New Delhi, May 20 (IANS) Fresher hiring intent in India’s marketing and advertising sector surged sharply to 62 per cent in the first half of 2026 from 11 per cent in the prior year, with demand increasingly shifting toward analytics-led, AI-enabled, and digital operations-focused roles, a report said on Wednesday.

The report from TeamLease EdTech said the sector’s hiring intent has climbed steadily over the last two years — 6 per cent in H1 2024, 9 per cent in H2 2024, 11 per cent in H1 2025, and 67 per cent in H2 2025.

The report indicated growing demand for digitally skilled talent as brands continue to scale investments in digital advertising, social commerce, creator-led marketing ecosystems, and performance-driven campaign strategies.

The report highlighted that traditional brand-led and creative execution-focused hiring is increasingly giving way to data-oriented and technology-enabled functions.

Emerging high-demand fresher roles include Digital Campaign Analyst, AI Marketing Associate, Ads Operations Executive, and Market Research Assistant.

“Entry-level hiring today is being shaped by campaign analytics, marketing automation, ad operations, and AI-assisted execution. Employers are looking for candidates who can work across platforms, interpret performance data, and contribute to revenue-focused digital strategies from day one,” said Founder & CEO TeamLease EdTech Shantanu Rooj.

He also noted increasing the relevance of work-linked and industry-aligned learning models that help freshers build practical, job-ready skills for evolving digital marketing roles.

The report also projected India’s digital advertising market reaching Rs 1.12 lakh crore by 2025, further accelerating demand for digitally skilled marketing talent.

Pune recorded the highest hiring demand for Ads Operations Executives at 51 per cent, reflecting the growing importance of campaign operations and ad-tech ecosystems within marketing organisations.

Hyderabad led hiring demand for Digital Campaign Analysts at 47 per cent, indicating increasing employer focus on campaign measurement, analytics, and performance optimisation.

Bengaluru and Mumbai remained key hubs for digital marketing and performance-driven hiring, supported by strong demand across advertising, technology, and consumer-focused sectors.

—IANS

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