Mumbai, September 15, 2025 – YouTube has introduced a suite of innovative advertising tools tailored for India, announced at its annual Brandcast event. These features aim to help brands connect with diverse audiences across urban and rural regions, capitalizing on the platform’s massive reach and the upcoming festive season.
A groundbreaking feature is the India-first urban-rural ad targeting, allowing advertisers to customize campaigns for urban and rural viewers separately. This enables brands to craft messages based on regional behaviors, cultural preferences, and purchasing power. For instance, a major FMCG brand has already tested this tool to reach rural audiences with precision, tailoring campaigns to specific geographic needs.
YouTube also launched Immersive Masthead ads for Connected TV (CTV), transforming the YouTube homepage into a full-screen, cinematic experience on smart TVs. With over 75 million Indians aged 18 and above watching YouTube on CTV as of April 2025, and more than half of the watch time spent on content longer than 21 minutes, this format offers brands a prime opportunity to capture attention in living rooms.
Additionally, YouTube introduced the Creator Partnerships Hub within Google Ads, simplifying brand collaborations with content creators. Another upcoming feature, Peak Points, powered by Google’s Gemini AI, will analyze videos to identify high-engagement moments for optimal ad placement, set to roll out in India in 2026. This AI-driven tool aims to maximize ad impact but has sparked some concerns about potential viewer disruption during emotionally charged content.
YouTube’s data highlights its dominance in India, with over 650 million monthly logged-in Shorts viewers as of June 2025 and an average of 72 minutes daily watch time per adult user. The platform’s CTV viewership for Shorts has doubled year-on-year, reinforcing its position as a leader in both mobile and big-screen viewing.
These innovations come as digital advertising in India is projected to surge by 25% during the 2025 festive season, with CTV and influencer spends expected to account for up to 35% of budgets. Brands like Acko have already seen success, with a 40% year-on-year business growth and an 82% reduction in media costs by leveraging YouTube’s CTV, Shorts, and Demand Gen solutions.
YouTube’s latest tools position it as a dynamic platform for brands to engage India’s diverse audiences, blending AI-driven precision with immersive formats to drive impactful campaigns.
