Jaya Deoras Deshmukh – Director & CEO, MICA, Navin Khemka – President – Client Solutions, WPP Media South Asia and Mr. Shashank Surana – Director, DS Group at the launch of DCODE 2.0
Dharampal Satyapal Group (DS Group), in collaboration with WPP Media and MICA (Mudra Institute of Communications, Ahmedabad), has launched DCODE 2.0 – The Guide to Digital Marketing, an expanded edition of its digital marketing playbook, with Artificial Intelligence integrated across the various functions of digital marketing.
Unlike a standalone section on AI, the second edition examines its application across areas including search, paid media, performance marketing, content and creative. The playbook has also been reorganised to make its modules more accessible to marketers, while its Paid, Owned and Earned (POE) framework has been refreshed for planning and execution.
The latest edition also brings MICA into the initiative, adding an academic dimension to the industry experience of DS Group and WPP Media. The playbook combines frameworks, processes, best practices and practical guidance across digital marketing disciplines including paid media, social media, influencer marketing, SEO, SEM, performance marketing, affiliate marketing, native advertising, email marketing and online reputation management.
Rajeev Jain, Sr Vice President, Corporate Marketing, DS Group, said the second edition addresses the pace of change in digital marketing and the growing role of AI in how marketers create, engage and measure. According to Jain, the collaboration with MICA brings an academic dimension, while WPP Media contributes industry expertise.
Prasanth Kumar, CEO, WPP Media, South Asia, said the marketing ecosystem is moving from fragmented digital channels towards a more connected and adaptive environment, with AI increasingly being integrated across the consumer journey, including discovery, media, content, commerce and measurement.
Jaya Deoras Deshmukh, Director & CEO, MICA, said DCODE 2.0 reflects the changing role of marketing from demand activation towards identifying and developing emerging consumer needs, while combining technology with human judgement.
The playbook is also positioned as an evolving resource. DS Group said future editions are intended to incorporate emerging technologies, new tools, changing industry practices and shifts in consumer behaviour. It will be available as an open-access resource for corporate and agency marketing teams, digital practitioners, media planners and buyers, students, academic institutions and senior marketing professionals.
The emphasis on practical execution is reflected in the playbook’s treatment of digital media planning. Its framework moves from objective setting and audience understanding through market and competitor analysis, platform selection and creative strategy to budgeting, tracking, execution, optimisation and reporting. It also outlines the use of tools such as GA4, pixels, UTM parameters and third-party trackers, alongside campaign-level optimisation and reporting.
The timing of the second edition comes as digital advertising continues to take a larger share of India’s advertising market. According to WPP Media’s TYNY 2025 report cited in the launch material, India’s total advertising revenue is projected to grow 9.7% in 2026 to Rs 2,01,891 crore, an incremental addition of Rs 17,844 crore over 2025. Digital, including digital extensions of all media, is projected to account for 68.1% of total advertising revenue.
Within digital, commerce-led advertising is projected to be the fastest-growing segment, at 24.2%, supported by the convergence of retail media, quick commerce and social commerce. Other digital channels are expected to grow 11.1%, while OOH and cinema are projected to grow 8.9%. Television is expected to grow 3.1%, while audio is projected to expand 1.5%. AI-powered search, voice and agentic discovery are projected to grow 8%.
The playbook’s own digital landscape section provides the earlier market context behind this shift. It records digital advertising at Rs 88,912 crore in 2024, representing 58% of total advertising expenditure, with digital spends growing 14% year-on-year. It projects digital advertising to reach Rs 99,137 crore in 2025, with search at Rs 20,549 crore and retail advertising at Rs 21,684 crore.
The playbook also identifies the expanding role of commerce within digital advertising, noting that retail media accounts for approximately 20% of digital ad spend, while search contributes about 22%. It further flags data privacy, data clean rooms, connected TV and the increasing convergence of media and commerce as areas shaping digital marketing planning.
DCODE 2.0 therefore moves beyond a channel-by-channel reference guide to cover the planning, execution and measurement processes required across an increasingly technology-led digital ecosystem. Its stated objective remains to provide marketers with a structured reference covering digital channels, consumer journeys, media planning, campaign optimisation and measurement.
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First Published onSeptember 17, 2026, 16:32:11 IST
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