Average attention span on social is 6-8 seconds. 60-second brand films get skipped — not watched.

Average watch-completion on a 60-second brand film posted to Instagram in India is under 18%. The cinematic 60-second brand-film format is a hangover from TV advertising and doesn't map to social-first consumption. The same brand message in three 8-15 second clips outperforms the long-form film by 4-6x on attention. The shift isn't about quality compromise — short doesn't mean low-effort. It means structurally different storytelling: front-loaded hook, single message, fast cuts, native-platform sensibility. Indian brand marketing budgets are still allocated to long-form productions that the audience isn't watching. The reallocation conversation is overdue.