News Summary

• The GST (Goods and Services Tax) Council has sparked optimism across the advertising and media ecosystem.
• While core ad rates remain unchanged, the bigger gains come from tax cuts on consumer-facing sectors like FMCG, durables, automobiles, and lifestyle products.
• Brands are signalling plans to ramp up festive campaigns.
• Influencer collaborations are also ramping up as marketers seek to amplify engagement while sentiment remains upbeat.
• However, structural challenges such as global uncertainty, margin pressures, and media fragmentation still persist.