Digital Agencies
GroupM delves into Digital World 2013
MUMBAI: “Internet is just a world passing around notes in the classroom,” said American television host and stand-up comedian Jon Stewart about the whole world wide web.
Considering that the classroom has increased manifolds in the past couple of years with each and everyone using the internet ever second, every day of their life, Indiantelevision.com takes a look atGroupM’s recently released report, “This Year Next Year Interaction 2014” which highlights the impact of technology and tech companies on consumers and advertiser behaviour.
The preview report mostly talks about the social media and video platforms and how the platforms have been utilised by various brands. The penetration and growth of smartphones in the world is stating the obvious and hence, it elaborates on how a few of the next billion online users will use a PC-like object as the principal method of access. Tablets and smartphones rule the roost, these days.
The report goes on to state that by one mean or other, one-third of the world population is online. With television and print taking a backseat, advertisers have made PCs and now mobile devices a priority to reach out to the attentive audiences.
“However, with magnification of fragmentation, multi-tasking, active screen time and increasing adoption of over-the-top (OTT) and often ad-free media, the challenges among advertisers is increasing. Advertisers have to deliver effectively in more places and on more platforms with little additional resources,” highlights the report.
The report goes on to say that 25 years after the web’s conception, what it delivers to consumers and to the business could not have been imagined by its creator. “Google is the 800-pound gorilla that has seamlessly combined its core revenue engine, search with a strong position in online video and successfully evolved both into mobile.”
The report adds, “More significantly, Youtube has become the uber-network of video networks and is the wireframe on which more and more of the world’s video content hangs. With 25 per cent of all views on mobile devices and by Google’s definition that excludes tablets, Youtube sits alongside Facebook, twitter and Goggle search as one of the dominant applications of mobile consumption.”
Global Youtube revenue is estimated, as per the report, at $5 billion and the top 10 brands which have been the platform’s biggest content creators include: Blackberry, DCShoecoUSA, Google, Coca Cola, Old Spice, GoPro, Samsung, Nike, Volkswagen and RedBull.
Furthermore, the report goes on to say that if 2013 was the year of mobile advertising then Facebook and Twitter made it so. “Of its 700 million daily users, 500 million use the platform of Facebook via a mobile device. And if advertisers create more high-frequency engagement, they will in turn increase the algorithmics distribution of messages to a greater percentage of their fans and beyond, reducing the need to pay for that reach,” says the report.
Also in 2013 Facebook positioned itself to participate in two new areas – search, long dominated by Google and ‘moments’ news, TV and otherwise on which Twitter has begun to build its revenue base. However, the report also states that twitter will never achieve the level of penetration of Facebook. “The platforms are so often referenced in the same sentence yet they have little in common other than as examples of the network effect as a catalyst of growth.”
The top brands on the social networking site, as mentioned in the report, are: Coca Cola, MTV, Disney, Red Bull, Converse, Starbucks, etc.
Having said that, the report adds how many media companies have embraced Twitter as a tool to extend the reach of their programming and deepen their advertiser relationship by re-distributing content on it. Top brands on Twitter are: Samsung, Starbucks, Whole Foods, Blackberry, Disney, Zappos, Chanel, says GroupM.
The agency’s report has highlighted the benefits that professional networking site Linkedin provides to HR managers globaly, even, surprisingly in China. One third of the world’s profesionals, 95 per cent of Americans and 40 per cent Europeans use Linkedin, it says. With a quarter of a billion individual profiles, as well as 300,000 corporate profiles, it states and goes on to explain how corporations, through their own profiles, sponsored updates and influencer content postings are investing significantly in building their brands and cohorts of followers. The most-followed companies on the professional networking site are Google, IBM, HP, Microsoft, Apple etc.
The report also looks at the online presence of Apple, and its online music service iTunes and iTunesRadio. With almost 700 million iOS users globally, and 200 million iTunes accounts in the US it is a tour de force able to offer varying advertising options to advertisers. The report then goes on to examine how Yahoo, Microsoft (it acquired Nokia’s handset business this year), AOL, Amazon (almost 35 per cent of all digital customer journeys in the US end up at this online retailer, GroupM research states) and Electronic Arts have been dealing with the rapid evolution online and in digital and what kind of advertiser offerings they are drawing up, and how much success they are achieving.
If one has to wrap up the year and see what’s next? “For advertisers the world will get more complex. The promise of the cloud and of big data implies an information adjacency and the ability to deliver content to the customer that promises super-precision in segmentation and targeting and by inference a value in an increasingly granular, dynamic and data-informed media environment,” as per the report.
The report aims to give readers a real understanding of what’s happening in the world of online, and how they as marketers can get prepared to efficiently use the evolving ecosystem.
Digital Agencies
Kunal Wanvari steps up as senior brand and digital marketing manager at Franklin Templeton India
MUMBAI: Franklin Templeton India has elevated Kunal Wanvari to senior brand and digital marketing manager, signalling a continued push towards data-driven brand building and digital-first engagement in a crowded asset management market.
Wanvari has spent nearly eight years with Franklin Templeton India, steadily rising through the marketing ranks. Prior to this role, he served as marketing manager and assistant marketing manager, working across brand strategy, content, digital media and campaign execution from the firm’s Mumbai office.
Before joining Franklin Templeton, Wanvari built his digital credentials at WATConsult, where he handled brand strategy and account leadership roles, and earlier at Kush Infosystems, focusing on SEO and performance marketing. His career began in sales and marketing roles, giving him a ground-up understanding of commercial storytelling.
A computer engineer by training with deep digital marketing expertise, Wanvari’s elevation reflects Franklin Templeton’s bet on hybrid marketers—equal parts brand, data and digital—as competition for investor attention intensifies.
Digital Agencies
PSB Xchange appoints Ankush Aggarwal as CXO, Sahil Sikka as CBO and CFO
MUMBAI: PSB Xchange, India’s digital marketplace for financial solutions and a flagship platform of Veefin Solutions Limited, has reinforced its leadership team with two senior appointments as it prepares for its next phase of growth.
Ankush Aggarwal has been named chief experience officer, bringing with him more than 20 years of experience across corporate banking and the SME ecosystem. In his new role, he will focus on shaping simple, seamless and results-oriented experiences for banks, corporates and ecosystem partners. Aggarwal has previously held leadership roles at Kotak Mahindra Bank, IndusInd Bank and SG Finserve, where he led initiatives across customer onboarding, credit processes, servicing operations and digital transformation.
Widely recognised for connecting technology, operations and business strategy, Aggarwal has consistently built scalable and compliant experience models. At PSB Xchange, his focus will be on strengthening platform thinking, governance and continuous improvement to enhance efficiency and customer outcomes.
Alongside him, Sahil Sikka joins PSB Xchange as chief business officer and chief financial officer. With over 15 years of experience in banking and financial services, Sikka has played a key role in building and scaling businesses. He was part of the founding leadership team at SG Finserve, where he helped create a listed NBFC, overseeing business strategy, capital planning, product development and governance. His work earned him the best CFO financial services award at the India CFO Awards 2024.
Earlier in his career, Sikka worked with HDFC Bank, Aditya Birla Finance and Kotak Mahindra Bank, driving growth across corporate banking and structured finance. In his dual role at PSB Xchange, he will focus on strengthening growth strategy, scaling operations sustainably and delivering long-term value through strong governance and collaboration.
Commenting on the appointments, PSB Xchange and Veefin Solutions Limited CEO Sorabh Dhawan, said the additions reflect the platform’s ambitions as it expands its engagement with banks and financial institutions. He added that Aggarwal’s experience-led approach and Sikka’s strategic and financial expertise will be central to driving sustainable growth and value creation in the years ahead.
Digital Agencies
Kisha Gupta takes charge as Infosys global head of brand
BENGALURU: Infosys has appointed Kisha Gupta as its new global head of brand, a move that highlights both her remarkable journey within the company and her unique approach to leadership. Having spent more than 13 years at Infosys, Gupta brings to the role a wealth of experience spanning brand building, academic relations, and large-scale event management. She assumes the position with a commitment to creativity, purpose, and heart, promising to steer Infosys’ global brand with care and vision.
Gupta’s career at Infosys is notable not just for its longevity but for the breadth of her impact. Since 2016, she has led the company’s global academic relations, collaborating directly with Infosys co-founder N. R. Narayana Murthy on flagship initiatives like InStep, the company’s global internship programme. Each year, InStep welcomes over 250 interns from more than 50 nationalities, offering them a chance to gain hands-on experience and exposure to cutting-edge technology projects. Beyond internships, Gupta has built strong networks with students, professors, deans, and chancellors from the world’s top 200 universities, positioning Infosys as a thought leader in global academia.
Her contributions extend to brand strategy and visibility, having designed social media campaigns, reviewed creative content, and represented Infosys at over 200 international events. She has also overseen large-scale corporate events, including Confluence and Connect, and led the redesign of Infosys’ marketing floor to foster collaboration and agile working. This combination of strategic oversight and hands-on execution has made her a trusted figure within Infosys leadership, reporting directly to the CMO and working closely with the board and founders.
Beyond Infosys, Gupta has played a key role in nurturing the next generation of global leaders. As Chairperson of Aiesec in India, she works to provide students with opportunities for cross-cultural learning and to foster a more inclusive, diverse workforce. She has also attended the prestigious Stanford Graduate School of Business Ignite Program, further honing her business acumen and leadership skills.
Reflecting on her new role, Gupta expressed gratitude to mentors, colleagues, and her predecessor for their support. “If you are reading this, chances are you have played a part in my journey. That makes this moment as much yours as it is mine,” she wrote. With her proven track record in brand building, academia, and global engagement, Kisha Gupta is poised to take Infosys’ brand to new heights, blending creativity, purpose, and human touch in every initiative.
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