Torbit Leadership Talk - Alok Gupta, Director, Graphisads

In a conversation with Vinod Behl, Alok Gupta, Director, Graphisads, a leading Indian integrated advertising and communications agency, describes the real estate adverising scenario in 2025, dominant advertising trends, media mix allocations, advertising ROI and outlook for 2026.

Q. How has 2025 shaped real estate advertising in India across print, digital, TV and outdoor and what distinct ad trends were witnessed during the year?

In 2025, Indian real estate clearly moved towards a digital-first approach, while traditional media continued to hold strong relevance. Personalized advertising and AI-driven virtual tours became standard practice. At the same time, print maintained its dominance because of its high credibility, which remains critical for high-value property purchases. Outdoor advertising emerged as a major force, with the real estate category recording a notable 28% growth and contributing over ₹1,000 crore to overall OOH spends.

Campaigns also became faster and more social-focused. Short-format videos and influencer collaborations led the way. Sustainability messaging became consistent across platforms, while hyperlocal strategies used data to create stronger emotional connections with community-centric buyers. Billboards, with their 24/7 presence, continued to deliver sustained exposure, making lead generation more efficient.

Q. Which ad formats delivered the best ROI in 2025? How social media advertising, including the rising trend of influencers, has impacted traditional advertising and allocation of media mix by developers?

In 2025, short-form video and social media ads delivered strong ROI in India. Platforms like Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts, and Facebook targeted audiences precisely. As influencer marketing surged, developers shifted budgets toward digital channels. As a result, digital advertising captured 44% of India’s total ad spend.

Outdoor advertising played a crucial complementary role and OOH advertising revenue increased by approximately 15% from 2023 to 2025. Billboards and hoardings near construction sites and high-traffic areas added credibility and trust. These formats evolved by incorporating QR codes and tracking mechanisms, enabling brands to measure performance effectively.

Q. The year 2025 has seen the revival of brand ambassadors in the real estate business. Do you think the rise of luxury and super luxury real estate has a lot to do with it?

The revival of brand ambassadors in Indian real estate is significantly driven by the booming luxury segment. Celebrity endorsements effectively align with the aspirations of high-net-worth individuals as they match the public figure’s affluent image with premium properties. This strategy builds vital trust and credibility for developers and differentiates projects in competitive markets.

Ambassadors became pivotal for branded residences. enabling developers to command a 21-40% premium. High-visibility outdoor advertising featuring brand ambassadors created powerful brand recall and strategic use of national and regional stars resonated deeply with target buyers.

Q. In 2025, there’s a contrasting growth. While luxury housing had phenomenal growth, affordable housing got a beating. How did this demand skew impact advertising strategies and budgets?

In 2025, luxury housing’s surge contrasted sharply with affordable housing’s decline. This fundamentally reshaped advertising strategies. Luxury housing sales surged 85% in the first half of 2025 and affordable housing launches dropped by 31%.

Luxury developers dramatically increased ad budgets as they targeted HNIs through digital channels emphasizing aspiration and exclusivity. Outdoor advertising became equally critical. Billboards and hoardings near premium locations delivered massive visibility, print media retained dominance due to high credibility and large-format outdoor ads signaled stability.

Conversely, affordable housing developers slashed spending. They shifted to cost-effective channels like WhatsApp marketing and regional platforms.

Q. How has regulatory tightening been impacting real estate advertising?

Regulatory tightening has fundamentally transformed Indian real estate advertising. It enforces transparency and accountability through strict RERA and ASCI compliance. Advertisements now must prominently display verifiable details. This includes RERA registration numbers and accurate project information. Misleading claims like “5 minutes from the airport” without proof are now eliminated as developers face significant penalties, up to 10% of project cost for misrepresentation. This prompted a shift toward legally vetted content and there’s greater focus on building consumer trust through authenticity. Traditional outdoor hoardings and print gained significant value as outdoor’s high visibility and print’s permanent nature reinforced legitimacy and accountability.

Q. How do you foresee the real estate advertising scenario in 2026 and how will AI and data analytics redefine media efficiency in the new year?

In 2026, Indian real estate advertising will adopt AI-first strategies. AI will enable automated lead scoring that ranks prospects by sale probability. This will allow brokers to focus on high-potential clients. AI-powered CRM systems will automate follow-ups and predictive analytics will identify market segments like HNWIs versus first-time buyers.

Outdoor advertising will evolve significantly. Traditional billboards will integrate with digital tracking through QR codes and geofencing. Programmatic digital OOH is growing in India. This enables real-time targeting and automated media buying. Virtual property tours will become standard and ad budgets will automatically shift to best-performing platforms with the help of data-driven tools.

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