The Festive Rush: Where Brand Money Is Going This Season
Brands will spend more on creators this festive season than ever. Most of that money is not going to the big names.
Every festive season, brands compete for attention, and more of them now do it through creators. This year's numbers show who gets the work.
1. The festive number
Festive influencer marketing spend in India is projected to rise 29% in 2026 to ₹900 crore, up from about ₹700 crore last year. That is a projection, not a final figure.
2. Small creators do most of the work
Nano and micro influencers made up 75% of festive creator participation last season, while mega influencers and celebrities were only 5%. The crowd is where the work is.
3. Why brands choose small
One platform report says regional micro-creators get two to three times the engagement of metro macro-influencers, at a fraction of the fee. Brand searches for creators outside the top eight metros more than doubled year on year. You don't need to live in Mumbai to be found.
4. The catch
BCG finds that only 8 to 10% of India's creators monetise effectively, and many nano and micro creators earn less than ₹18,000 a month. Rates exist, but a nano creator's reel can start around ₹3,000, so the work only pays if it is steady.
5. Brands now expect a business
Kofluence reports that 15% of India's active creators are now registered business entities. 13.3% of brands link their influencer spend directly to revenue targets, and another 46.4% hold campaigns to performance standards. A brand that counts its results will ask to see yours.
6. What artists can do now
Keep one clean link that holds your best work, your reach and your contact.
Know your rate before the brand asks.
Save the numbers from every collaboration: views, saves, enquiries.
The festive money is moving, and small creators are first in line. Be easy to find and easy to hire. starsncelebs.in/YourName
Compiled from Indian Television, Deccan Chronicle (Reelax H1 2026 report), Storyboard18 (BCG), Kofluence Decoding Influence 2026 coverage and Upgrowth, as of Nov 2, 2026. Figures are industry estimates.The images in this story are AI-generated illustrations.