All through December 2024, Manifest is running its year-ender series in which advertising, marketing and media leaders will be sharing their thoughts on the biggest development of the year along with a manifestation for 2025.

We continue our series with Virat Khullar,  AVP and vertical head-marketing, Hyundai Motor India.

The biggest development in the advertising, media and marketing space according to you in 2024 was...

The Indian market is quite exciting with the ever-evolving customer preferences and aspirations. With the rapidly changing demands and consumption patterns, the Indian market also poses as a challenging advertising landscape for many brands to navigate. Digital-first consumption habits remain a key trend in India, keeping the audiences glued to their screens with long thumb scrolling hours. With advancements in artificial intelligence, many companies are now embracing AI for more targeted ads and personalised experiences, thereby revolutionising the way brands engage with consumers. The industry has also witnessed a rise in regional language content and advertising, which is proving to be highly effective in reaching a larger audience beyond metropolitan areas.

One thing you're manifesting for yourself and for the industry you operate in for 2025?

Consumption patterns are getting more and more complex. There are more and more walled gardens where the data is not so clearly available. I think what a marketer should have is a very strong team who are experts in each of these mediums so that the science and data can be brought to the table together for a targeted approach. The science of targeting has to be one of the biggest things a marketer needs to master, to reach the right audience/consumer.