PMAR: Q-comm advertising to jump 50% in 2026

The Indian advertising industry’s growth story is increasingly being written by new digital ecosystems, and Quick Commerce is emerging as one of its sharpest accelerators. The latest Pitch Madison Advertising Report (PMAR) 2026, unveiled on February 24, underscores how the next phase of ADEX expansion is being fuelled less by legacy media and more by commerce-linked digital platforms.

The report reveals that overall ADEX under the expanded definition is forecast to grow to ₹1,74,605 crore in 2026, reflecting a 12–13% rise over the 2025 base of ₹1,55,105 crore. However, under the legacy core-definition lens, excluding Quick Commerce and MSME digital spends, growth moderates to around 9%, signalling that much of the incremental expansion is now being driven by newer digital segments rather than traditional media alone.

A major highlight of the report is the rapid rise of Quick Commerce advertising. The segment is expected to grow from ₹4,000 crore in 2025 to ₹6,000 crore in 2026, registering a robust 50% year-on-year increase. Notably, Q-Comm advertising has expanded from just ₹300 crore in 2023 to ₹4,000 crore in 2025. Its share of total ADEX is expected to increase from 2.58% in 2025 to 3.44% in 2026.

Digital ADEX overall is forecast to touch ₹1,11,976 crore in 2026. Together, Quick Commerce and MSME digital are projected to add over ₹9,000 crore in incremental spends within a year, with MSME digital rising 20% to ₹42,976 crore.

The projections indicate that Quick Commerce is transitioning from a retail fulfillment channel to a structured advertising ecosystem, particularly relevant for FMCG and high-frequency categories where intent, immediacy and conversion are closely linked. In an otherwise steady growth year, it remains one of the most dynamic segments within India’s evolving ADEX landscape.