The new Diwali formula: A subtle shift from emotion to wit in festive advertising

Every Diwali, Indian advertising strikes a familiar note, emotional homecomings, reunited families, the teary-eyed warmth that has long defined festive storytelling. But over the past few seasons, the mood has lightened. The violins have quieted, sentiment has been replaced with sarcasm, and the perfect family tableau has given way to more relatable chaos, the sibling banter, last-minute shopping stress, and nostalgic callbacks to childhood.

What’s driving this shift is both creative and cultural. Consumers themselves have changed. Diwali today is smaller, digital-first, and often experienced through the lens of social media. From gifting to greetings, everything is personalised and scrollable. The audience no longer wants to be told how to feel, they want to laugh, relate, and see a bit of themselves in the ad.

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Sahil Shah, Chief Executive Officer, Dentsu Creative Isobar, explains that the creative evolution is more layered than just a move from emotion to humour. “More than just a shift from emotional to humorous storytelling, marketers today are looking for culture-led advertising to break through the festive clutter. The formats have diversified too, its no longer just films, but creators, activations, outdoor, and print being used very differently.”

According to Shah, this tonal transition also reflects how younger audiences, Millennials, Gen Z, and even Gen Alpha, consume content. “They were born into the internet,” he says. “They consume everything, from what we call ‘brain rot’ to the most intellectual videos online. They have access to more cultures, subcultures and micro-trends than ever before, and they expect brands to speak their language. That’s why we’re seeing campaigns become more conversational, contextual and creator-driven.”

The change is evident in this season’s ads. Nothing’s Diwali film, voiced by comedian Samay Raina, ditched visuals entirely to let humour and tone carry the message. Swiggy Instamart’s “Diwali procrastinators” campaign made light of every household’s festive chaos. Zepto’s rapid delivery jokes and boAt’s influencer-driven banter proved that sometimes, humour can sell faster than a discount.

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Still, emotional storytelling hasn’t lost its power. Shah adds, “If done right, emotion still rings a bell. The difference is that brands are exploring other realms of Diwali advertising besides the done-to-death emotional part. The best work today balances warmth with wit, it feels human but fresh.”

For many in the industry, the trend represents a natural creative progression, an alignment with how audiences consume culture and comedy online. But not everyone is convinced.

Gautam Madhavan, Founder and CEO of Mad Influence, observes that this shift mirrors how people actually celebrate now. “For years, Diwali ads were built around the same themes, emotions, family reunions, and the classic tear-jerker moment. But the audience has evolved. People today want to smile, laugh, and see themselves in the story, not just feel moved by it. Instead of showing the perfect family moment, brands are showing real moments, the sibling fights, the last-minute shopping chaos, the nostalgia of old jingles or TV shows. It’s more playful, more self-aware. The emotion hasn’t gone away, it’s just wrapped in humour and relatability now.”

He adds that influencers have been central to this shift. “Influencers are leading this change. They understand how people talk, think, and share online. When brands collaborate with them, the tone automatically becomes more human and spontaneous. They aren’t just faces in a campaign anymore; they’re co-creators who shape the humour, the punchlines, and the cultural moments that make the campaign go viral.”

Deepshikha Bhardwaj, National Lead - Media Strategy at Schbang, believes the emotional core hasn’t disappeared, it has simply adapted. “The emotional lens hasn’t disappeared, it’s just evolved. Today’s festive communication leans on humour and nostalgia because they deliver emotion faster. With shorter attention spans and fragmented media consumption, brands are opting for lighter, high-recall formats that connect instantly while still evoking warmth.”

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That balance, between lightness and sincerity is what defines today’s best Diwali campaigns. They acknowledge that audiences are tired of being told what to feel, yet still crave connection.

Another industry expert cautions that the humour wave risks becoming self-indulgent. “I still prefer the old style. More real. More authentic. Much of the light-hearted humour is actually not brand-focused. It is mostly entertainment which may win peer applause but rarely sells more product.”

This concern rings true in an era where shareability often outweighs sales. In the rush to make audiences laugh, some brands risk becoming too clever for their own good, prioritising memeability over memorability. Yet, for the most part, humour seems to be paying off in engagement, reach and recall.

For Shah, the rise of creator-led storytelling reflects a broader shift in brand-building philosophy. “Gone are the days when creators were just used to amplify campaigns. Now they are part of the idea itself. It’s about co-creating stories that feel native to the internet, not repurposed for it,” he says.

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As humour becomes the new festive language, the real challenge is balance, staying relatable without losing credibility, entertaining without forgetting the brand, and being funny without being frivolous.

“The smartest people in the business use comedy well because it’s hard to do,” says Shah. “Who says you can’t be humorous and authentic at the same time? When humour is rooted in cultural truth, it doesn’t dilute credibility, it makes brands more human.”

And perhaps that’s the real shift, not from emotion to humour, but from performance to personality. Diwali ads are no longer trying to make you cry. They’re trying to make you care, even if it’s through a smile.