Digital video ad spends to top TV by '26: Amazon MX Player's Karan Bedi

India’s digital streaming landscape is at a pivotal juncture, with ad-supported video-on-demand (AVOD) rapidly rising as the preferred mode of content consumption. This shift in viewer behaviour is prompting advertisers to ramp up their expenditure in the format, which is projected to overtake television advertising spending as early as next year."Streaming is now mainstream. For years, we’ve discussed how digital might someday overtake television, and I think we can officially say that day has arrived," said Karan Bedi, director and head at MX Player. He was speaking at the MMA Global Impact 2025.Citing data trends, he added, “83% of internet users in India stream audio or video content, and video accounts for the overwhelming majority.” This trend is not solely a metro phenomenon; over 50% of the viewership originates from rural India.Streaming has also become a major draw for advertisers. “Compared to user-generated content or even television, streaming video drives stronger recall, brand recognition, and long-term ROI,” Bedi explained."By as early as next year, digital video ad spends will surpass those on television—a milestone that’s already occurred in many global markets."Karan Bedi, MX PlayerAmazon MX Player seeks to take the lead in the AVOD sector by offering premium entertainment at no cost to the viewer. “There are free platforms without premium content and premium platforms that charge. We think the real magic is in offering both—premium entertainment that’s free,” Bedi added.MX Player is distributed within Amazon’s ecosystem—on the MX app, Amazon Shopping app, Fire TV, and Prime Video—allowing it to reach both mass and premium urban audiences. The platform boasts more than 1.5 billion downloads and 250 million monthly active users.Karan Bedi, director and head at MX Player“Our content travels across every screen that Amazon touches. This means brands can engage with the base of the pyramid as well as the top 20 million households in India,” Bedi noted.Additionally, MX Player is preparing to introduce Fatafat, a new vertical dedicated to micro-dramas—one-minute episodic content that is increasingly popular worldwide. Each episode will be formatted vertically, making it perfect for mobile viewing. “It’s an exciting, emerging format that promises high engagement in short bursts. And yes, there’s a lot of opportunity for brands to integrate meaningfully,” said Bedi.Beyond content, MX Player is leaning into Amazon’s vast data ecosystem to help advertisers target better. “We leverage trillions of shopping signals to build detailed customer personas—like beauty enthusiasts, tech-savvy users, and premium phone owners—allowing brands to reach highly relevant audiences with confidence."Karan Bedi, MX PlayerBeyond targeting, Bedi showcased how Amazon is innovating with immersive ad formats. “If you’re an endemic brand that sells on Amazon, while a customer is watching content on MX or other surfaces, your product can actually come straight through the content,” he said.He described a new ad format that lets users browse a product’s detailed page directly while watching an ad, creating a seamless path from awareness to consideration. “Not only can viewers watch your ad, but they can browse through the product specifics right then and there,” he said.Also read- Why Amazon MX Player is confident that cricket can’t steal its thunderFor non-endemic brands, Amazon enables ads that spotlight a product’s unique selling proposition—like vitamin C in a skincare product—through creative formats that boost recall and interaction. “We surface the key ingredient, your differentiator, in a way that is deeply engaging to the customer,” Bedi explained.Speaking about MX Player’s unique positioning, Bedi said, “Our model is built on three pillars—differentiated reach, differentiated content, and differentiated ad solutions. As digital overtakes TV not just in consumption but in ad spends, platforms like ours will be central to how India watches and how brands connect.”

India’s digital streaming landscape is at a pivotal juncture, with ad-supported video-on-demand (AVOD) rapidly rising as the preferred mode of content consumption. This shift in viewer behaviour is prompting advertisers to ramp up their expenditure in the format, which is projected to overtake television advertising spending as early as next year. "Streaming is now mainstream.

For years, we’ve discussed how digital might someday overtake television, and I think we can officially say that day has arrived," said Karan Bedi, director and head at MX Player. He was speaking at the MMA Global Impact 2025. Citing data trends, he added, “83% of internet users in India stream audio or video content, and video accounts for the overwhelming majority.

” This trend is not solely a metro phenomenon; over 50% of the viewership originates from rural India. Streaming has also become a major draw for advertisers. “Compared to user-generated content or even television, streaming video drives stronger recall, brand recognition, and long-term ROI,” Bedi explained.

"By as early as next year, digital video ad spends will surpass those on television—a milestone that’s already occurred in many global markets." Karan Bedi, MX Player Amazon MX Player seeks to take the lead in the AVOD sector by offering premium entertainment at no cost to the viewer. “There are free platforms without premium content and premium platforms that charge.

We think the real magic is in offering both—premium entertainment that’s free,” Bedi added. MX Player is distributed within Amazon’s ecosystem—on the MX app, Amazon Shopping app, Fire TV, and Prime Video—allowing it to reach both mass and premium urban audiences. The platform boasts more than 1.

5 billion downloads and 250 million monthly active users. “Our content travels across every screen that Amazon touches. This means brands can engage with the base of the pyramid as well as the top 20 million households in India,” Bedi noted.

Additionally, MX Player is preparing to introduce Fatafat, a new vertical dedicated to micro-dramas—one-minute episodic content that is increasingly popular worldwide. Each episode will be formatted vertically, making it perfect for mobile viewing. “It’s an exciting, emerging format that promises high engagement in short bursts.

And yes, there’s a lot of opportunity for brands to integrate meaningfully,” said Bedi. Beyond content, MX Player is leaning into Amazon’s vast data ecosystem to help advertisers target better. “We leverage trillions of shopping signals to build detailed customer personas—like beauty enthusiasts, tech-savvy users, and premium phone owners—allowing brands to reach highly relevant audiences with confidence.

" Karan Bedi, MX Player Beyond targeting, Bedi showcased how Amazon is innovating with immersive ad formats. “If you’re an endemic brand that sells on Amazon, while a customer is watching content on MX or other surfaces, your product can actually come straight through the content,” he said. He described a new ad format that lets users browse a product’s detailed page directly while watching an ad, creating a seamless path from awareness to consideration.

“Not only can viewers watch your ad, but they can browse through the product specifics right then and there,” he said. Also read- Why Amazon MX Player is confident that cricket can’t steal its thunder For non-endemic brands, Amazon enables ads that spotlight a product’s unique selling proposition—like vitamin C in a skincare product—through creative formats that boost recall and interaction. “We surface the key ingredient, your differentiator, in a way that is deeply engaging to the customer,” Bedi explained.

Speaking about MX Player’s unique positioning, Bedi said, “Our model is built on three pillars—differentiated reach, differentiated content, and differentiated ad solutions. As digital overtakes TV not just in consumption but in ad spends, platforms like ours will be central to how India watches and how brands connect.”.