The Quick Call: Saugato Bhowmik on short-form video’s impact on India’s marketing landscape

In the latest episode of The Quick Call podcast, hosted by Hitesh Rajwani, CEO, Social Samosa, spoke with Saugato Bhowmik, Director, CPG Auto D2C at Meta and discussed how short-form video has reshaped India’s content ecosystem and what it means for brands.

Bhowmik explained that the explosive rise of short-form video in India is primarily being driven by Reels on Instagram and Facebook. He attributed this shift to a combination of factors, including affordable smartphones, low-cost internet, and a young, mobile-first population. “Reels has powered short-form video to become the primary content consumption choice in the country,” he said, noting that India is now home to the largest number of Reels creators globally.

The conversation also highlighted the role of AI in transforming Meta’s platforms into video-first ecosystems, with billions of daily Reel shares worldwide and a significant proportion coming from India. According to Bhowmik, this ecosystem has created a flywheel effect, cheap devices, abundant creators, easy tools, and AI-driven recommendations that sustain growth and deepen engagement.

For marketers, he emphasised two priorities: scale and creativity. Brands, he said, must adapt their storytelling for shorter attention spans, with hooks and product placement upfront. “The story arc has completely transformed… You don’t have 20-30 seconds like TV ads. On Reels, you have six to ten seconds at best,” he noted. He urged brands to move beyond traditional metrics such as cost-per-view and focus instead on outcomes like awareness, message recall, or conversions.

On working with creators, Bhowmik pointed out that while many brands still focus on a handful of large influencers, the real opportunity lies in collaborating across genres and tiers. He stressed the need for brands to treat creators as a core media vehicle rather than just distribution channels.

To get the detailed marketing insights, listen to the latest episode below.