discovery to purchase decisions during the festive season. Brands are urged to adapt to AI-powered marketing to capitalize on the projected ₹1.15 Lakh Crore festive e-commerce GMV.
Mumbai, India – As India gears up for its vibrant festive season in 2025, a groundbreaking report from GRWAi (Get Ready with AI), the HI+AI research and insights division of Tonic Worldwide’s GIPSI, unveils the profound influence of artificial intelligence on consumer behavior and marketing strategies. The study, titled ‘This Festive Season GRWAi’, reveals a transformative shift in how Indians prepare for and celebrate festivals, with AI emerging as a crucial companion for consumers.
The report highlights an astounding surge in AI platform-related searches, which have soared to over 654 million in the pre-festive period of 2025, marking a remarkable 2.6x increase from the previous year. This data underscores a fundamental change in consumer engagement, as individuals increasingly leverage AI tools for various aspects of their festive preparations, from curating looks to making informed purchase decisions. For instance, Myntra’s AI assistant, Maya, has demonstrated its effectiveness by making users three times more likely to purchase and helping them discover 16% more categories.
Key insights from the GRWAi Festive Report 2025 emphasize several critical AI undercurrents:
Moodboarding Becomes Mood Setting: Festive preparation has evolved beyond mere shopping, extending into comprehensive mood-setting across gifting, décor, food, and even selfie booths. Consumers are actively seeking inspiration and guidance, with platforms like Pinterest seeing over 6,000 searches for ‘Pooja Invitation Card Backgrounds’.
The GST Bachat Utsav Rush: The integration of tax savings from the GST Bachat Utsav with traditional discounting has created a new festive anchor, influencing consumer spending patterns.
AI Slips Into Search (GRWAi Assistant): Consumers are increasingly outsourcing parts of their festive planning, such as shopping lists and recipes, to smart AI search tools. ‘AI Overviews’ are rapidly becoming the new ‘front page’ of search, fundamentally altering how information is consumed. This shift implies a new metric for brands: ‘SEO is passé; SOM (Share of Model) is the KPI to watch this festive season.’
AI Turns Hoppers Into Shoppers (GRWAi Commerce): AI is proving instrumental in driving e-commerce conversions by effectively recovering abandoned carts, nudging hesitant buyers, and offering personalized recommendations.
The report’s findings are particularly pertinent given the projected festive e-commerce Gross Merchandise Value (GMV) of ₹1.15 Lakh Crore, coinciding with the peak festive season and the GST Bachat Utsav. This presents an unprecedented opportunity for consumer brands to refine their marketing strategies and capitalize on heightened consumer spending.
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Beyond the immediate festive season, broader AI marketing trends for 2025 indicate a move towards dynamic content creation, where content adapts in real-time to context and audience sentiment. AI is also emerging as a strategic partner in high-level planning and decision-making, predicting market trends and simulating campaign outcomes. The rise of AI-powered virtual influencers capable of real-time, meaningful interactions further highlights the evolving landscape. Marketers who prioritize personalized experiences while upholding consumer privacy will be best positioned for success in this AI-driven era.
