Content demand in India surges, forcing marketers to rethink workflows

India’s marketing ecosystem is grappling with an unprecedented surge in content demand, as fresh research from Adobe highlights both the scale of the challenge and the shifts it is forcing across brands and agencies. The study shows that 84% of Indian marketers expect content needs to grow more than fivefold by 2027.

Nearly all marketers surveyed (96%) report content demand has at least doubled in the past two years, with 62% saying it has risen fivefold or more.  This rapid acceleration, shaped by consumer expectations and platform-driven consumption, is compelling marketers to overhaul how content is created, distributed and personalised at scale. 

Personalisation sits at the centre of this transformation. According to the report, 61% of Indian marketers cite consumer expectations for customised experiences as the leading driver of content demand.

Hybrid journeys—where physical stores and digital channels are closely linked—are also intensifying the pressure. Half the respondents pointed to the growing importance of video and audio formats, while 48% said connected online and offline experiences are straining teams to produce more content, more often. 

That pressure is being felt on the ground. Around 69% of marketers say audiences now expect fresh content weekly or even several times per week. Meeting that frequency, across formats and channels, requires speed, coordination and efficiency—qualities not always easy to maintain in complex organisations. 

Short-form and social dominate growth 

The rise of the creator economy has only sharpened this demand. Social content and short-form video have emerged as the fastest-growing formats, cited by 78% and 63% of marketers respectively. These platforms promise reach and engagement but pose their own challenges. 

Scaling personalised content for social commerce remains a stumbling block for 61% of marketers. Another 57% say identifying the types of content that resonate best across platforms is difficult, adding to the inefficiency. In a fragmented media environment, simply producing more assets is no guarantee of relevance or impact. 

Anindita Veluri, director of marketing at Adobe India, said, “The demand for content in India is growing faster than ever. This research underscores a pivotal shift in how content is created and consumed. Marketers are no longer just storytellers—they’re orchestrators of dynamic, personalised experiences across a growing number of channels.”

She said that Adobe sees this as a turning point where creativity, marketing and AI come together. “As content demand surges, the key to staying ahead lies in reimagining workflows and embracing technologies like generative AI. It’s not just about scaling content—it’s about scaling impact,” Veluri added.

Rising expectations fuel content pressure 

Even as teams recognise what is required, delivering at scale is slowed by process inefficiencies. Over half of the respondents (52%) said producing, reviewing, approving and activating a single piece of content can involve between 51 and 200 people. For nearly a quarter, the number exceeds 200. 

That complexity translates into sheer volume. Most marketers (89%) said their organisation produces at least 1,000 assets a year. About 31% generate between 1,000 and 10,000, while a quarter report output between 10,000 and 100,000 annually. 

Yet more content does not always mean smoother operations. Forty-one per cent of respondents cited challenges stemming from teams working in silos, while 40% pointed to limited time for ideation and creation. A further 38% highlighted the absence of a centralised platform, with too many point solutions fragmenting collaboration and slowing execution. 

Generative AI becomes a core tool 

To overcome these bottlenecks, Indian marketers are rapidly adopting generative AI as part of their workflow. The survey found that 96% are already using AI tools at multiple stages of the content lifecycle, and 95% plan to expand usage in the coming year. 

The applications are varied. More than half (50%) use AI assistants to summarise information or streamline collaboration. Others rely on AI for content optimisation (39%) and localisation (39%), particularly useful in a market where linguistic diversity and regional preferences make scalability difficult through traditional methods alone. 

The integration of AI, however, is not just about speed. It reflects a deeper recalibration of how marketing functions are structured—where automation takes on repetitive tasks and human talent focuses on strategy, creativity and measurement. 

Balancing scale with relevance 

The underlying challenge for marketers is not just producing more, but ensuring relevance. As demand grows, so does the risk of content fatigue. The research indicates that Indian teams are fine-tuning strategies to strike this balance: producing enough content to personalise campaigns, while maintaining quality and ensuring each asset resonates with its intended audience. 

In practice, this means adjusting workflows, breaking silos and embedding AI where it enhances efficiency. It also means reassessing metrics—shifting the emphasis from sheer volume of output to performance and impact. 

The Adobe study signals that Indian marketers are entering a phase of high-stakes experimentation. Rising content expectations, platform volatility, and technological disruption are reshaping the fundamentals of campaign planning.

While the acceleration of demand is undeniable, how marketers respond—through workflow redesign, AI adoption and sharper targeting—will determine whether the industry scales impact or simply scale for scale’s sake. 

What is clear is that the old playbook no longer works. In a market where 96% of marketers already see content demand doubling, the urgency to rethink operations is not optional. It is the new baseline for staying competitive.