Launch Overview

DS Group, a leading FMCG conglomerate, announced the launch of DCODE 2.0 – The Guide to Digital Marketing in collaboration with WPP Media and MICA (Mudra Institute of Communications, Ahmedabad). The second edition expands on the original playbook by embedding Artificial Intelligence (AI) throughout the entire digital‑marketing spectrum rather than treating it as a standalone topic. AI applications are covered across Search, Paid Media, Performance Marketing, Content & Creative, and other key disciplines.

Collaboration and Content Enhancements

The partnership with MICA introduces academic rigor and contemporary learning perspectives, while WPP Media contributes deep industry expertise. The playbook’s modules have been reorganised for greater accessibility, and the Paid, Owned and Earned (POE) framework has been refreshed to offer a more intuitive, practitioner‑friendly planning approach. DCODE 2.0 will be updated periodically to incorporate emerging technologies, new tools, evolving industry practices, and shifting consumer behaviour. It is released as an open‑access resource, intended for corporate and agency marketing teams, digital practitioners, media planners and buyers, students, academic institutions, and senior marketing professionals.

Executive Statements

  • Rajeev Jain, Sr Vice President, Corporate Marketing, DS Group, said that digital marketing is evolving at an extraordinary pace and AI is fundamentally changing how marketers think, create, engage and measure. He highlighted the combined academic and industry partnership as making DCODE 2.0 a future‑ready resource.
  • Prasanth Kumar, CEO, WPP Media South Asia, emphasized the shift from fragmented digital channels to an intelligent, adaptive ecosystem, noting that AI’s real impact will be seen when marketers integrate it across the entire consumer journey.
  • Jaya Deoras Deshmukh, Director & CEO, MICA, described the “Age of Imagination” in marketing, stating that DCODE 2.0 pairs smart technology with human intuition to enable marketers to imagine and create new demand.

Market Context and Projections

According to the TYNY 2025 report by WPP Media, India’s total advertising revenue is projected to reach Rs 2,01,891 crore in 2026, representing a 9.7% increase over 2025. Digital advertising, including extensions of all media, will account for 68.1% of total ad spend. Within digital, commerce‑led advertising is the fastest‑growing segment, expected to grow 24.2%, driven by retail media, quick commerce and social commerce. Other digital channels are forecast to expand 11.1%, while OOH and cinema are expected to grow 8.9%, television 3.1%, and audio 1.5%. AI‑powered search, voice and agentic discovery are projected to grow 8%, highlighting AI’s deepening integration into the advertising ecosystem.

DS Group Background and ESG Highlights

Founded in 1929, DS Group operates across Food & Beverage, Confectionery, Mouth Freshener, Hospitality, Agri, Luxury Retail, and other businesses. Notable brands include Catch, Pulse, Pass Pass, Silver Pearls, Ksheer, Rajnigandha, Ovino, L’Opera, Le Marche, Birthright, LuvIt, Chingles, Golmol, and Namah. The DS Headquarters has earned LEED Platinum certification for existing building O&M and LEED Zero Carbon certification from the US Green Building Council. The group has also launched a Double Materiality Assessment aligned with global ESG priorities and reports a water positivity index of 1.8 across 30 Indian locations.