Unleashing the power of regional languages in digital advertising

The 9th edition of the DIGIXX Summit and Awards 2025, held in Delhi on March 20, showcased the cutting edge of India’s digital marketing revolution. While AI, AR/VR, and social commerce dominate headlines, a crucial element for impactful brand communication was highlighted in a dynamic panel discussion on ‘The Power of Regional Languages in Digital Advertising’. This session explored how, in a nation of “one India, many Indias”, leveraging regional languages is no longer an afterthought, but a strategic imperative.

The session was chaired by Boby Paul, Senior General Manager - Marketing, ManoramaOnline, and panelists included:

Sajit Gopal, Media Head, Dominos

Minal Kasturia, National Head, Sakal Media Group

Veda Bashishtha, Digital Marketing Lead, McNROE (Wild Stone and Secret Temptation)

Vishal Pathania, Head Digital & D2C, Relaxo Footwear

Commencing the discussion, Boby Paul remarked, “There is no better time to discuss this aspect than now, as digital is now Rs 50,000-Rs 60,000 crore, almost half of the entire AdEx. The next millions and billions are going to come through regional and vernacular forms. Being from a regional media force, I have been in the mix for a long time. I also come from the agency side, where almost a decade back, when you spoke about regional, it was always an afterthought: ‘Copy and paste’ from Hindi and English.”

Sajit Gopal said, “I strongly believe regional languages play a key role, and it’s not just now, it has always been that way. Yes, there were certain sectors where it was simply copy-paste. But now, to a great extent, we have marketers who actually want to connect with their audience. The objective is to build an emotional connection, and a great way to do that is to be immersed in the dialects. We easily say India is ‘one India and many Indias’ at the same time. So, you need to know the languages and dialects to have that connection and have that impact with the consumer.”

Agreeing with Gopal, Veda Bashishtha said, “It has always been there. We have seen amazing ads in print and TV, especially the vernacular ones. The only query that remains is: has it happened over the digital medium? In the last decade, we have seen a drastic shift, especially in the last 3-5 years. It is growing exponentially. The reason being, brands now recognize the power of vernacular content and how it can deeply connect with audiences and build brand loyalty, as compared to other aspects.”

Vishal Pathania noted, “The shift is underway, and it has accelerated after COVID. The percentage is rapidly increasing towards the digital side. It is relevant to the consumer. As a brand, you have to understand the consumer journey, which starts from search engines. Consumers are going to various places, whether to physical stores or online shops. It’s for the brand to understand this. That’s why this shift was required and it is relevant to the consumer.”

Speaking about the role regional languages play in fostering consumer engagement, Minal Kasturia said, “Regional languages provide a lot of depth. According to a KPMG study, 70% of people want to consume content in their own language, and that's something very powerful. It helps brands connect. In India, German brands are a prime example. We see Mercedes and BMW advertising in English only. But in Maharashtra, when they advertise in Marathi, the CTR rate is double that of English. This is the power of regional media and regional languages.”

Watch the entire discussion here: