Goafest 2026: Spotify And Amazon Ads Spotlight The Future Of Audio And Full-Funnel Marketing

At Goafest 2026, Spotify Advertising made a strong case for the growing relevance of audio-led storytelling in an increasingly fragmented digital ecosystem, arguing that brands need to rethink how they engage consumers in a screen-saturated world.

Speaking during the keynote session titled “Make Some Noise: Why Your Next Big Idea Should Be SOUND-ON,” Haran Ramachandran, Head of Creative Lab JAPAC at  Spotify, highlighted how sound-driven experiences can create deeper emotional engagement compared to traditional interruption-led advertising.  

Ramachandran said audio naturally integrates into everyday life, from commuting and workouts to cooking and multitasking, making it a less intrusive yet more immersive medium for brands. He added that unlike visual storytelling, audio allows listeners to “co-create” meaning through imagination, helping brands build stronger emotional memory and sonic identity.  

Spotify also underscored the scale of its India opportunity, noting that more than 120 million listeners engage in “sound-on” environments on the platform. According to the company, this creates a focused listening experience at a time when audiences are increasingly overwhelmed by endless scrolling and fragmented attention spans.  

A key theme emerging from the session was that brands may need to shift away from relying solely on visually driven communication and instead build campaigns rooted in emotion, imagination and sound.

The broader conversation around media integration continued with a keynote by  Amazon Ads titled “From Fragmentation to Integration: The Power of Full-Funnel Advertising.”

Gulshan Verma, Director, Amazon Ads, said traditional linear marketing funnels are becoming obsolete as consumer journeys grow increasingly non-linear across streaming, gaming, shopping and browsing platforms. He noted that every format, including audio, video, influencer content and commerce, now has the potential to drive full-funnel outcomes.  

Amazon also emphasised the growing importance of integrating consumer signals across ecosystems such as Prime Video, Fire TV, Alexa and shopping platforms to build more outcome-driven advertising strategies.  

The discussions formed part of the ongoing conversations at Goafest 2026, where industry leaders across advertising, media and technology are exploring how changing consumer behaviour, AI and emerging storytelling formats are reshaping the future of marketing.