Category: Over The Top Services

Mumbai: The drama, the class, the glamour! everything is back but it’s even bigger, better, and bolder. Disney+ Hotstar announces the long-awaited trailer of the most-watched series of 2023, Hotstar Specials’ The Night Manager: Part 2. The alliance has been formed between Shelly and Shaan leaving everyone surprised including the closest friends of Shelly but will this alliance be long enough or will Shaan deceit him? Get ready to find all the answers on 30 June 2023 exclusively on Disney+ Hotstar.

A Hindi-language adaptation of John le Carré’s novel “The Night Manager” produced by The Ink Factory and Banijay Asia, the series is created and directed by Sandeep Modi and second director Priyanka Ghose. The series is wrapped in lavish drama, picturesque sights and features eclectic talent including Anil Kapoor, Aditya Roy Kapur, Sobhita Dhulipala, Tillotama Shome, Saswata Chatterjee, and Ravi Behl. 

Creator and director, Sandeep Modi said, “With The Night Manager Part 2,  the stakes skyrocket, twists abound, and the story reaches new heights of intensity. With the fate of Shelly and Shaan hanging in the balance, expect gripping emotional journeys and answers to lingering questions. Collaborating with such fine actors like Anil Kapoor, Aditya Roy Kapur, Sobhita Dhulipala, Tillotama Shome, Saswata Chatterjee and Ravi Behl has been an absolute pleasure. Their dedication and talent has breathed life into the complex and multi-dimensional characters that make The Night Manager so compelling. Moreover, collaborating with Disney+ Hotstar has been an incredible experience.”

Actor Anil Kapoor said, “Playing Shelly Rungta in The Night Manager has been an absolute delight. It’s fascinating to see how Shelly has become one of the classiest and most beloved villains. In this second part, get ready for new secrets to unravel and take you by surprise. While  Shelly and Shaan may be uniting, one can never truly know what’s on Shelly’s mind. Sandeep Modi, the mastermind behind this character, has truly created a villain with a cunning and crafty mind. Working with him has been a truly enjoyable experience. I can’t wait for audiences to witness the captivating journey that lies ahead.”

Actor Aditya Roy Kapur said, “The response to the first part of the series was nothing short of overwhelming. And there seems to be a huge amount of intrigue for season 2! My character Shaan begins a new chapter and the journey only gets more thrilling. The audience can be rest assured there are loads of unexpected twists and surprises in this second part. This creative collaboration with Disney+ Hotstar and Sandeep Modi has been an enriching experience. I hope the audience gives as much love to the second part as they did the first!”

Mumbai: Following the colossal success of its previous two seasons, Sony LIV is thrilled to announce the highly anticipated launch of the third season of Shark Tank India. The registrations are all set to open from 3 June exclusively on Sony LIV. Entrepreneurs, innovators, and business enthusiasts from all corners of India are invited to participate and turn their dreams into reality!

Shark Tank India season 2 ignited a wave of entrepreneurial growth by investing a staggering 80 crores across 103 businesses. From breakthrough technological solutions to cutting-edge healthcare innovations, the show witnessed some exceptional pitches and celebrated the spirit of entrepreneurship, propelling startups to new heights.

STAGE, an innovative OTT platform catering to regional dialects, impressed the Sharks with its vision to bridge the language division, cracking a 1.5 crore deal for 0.6% equity along with a 1.5 crore debt. Padcare, a trusted menstrual waste management service, showcased its dedication to women’s health and hygiene while Snitch, a men’s fast fashion brand, won an impressive 5 Shark deal for its trendy and affordable clothing line. Pune-based startup Daily Dump caught everybody’s attention for their noble cause to make home composting a habit in India in response to the country’s growing concern over waste management. Patil Kaki Impressed the Sharks with its scrumptious homemade snacks. 

If you, too, have a ground-breaking business idea, an established enterprise, or a prototype waiting to soar, Shark Tank India Season 3 is your potential gateway to success. Embark on this journey that can transform your entrepreneurial dreams into a thriving reality. Here’s how you can dive into the tank:

STEP 1 – SEIZE THE OPPORTUNITY: ONLINE APPLICATION

Download or update the Sony LIV app or log on to Sonyliv.com to fill out the Shark Tank India Season 3 registration form. Provide a captivating description of your business idea, highlighting its uniqueness and potential. You will advance to the next step if your idea catches the Shark Tank India team’s attention.

STEP 2 – MAKE AN IMPACT: THE PITCH

This is your chance to shine! You can upload your three-minute video pitch to convince the Shark Tank India team why your business idea deserves their investment. Demonstrate what sets you apart and why you are poised for success. Your pitch will determine if you have what it takes to be part of Shark Tank India Season 3. 

STEP 3 – RISE TO THE CHALLENGE: THE AUDITION

Those who make it past the initial selection will face a rigorous audition process. Present your business idea to the Shark Tank India team, who will assess your potential and narrow down the candidates to the most promising ones. This audition is a crucial step toward realizing your aspirations in the world of entrepreneurship.

STEP 4 – THE ULTIMATE CHALLENGE: SHARK TANK INDIA

Prepare yourself for the ultimate test of determination and resilience. Selected participants, known as Pitchers, will enter the Tank, facing the renowned panel of Sharks. These experienced investors will evaluate, analyse, and make offers based on your final pitch. Get ready to negotiate, seize opportunities, and secure the deal of a lifetime!

Mumbai: Brands are looking at getting the attention of the mobile audience, being a mobile first country, more and more brands want to tap into this audience with various innovatons like Lock Screen video, personalised messaging by brands in their language. The one click in mobile is the most used feature in todays busy world. Brands are using programmatic and other technology to stay relevant with their messaging to this segment. 

InMobi is an Indian multinational mobile advertising technology company, based in Bengaluru. Its mobile-first platform allows brands, developers, and publishers to engage consumers through contextual mobile advertising. 

Vasuta is the chief business officer, consumer platform advertising at InMobi. She is responsible for leading ad monetization for all consumer properties of InMobi group globally. Prior to this, she was MD for Asia Pacific region responsible for the P&L and business for India, Southeast Asia, Japan, Korea, and ANZ markets driving consistent scale and growth over three years. 

She has been with InMobi, one of the first start-ups and unicorns to go global from India, for over ten years and has worn many hats in her time there from Founders’ strategy to product to business roles. Before InMobi, she was at McKinsey as a management consultant and with Intel as a chip design engineer. She is a graduate of BITS, Pilani, and the Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore. 

Indiantelevision.com in an email chat with InMobi chief business officer – consumer platform advertising Vasuta Agarwal, on these features, on data privacy, personalisation of messaging and much more…

Edited Excerpts:

On the pandemic changing the shopping and other habits of consumers

The pandemic has certainly had a significant impact on consumer behaviour and digital platforms, particularly mobile, has played a crucial role in this shift. With people spending more time at home over the last few years, they have turned to their mobile phones for even their basic needs which has made it an essential part of the consumer journey.

India has the second-highest number of internet users in the world and these netizens are spending up to 4.8 hours on mobile every day. At InMobi, we have seen first-hand how smartphones have become the go-to device for consumers for information, entertainment, shopping, and for staying connected. 

But this shift in consumer behaviour has also led to the evolution of consumers’ expectations. We are observing that consumers are increasingly seeking instant answers to their needs. As per the recently released Mobile Marketing Handbook by InMobi, lock screen consumption by Indians has increased by 35 per cent in the past year. The same report also suggests that there is a 45 per cent increase in the lock screen video consumption as compared to last year which could suggest that in this age of instant gratification and one-click experiences, the long-standing approaches that might have worked for engaging consumers on mobile does not work anymore. Delivering engaging experiences that can meet consumers’ expectations and resonate with them has become even more important.

On brands adopting to communicate on a handset and the brand’s ROI  expectation

Mobile gives brands the opportunity to drive personalisation, innovation, and engagement at scale and the benefits of leveraging mobile marketing can be multifold. According to a 2021 McKinsey report, customers’ likelihood of purchase, recommendation, and repurchase can be brought up to 70 per cent or more through personalised interactions. No other medium has more potential to drive personalisation than mobile. 

The reach and scope of mobile can help brands experiment and innovate at scale to find a competitive advantage. The smartphone has over 50 native features, which if leveraged intelligently, can transform the delivered experience. Recognising the key role mobiles play in consumers’ lives, brands are increasingly adopting mobile in their media mix for the marketing strategy to engage with these new-age consumers. While seasoned advertisers and brands understand the power of mobile to reach consumers anytime, anywhere, and deliver engaging content directly right in their hands, there is still some way to go to achieve the full potential of mobile marketing. But through the right combination of mobile technology, real-time intelligence, and creativity, brands can amplify the impact of their communication. 

A great example is how Mondelez India launched an innovative Diwali campaign for their Cadbury brand in 2021, helping them stand out during the most cluttered time of the year. Using artificial intelligence and machine learning-powered technology, the campaign promoted local businesses and pop stores by displaying hyper-localised and hyper-customised content to customers featuring over 2,000 local stores across over 500 pin codes. 

In addition, the local retailers got to make a version of these content for their stores with Shahrukh Khan as their ambassador, curated to each user’s own personal context. Another example of innovative engagement by a brand is how Swiggy leveraged the smart lock screen to drive instantaneous one-click experiences. The brand witnessed a 29 per cent MoM increase in first-time food delivery orders and a 30 per cent lower cost per new user on food delivery. 

On the internet seen a boom, latest report says 832 Mn users, how are brands maximising their communication and how is lock screen used by brands

The internet has undoubtedly become the definitive channel for businesses to reach out to their target audience easily. With the latest report stating that there are 832 million users, brands are making the most of this platform to maximise their communication, especially on mobile which is the primary way users access the internet today in India.

One-way brands are doing this is by constantly looking for ways to cut the clutter and stand out in front of the hyper-connected consumer. That said, the smart lock screen is turning out to be the most exclusive real estate on a mobile phone. Advertisers are now leveraging the lock screen to precisely target and win over their audience with immersive experiences. Brands like Zomato, Swiggy, and Meesho have partnered with Glance to create personalised content for users. But how are they achieving this?

Creating an Impact with full screen imagery using lock screen for brand communication can have a significant impact on increasing awareness. With full-screen imagery, brands can grab the attention of their audience even before they unlock their phone. This is a great way to promote new products, services, or campaigns.

Engage with videos and interactive experiences: Lock screen is also being used to engage audiences with videos and interactive experiences. By showcasing their content through lock screen, brands can engage with their target audience in a more personal and immersive way.

Promote the app with effortless one-click installs: Brands can also promote their apps with effortless one-click installs. This is a great way to increase app downloads and drive more traffic to their website.

Overall, using a lock screen as a platform for brand communication can have a significant impact on increasing awareness, engagement, and promotion of products and services. By providing content that users want with just one click, brands can make a lasting impression and increase their chances of success.

On the language or regional communication by brands that has increased

Language and vernacular communication have become increasingly important for brands as they continue to seek to connect with consumers across regions. Through Glance, we have seen first-hand how brands are adapting their content to regional markets to better engage with local consumers. Today, 45 per cent of Glance content is consumed in Hindi, while another 40 per cent is consumed by a mix of South Indian languages that include Kannada, Tamil, and Telugu. 

Brands are using approaches like creating custom, tailored content for the local markets and partnering with local influencers to tap into their credibility and promote the brand’s message. Glance’s smart lock screen platform enables brands to deliver hyper-localised content to users based on their location and language preference. Advertisers that successfully adapt their content to regional markets in vernacular languages are better positioned to connect with local audiences and gain loyalty over a long period.

On the age of one-click experiences on the lock screen

The “age of the one-click experience on the lock screen” refers to the growing trend of making mobile experiences as seamless and frictionless as possible for users. This allows them to quickly access content or complete actions with just one tap on their smartphones.

Aside from enabling brands to reach consumers in a non-intrusive manner, one-click experiences also make it easy for users to complete actions like purchasing something or signing up for services. Glance’s smart lock screen platform offers a prime example of this trend, providing users with easy access to curated content with every tap. This represents a new era of mobile marketing and engagement, allowing for seamless interactions between users and brands. Today, Glance gives users instant access to a variety of destinations that focus on their interests which include shopping, sports, news, gaming, trends, and live content. 

On gaming seeing a rise in the past two years and obile consumer availing the one-click experience

In the past two years, there is an uptick in mobile gaming, which has brought about new trends in the industry. One-click experiences in mobile gaming have become increasingly popular, offering players quick and easy access to features like leaderboards, game updates, and social connectivity. As per the latest mobile marketing handbook that we released, Gaming on Glance, has seen over 2.2x times growth in the gaming community. The community has also seen 134 per cent increase in the daily active user base. It is also encouraging to see that 47 per cent members of this community are female and 44 per cent of the overall gamers come from tier-2 cities in India beating the longstanding myth that Gaming is a premium activity that is only enjoyed by young men. Reducing the time and effort required to access the features and allowing players to stay more engaged in the game helps engage with the community and brands alike. 

On mobile enhancing a user’s experience across various genres, be it shopping, gaming, entertainment, and live events

Mobile has played a transformative role in enhancing the user experience across various ranges of genres. 

In the realm of entertainment, mobiles have enabled users to access a wide range of content including movies, TV shows, music, and podcasts. Now with the smart locks screen the users will be able to access the latest trends in news, sports, shopping and entertainment with a single click without unlocking the phone and in their own personalised way. With live and gaming content, consumers can browse and purchase products and play games on the go, anytime and anywhere. Retailers and gaming companies can create seamless and personalised experiences for consumers. We aim to enhance the user’s experience across genres, leveraging the power of mobiles and lock screens to create innovative and personalised experiences to meet growing consumer needs.

On data privacy and the steps taken to ensure the safety of personal data

InMobi is fully committed to compliance with applicable privacy laws across every aspect of our business. As a trusted partner of leading brands across the globe, InMobi is dedicated to protecting consumer privacy while generating value for our publisher partners and creating a safe and transparent marketplace for advertisers. 

Apart from this, we are also dedicated to conducting research and educating advertisers about best practices of privacy-first advertising in the country. Last year, InMobi released the findings from a commissioned study conducted by Forrester Consulting on future of mobile advertising in tackling data and identity deprecation. The study explored the impact of data privacy on advertising in India, offering a deep dive into the state of readiness of organisations and their action plans in the wake of consumer data privacy developments.

On InMobi playing a major part in brand associations and communication

Mobile is the go-to platform for today’s one-click consumers with their three-second attention spans. That’s why advertisers and brands are turning to mobile as the preferred channel to capture the attention of one-click consumers. Glance is redefining the way people interact with ​mobile and surfaces by providing engaging content, entertainment, and commerce experiences for the world of connected devices​.​

We have best-in-class programmatic advertising platform that makes it easy for brands to drive real connections with their target audience at scale with global reach. ​Advertisers and brands working with InMobi and Glance to get access to unique, owned, and operated mobile ad inventory featuring highly immersive experiences that embed their brand through the full funnel of mobile devices, from lock screen and home screen to folders and apps​. By covering all mobile surfaces, brands can cover all touchpoints in a user’s journey, thus getting access to a massive scale. 

Our privacy-first advertising paradigm enables brands to create a balance between respecting consumer privacy and creating personalised, contextualised, and relevant experiences.

Mumbai: Quizzing in India is set to get its biggest impetus as Sony LIV announces, “Quizzer Of The Year” (QOTY), a nationwide quiz challenge. Aimed at students from grades IX to XII (9th to 12th) for the academic year 2023-24, QOTY seeks to engage young minds with passion and curiosity for learning and quizzing. QOTY is helmed by India’s grand quizmaster, Siddhartha Basu, co-designed & created together with Anita Kaul Basu and the team at Tree of Knowledge Digital (Digitok).

Today, along with academic excellence, what makes a student stand apart is the ability to absorb knowledge from everywhere, not just textbooks, and to experience the world with curiosity.  QOTY provides them with a platform to test their abilities and knowledge against their peers from across the country.

Students can easily participate with a simple registration on the Sony LIV app followed by answering seven questions every day. Throughout the contest, participants will have an opportunity to win exciting daily, weekly, and monthly prizes, including the chance to be featured on Sony LIV. The final winners will be awarded an educational scholarship of one crore and the prestigious title of “Quizzer Of The Year”. The scope of the quiz will be their school curriculum and general knowledge.

Sony LIV head of marketing Aman Srivastava said, “India’s young population is a vibrant and dynamic demographic with immense potential. They are a tech-savvy generation with a quest for knowledge and personal growth. Quiz challenges as a format provides them a platform to showcase their intelligence and competitive spirit, encouraging them to expand their horizons. With our legacy of talent formats including Shark Tank India and MasterChef India, we are proud to announce Quizzer Of The Year. We are delighted to partner with Mr. Basu and are confident that QOTY will become the ultimate destination for young quiz enthusiasts across India.”

Basu said, “Our team at Tree of Knowledge Digital (Digitok), with decades of know-how behind us, has worked long and hard to develop QOTY as a stimulating year-round engagement, where users can play a snap quiz daily, and instantly review their performance and ranking. We’re fortunate and grateful to Sony LIV for their active support in making this the biggest schools initiative of its kind that we’ve seen so far. Students can not only play and put their knowledge to the test every day, but also compete and make their mark in school, zonal and national rankings, culminating in a national play-off for top honours and terrific prizes. It is an engagement which is free and open to all, and our intention is to foster a growth of awareness and a factual culture of depth and accuracy. I hope every young person in this age group signs up, plays and enjoys QOTY.”

Mumbai: iQOO’s quest for its first chief gaming officer has taken over the gaming world, receiving an astounding more than 30,000 applications within just three days of the announcement. An innovative initiative, presenting an extraordinary opportunity to aspiring gamers aged under 25, has struck a chord and generated a resounding yes from the young gamers in the country.

Over 30,000 gamers have expressed their desire to be a part of the process and this level of participation unveils an entirely fresh realm brimming with gaming enthusiasts in India. Applicants from over 500 cities applied for the first role of its kind, which will work with the iQOO team to tailor the best mobile gaming experience.

iQOO CEO Nipun Marya said, “The enthusiasm and response to our search for iQOO’s first gaming officer is humbling and yet corroborates our decision to go to the huge community of young gamers in the country, for a role like this. At iQOO, our endeavour has always been to make phones that stand out for their performance and esports experience. And for the same, we envisioned this role that will further ignite the gaming community and foster a vibrant gaming ecosystem for the brand. On behalf of the brand iQOO, I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude for the overwhelming response received from everyone who has applied”.

iQOO has set out this exciting adventure, for exceptional gamers, between the age of 18-25 years, for whom gaming runs through their veins and fuels their passion. iQOO’s first chief gaming officer (CGO) will get a chance to earn a whopping Rs 10 lakhs for an incredible six-month journey.

This role offers a unique opportunity for the CGO to collaborate closely with iQOO’s leadership team, and share groundbreaking insights and ideas that will define the future of gaming. As the CGO, young gaming enthusiasts will get a once-in-a-lifetime chance to work alongside top-notch gamers across India, connecting with gaming legends, forming alliances, and pushing the boundaries of gaming excellence to new heights.

Mumbai: Amazon miniTV, Amazon’s free video streaming service is ready to once again woo the hearts of its viewers with yet another heart-warming romantic drama as it announces its upcoming web series ‘Badtameez Dil’, unveiling the teaser for the show. Celebrating Amazon.in’s tenth anniversary, Amazon miniTV, in partnership with Ekta Kapoor will launch the ten-episode series exclusively on the service soon. Packed with passionate romance and drama, the series brings a modern-day twist to the classic plot of ‘opposites attract’. Featuring popular actors Ridhi Dogra and Barun Sobti, along with Mallika Dua and Minissha Lamba in pivotal roles, the story has heightened emotions of love, heartbreak, and friendships. The stunning backdrop of London, three soulful music tracks, and a gripping storyline set this series apart from other romantic web series.

Amazon miniTV head of content Amogh Dusad said “At Amazon miniTV, our goal has been to offer original, innovative yet relatable content for free to our viewers across India. Badtameez Dil is a unique love story where the world of old romance meets today’s practical philosophy. It offers a compelling story filled with love, drama, and laughter as viewers will witness the talented Barun Sobti and Riddhi Dogra working together for the first time.”

Talking about the series, Balaji Telefilms joint MD Ektaa R Kapoor said, “Our goal has been to create top-notch entertainment for our audience, and this collaboration with Amazon miniTV for Badtameez Dil is another step in that direction. A tale based on two people with diametrically opposed personalities, Badtameez Dil, is created out of this magic. We are certain that this series will provide all romance enthusiasts an excellent experience full of surprises.”

Mumbai: The psychological mystery thriller, Asur Season 2, that released on 1 June became an immediate sensation, leaving viewers intrigued with its gripping storyline. Following the phenomenal success of the opening three episodes, fans of the captivating thriller series from across the country pleaded with the platform to release the balance episodes at one go. The series has been trending continuously on social media for the past 3 days. Such has been the fervour, that JioCinema has now decided to go ‘fan-first’ in its approach and give in to the crazy fandom. The platform will release the balance 5 episodes at one go today. Asur Season 2 which was earlier slated for ‘one episode a day’, is available Free on JioCinema.

The much-awaited sequel to the captivating and critically acclaimed web series, Asur, featuring Arshad Warsi, Barun Sobti, Ridhi Dogra, Anupriya Goenka, Amey Wagh, Meiyang Chang, Abhishek Chauhan, and Gaurav Arora has generated immense excitement among fans and the wider audience since its announcement.  Early reviews have hailed this as the best thriller to come out from India. Building upon the success and intrigue of its predecessor, the new season promises to be an even more enthralling experience filled with suspense, intense storytelling, and exceptional performances.

Mumbai: Aaj Tak, India’s Hindi news channel, has once again secured the top spot in reach in the video news category, as per Nielsen’s Confluence solution covering 15-44 year olds from NCCS ABC households, from India’s one lac+ towns, and are users of Android smartphone.

The analysis encompassed 32 Hindi TV news brands available on respective mobile applications, YouTube channels, and websites, providing a holistic view of audience engagement across multiple digital platforms. Viewers accessing news only on Aggregators or third party apps such as social media feeds are not covered unless the click opens the browser window outside the app to the news website.

The success of Aaj Tak can be attributed to its extensive reach, capturing the attention of audiences accessing the app, website, and YouTube channel on their smartphones.  Nielsen’s solution, Confluence, based on which this report has been prepared, considers news domains of Hindi news channels, focusing on Aaj Tak’s website (www.aajtak.in), accounting for both video and text content consumption on the platform, further solidifying Aaj Tak’s dominance.

Sharing his thoughts on the findings, India Today Group digital CEO Salil Kumar expressed his pride in being ranked as the top Hindi news channel. He emphasized that this accomplishment is a testament to their unwavering dedication to providing their viewers with precise, real time, and accurate news. Salil Kumar extended his gratitude to the Indian audience for their loyalty and trust in Aaj Tak, making it their preferred source of news.

The Nielsen’s Confluence solution provides reach, behavior and engagement from its Android smartphone panel (covering content watched on YouTube and top VOD brands) including news watching behavior. By maintaining its leadership position, Aaj Tak has again demonstrated its dedication to providing its viewers with the highest quality news content.

A part of the India Today Group, Aaj Tak is India’s premiere Hindi news channel, offering comprehensive and unbiased news coverage across various topics, including politics, business, entertainment, sports, and more. With a dedicated team of journalists and state-of-the-art news-gathering infrastructure, Aaj Tak has established itself as the most trusted news brand for millions of viewers. Aaj Tak is also the world’s first news channel to cross the 50 million subscribers mark on YouTube.

Mumbai: iBroad7 (www.ibroad7.com), the country’s largest agency in the audio market with proven capabilities across multiple media including print, outdoor, and television, is now expanding and scaling up rapidly with a focus on the new economy, along with a sharp focus on localisation of campaigns and content.

The company is expanding, both vertically and horizontally, under a new umbrella entity— Reach India (www.reach4india.com)—in a sharply engaged hub-and-spoke model, with widened national and international operations and new lines of businesses.

This restructuring has been done keeping in mind the emerging landscape in the media, brand communication, and content space. This includes programmatic audio, branded podcasts, digital media, and tech-enabled real-time media buying and planning.

“Over the last few years, we have seen many brands and organisations, some of which we have had the privilege to serve and many which we would love to serve, grow manifold. We would like to be a part of this journey, chronicling their march, telling their stories, and amplifying and localising their conversations through audio, digital, content, and other formats in any language, anywhere in India,” said Reach India MD Rohit Upadhyay.

Upadhyay founded iBroad7 in 2010 and since shepherded it into India’s biggest in the audio space. It has created and serviced over 1800 brands, across geographies, industries, sectors, products, and services through more than two million campaigns and four million creatives.

iBroad7 will remain the anchor entity for steering the group’s flagship radio operations. It currently serves several marque brands across a wide range of industries and segments including start-ups, e-commerce, real estate, government, automobile, food, spirits and beverages, hospitality, travel and tourism, electronics, pharmaceuticals, ed-tech, and BFSI among others.

The brand portfolio includes Honda Motorcycles and Scooters India (HMSI), Zomato, Spicejet, Cars24, SBI, L&T Realty, Godrej group, Goodyear, HDFC Ergo, Foodpanda, Cure.Fit, MI, Zoomcar, Dunzo, Patanjali, and Eazydiner among a host of other storied MNC and Indian brands.

iBroad7 is expanding internationally as well. It has recently set up its office in Dubai to service the Middle-east and North Africa Region (MENA). “There are plans to expand to Singapore, soon,” Mr Upadhyay said.

The new businesses include Audiostream (www.audiostream.in), to serve as a single-roof solution for programmatically buying digital audio at scale. Audiostream allows brands to reach across multiple music streaming and podcast publishers to optimally reach their target audience at the click of a button. It enables non-skippable audio spots with a very high listen-through ratio (LTR) of 90-95 per cent, complete transparency in KPI measurement. Brands can reach out to listeners via: age, gender, location, language, genre. Audiostream enables video advertisement on Spotify, Wynk, Hungama and Saavn.

A new business—The Buying Hub (www.thebuyinghub.in)–has also been set up as a one-stop shop for real-time media buying and planning on a single platform that enables brands to localise their campaigns. Brands will be able to log on to the specially created platform that contains all information about inventories and rates across media—from radio, print, television, OOH, OTTs, and much more.

Another arm, Digisutra (www.thedigisutra.com), is a future-ready digital marketing, social media, and branding & communications solutions agency. Digisutra’s range of offering includes digital media, digital media buying & PPC, influencer marketing, integrated creative development, content creation, website development and management, social media strategy and development, SEO, CRO &SEM strategy & implementation, OTT & connected TVs, and much more.

It has also branched into the creator economy with Earshot Audio (www.earshotaudio.in), India’s only PaaS (Podcast as a Service) company, offering a complete suite of services that includes production, publishing and promotion of branded podcast IPs for brands and organisations.

Mumbai: A first-of-its-kind study on online gamers in India has revealed the growing trend of gaming emerging as a career option in India and not just being limited to a means of entertainment. Based on the study, 83 per cent of the respondents consider gaming as either a primary or secondary source of income, highlighting the paradigm shift towards gaming being a viable option that can be pursued professionally. Out of this, 39 per cent consider gaming as a primary source and 44 per cent as a secondary source of income. The study also highlights how gamers have been able to garner better earnings with improved skill sets, and practicing gaming has also encouraged them to take it up as a profession. This new gaming segment, Paid Competitive Gaming (PCG), is poised to be one of the fastest-growing segments and is set to reach $16B by 2024, according to a recent report by Newzoo and MPL.

Another key insight revealed by the study shows how the popular mobile games played by Indians range across Puzzle, board games and adventure sports as the top choices across demographics and levels of engagement. While AAA games are the preferred choice for gamers aged 16-25, seasoned players gravitate towards Poker, Rummy, Carrom and Puzzles.

The study also delves deep into the attitude and preferences of gamers in India and shares important data on required skills, family and social support, professional gaming, and the impact of regulations. The study has been conducted by EPWA in collaboration with the Centre for Justice through Technology (CJT), Vinayaka Mission’s Law School, and Research Foundation-DU Chennai. This qualitative study held in-depth interviews with casual and professional gamers, including online fantasy sports players, and esports professionals, including poker, from across the country.

Contrary to the negative behavioral attributes commonly associated with gaming, the study highlights how the world of online gaming focuses on dedication and commitment. These gamers spend 10-20 hours per week actively engaging in their craft. Interestingly, 77 per cent of those who push the boundaries and achieve maximum gaming hours fall within the age range of 16-25. Success in online gaming also demands a set of essential skills like Analytical skills (97 per cent), concentration (87 per cent), and creativity (69 per cent).

Family and social support prove to be diverse landscapes within the gaming community. While 71 per cent of respondents initially encountered low family support, 17 per cent experienced moderate backing, and only 12 per cent experienced familial encouragement when venturing into online gaming. The study also highlighted how family and social support increases as gamers not only begin to earn from gaming but also display focus and commitment to continue to hone their skills.

Bringing out insights on the earning potential of professional gamers, the study shows how they rely on a diverse array of income sources ranging from Gamer contracts (51 per cent), sponsorships (14 per cent), streaming (5 per cent), content creation (9 per cent), and coaching (21 per cent).

On the impact of regulations on the online gaming landscape, the study showcases concerns raised by the gamers highlighting how 89 per cent feel high tax through GST & TDS has increased their cost of playing and may force them to seek a remedy through alternate platforms if GST is increased further. The criminalisation of players by state governments & absence of uniform regulations has also been reported as a key concern, with 62 per cent of the gamers being affected by the approach taken by many state governments like Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and Assam. The study further delves into the social aspects and the resultant impact on online gamers. Lack of clarity on games of skill and games of chance has led to misconceptions and social stigma, especially for those who play professionally. 71 per cent of the pool have reported low family support as a result of this.

Finally, the study also highlights the need for a conducive and certain regulatory framework to safeguard user rights and promote responsible gaming, ensuring the sector’s potential is realised.