ITV

Tag: advertisements

  • Ad self-certification: Industry requests MIB to postpone implementation

    Ad self-certification: Industry requests MIB to postpone implementation

    Mumbai: For most in the media industry, 18 June appears to be a very ominous day. Four days from now, agencies and brands will have to ensure that every advertisement – whether created for print, internet, radio or for TV – is put through a process of self-certification with the portals https://new.broadcastingseva.gov.in or https://presscouncil.gov.in.

    In fact, so stressed are they with the impending date that the Indian Society of Advertisers (ISA) has petitioned the ministry of information and broadcasting to postponed the self certification process as, citing issues such as delays in uploading to the portals..

    In a letter to the MIB secretary Sanjay Jaju on 12 June, ISA chairman Sanjiv Kataria has expressed the industry’s support to the initiative, but has asked for deferment of the date until the supreme  court hears their concerns about the latter’s order passed on 7 May 2024. The ministry has made it mandatory for advertisers/agencies to self certify  ads, and for publisher/broadcasters s to ensure they collect the certificates before publishing or telecasting any ads from clients.

    Kataria in his letter has pointed out to issues such as a lack of security for the uploads, lagging, slow uploads, challenges in OTP generation, file size limitation of 1 MB for every creatve, signing authority for each creative, duration of validity of the certification, whether every language version,  social media message, tweet, reel, AFP, brand integration needs to be certified – among many other areas where there is a lack of clarity. Please see attachment with this story for the issues raised by the ISA.

    Urgent Request to Postpone Implementation of Self-Declaration Process

    Industry veterans have welcomed the move by the supreme court and the MIB to self certify ads and marketing communications. Says former ad executive and former CEO of Star India Peter Mukerjea: “The industry brought this on themselves by some advertisers making wild, inaccurate , insane, irresponsible claims about all kinds of stuff – agencies not following an ethical or moral standard, creatives making a mockery of features including sometimes potentially life threatening behaviour and chucking in celebs to popularise the messaging ! (Eg SRK driving a  car like a nut case in and out of  lanes and so on, not to mention Patanjali and any number of such ) . ASCI turned a blind eye and is almost irrelevant. Personally Im glad this speed breaker has been put in place to reawaken society to ‘responsible communication’ at multiple levels. Sadly they’ve left out ‘outdoor’ ! ( I’m sure it will get added ).  Well done Honble SC. “

    The ISA was awaiting the MIB’s response at the time of writing of this report.

  • Chrome Pictures has continued to push boundaries of storytelling through its film production

    Chrome Pictures has continued to push boundaries of storytelling through its film production

    Mumbai: As the year draws to a close, Chrome Pictures production house with cutting-edge advertisements and films, takes a moment to reflect on a year supposed to have creativity, innovation and success.

    In the ever-evolving landscape of the entertainment industry, Chrome Pictures has continued to push boundaries of storytelling through its approach to film production. With a commitment to quality, originality and diverse narratives, the production house positioned itself as a trailblazer in the world of cinema. Led by a dynamic team of founders and directors, Amit Sharma, Aleya Sen, Hemant Bhandari, and a talented in-house roster, Chrome Pictures has nurtured filmmakers who have grown to become influential figures in the ad industry.

    After making a mark of its feature film debut, the national award-winning & ‘Badhaai Ho’, Chrome Pictures ventured into Original Web Films for OTT platforms. ‘’Trial Period’’ released on 21 July 2023, directed by Aleya Sen, starring Genelia Deshmukh and Manav Kaul, presented yet another unique concept of ‘Father on rent’ that struck a chord with the audience. The reviews ranged from ’Being an ode to familyhood’ to being “an unavoidable, feel good film”. Likewise, ‘’Lust Stories 2 (Tilchatta)’’, Directed by Amit Sharma left a lasting impact. His much talked about film, “Maidaan”, starring Ajay Devgn is awaited.

    Both releases received esteemed awards – Genelia Deshmukh received a Talentrack award for Best Actor in a Comic Role (Female) for ‘Trial Period’ and Amit Sharma received the Top 10 most popular Indian movies (Streaming) of 2023 IMDb award for Lust Stories 2.

    Chrome Pictures filled the advertisement space this year with campaigns for “Mahindra Automotives”, “VI #BeSomeonesWe”, “Astral Pipes” #AccessToCleanWater, “Colgate” #ToothlessGranny, “TATA IPL”, “Lever Ayush” and “Titan Raga” directed by Amit R. Sharma, “Piramal Finance” – Hum Kaagaz Se Zyaada, Neeyat Dekhte Hain, “Glow & Lovely” #KaamyabiKeRangDikhao and “Limca” – Sab Nichord Le #MatThak by Hemant Bhandari, “Asian Paints” #MeraWalaMood in collaboration with Ogilvy aired during the festive season, “HDFC” #ZindagiKeLiyeSIP and “Flite” – #SarUthaKadamBadha by Advait Chandan. The other talented directors of Chrome Pictures kicked off campaigns throughout the year.

    Among them are the “Epigamia” and “Britannia Bourbon” Ads and the recent “IndusInd Bank” Ads directed by Roopali Singhal which was aired during the recent ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup. Much talked about “Astral Pipes” #BharosaChuno, “Digital India ka TATA IPL” and “Cadbury Celebrations” #BrothersWhoCare was directed by Rai.

    “Lipton” Darjeeling Green Tea directed by Debanjolie Bhattacharjee and “MTR” Badam Milk directed by Mithun Shaw. Throughout the year, Chrome has successfully delivered a diverse range of projects that have captivated audiences globally. Amongst the many accolades that Chrome Pictures has won this year, some of their best ads won multiple awards, mainly –

    1. ‘Dove #StopTheBeautyTest’ | Directed by Amit Sharma – Cannes Lion Award, D’& D Award, LIA Award, Kyoorius creative award, TheAbbys, INDIAA awards.

    2. Truecaller | Buri Nazar Waale Tera Call Laal | Directed by Amit Sharma -Spikes Asia award, TheAbbys, Kyoorius Creative Award, INDIAA awards,

    3. Mutual Funds #ZindagiKeLiyeSIP |Directed by Advait Chandan- INDIAA awards

    4. Epigamia | Directed by Roopali Singhal – New Director Lotus – AdFest Award.

    Speaking of expansion, Director Aleya Sen talked about their latest launch CRIMSEN TALES, a Creative Lab. “It’s an initiative of bridging gaps between Industry stalwarts and young talents. There is untapped young talent in abundance today, Crimsen is a stepping stone in finding the best of talents in various fields and providing opportunities”. Their first workshop at Soho house with top women producers of Industry made noise and was well received.

    On the other hand, Chrome’s digital wing, Minikin DG Works, has continued to ardently focus on delivering and catering specifically to the ever-growing modern demands of the virtual market. It is one of the most progressive and cost-effective ways of communication.

    Looking forward to the coming year, Chrome Pictures is poised for achievements. With a slate of projects in the pipeline and a continued commitment to pushing boundaries, the team is set to make a mark in the world of entertainment.

    As we bid farewell to 2023, Chrome Pictures expresses gratitude to its dedicated team, partners and the audience for their unwavering support. The production house looks forward to continuing its journey of innovation, storytelling and excellence in the years to come!

    Film Links –

    1. Trial Period – Official Trailer | Genelia Deshmukh | Manav Kaul | Streaming Free 21 July | JioCinema

    2. VI #BeSomeonesWe -#BeSomeonesVi | VI | CHROME PICTURES Director: Amit Sharma,

    #BeSomeonesWe | VI | CHROME PICTURES Director: Amit Sharma

    BeSomeonesWe | VI | CHROME PICTURES Director: Amit Sharma

    #BeSomeonesWe | VI | CHROME PICTURES Director: Amit Sharma

    3. Astral Pipes #AccessToWater – https://youtu.be/Ru48Xrx12qI? Feature=shared

    4. The Toothless Granny | Colgate Strong Teeth | CHROME PICTURES Director: Amit Sharma

    5. Digital India Ka TATA IPL | JioCinema | CHROME PICTURES Director: Rai

    6. Not Aaaahh! | Lever Ayush | CHROME PICTURES Director: Amit Sharma

    7. #LoveYourselfBoldly | Titan Raga | CHROME PICTURES Director: Amit Sharma

    8. Hum Kaagaz Se Zyaada, Neeyat Dekhte Hain | Piramal Finance| CHROME PICTURES Director: Hemant Bhandari

    9. #KaamyabiKeRangDikhao | Glow & Lovely | CHROME PICTURES Director: Hemant Bhandari

    10. Sab Nichord Le #MatThak | Limca | CHROME PICTURES Director: Hemant Bhandari

    11. #ZindagiKeLiyeSIP | HDFC Mutual Fund | CHROME PICTURES Director: Advait Chandan

    12. Sar Utha Kadam Badha- Flite | Relaxo | CHROME PICTURES Director: Advait Chandan

    13. Asian Paints #MeraWalaMood – #MeraWalaMood | Asian Paints | CHROME PICTURES Director: Advait Chandan

    #MeraWalaMood | Asian Paints | CHROME PICTURES Director: Advait Chandan

    #MeraWalaMood | Asian Paints | CHROME PICTURES Director: Advait Chandan

    #MeraWalaMood | Asian Paints | CHROME PICTURES Director: Advait Chandan

    #MeraWalaMood | Asian Paints | CHROME PICTURES Director: Advait Chandan

    #MeraWalaMood | Asian Paints | CHROME PICTURES Director: Advait Chandan

    14. Tell me something new! | EPIGAMIA | CHROME PICTURES Director Roopali Singhal

    15. It’S Chocolate, Chocolate, Chocolate | Britannia | CHROME PICTURES Director: Roopali Singhal

    16. IndusInd Bank presents INDIE | IndusInd Bank | CHROME PICTURES Director: Roopali Singhal

    17. Bharosa chuno | Astral Pipes | CHROME PICTURES Director: Rai

    18. #BrothersWhoCare | Cadbury Celebrations | CHROME PICTURES Director: Rai

    19. Digital India Ka TATA IPL | JioCinema | CHROME PICTURES Director: Rai

    20. “Is a masterpiece!” | Lipton Darjeeling Tea | CHROME PICTURES Director: Debanjolie Bhattacharjee

    21. MTR Badam Milk | MTR Foods | MINIKIN DGWORKS Director: Mithun R Shaw

    22. #StopTheBeautyTest | DOVE | CHROME PICTURES Director: Amit Sharma

    23. Truecaller – Buri Nazar Waale Tera Call Laal | Dir. Amit Sharma

  • GUEST ARTICLE: Why do brands need to be more vigilant about brand infringement attacks?

    GUEST ARTICLE: Why do brands need to be more vigilant about brand infringement attacks?

    Mumbai: The meaning of brand safety has evolved over time for marketers. In traditional marketing, a marketer’s focus was to ensure their trademarks and copyrights were protected.

    When it came to brand safety, brands primarily focused on making sure their advertisements appeared in a safe environment.

    With the evolution of the digital era, things became complicated for brands. Today, brand safety is more than just safe ad placement. It has grown to the point where it is necessary to take the right measures to combat infringement attackers who target unsuspecting and trusting customers of the brand.

    The evolution of threats in the digital era

    As digital technology took a revolutionary leap, fraudsters also took bigger and smarter steps to con marketers. They have used the digital realm as a medium to steal the trademarks and intellectual property of brands and use them against them.

    In most cases, this digital theft leads to the theft of money or information from people who are loyal to the brand.

    The fraudsters look for one loophole to seep through the brand’s protected assets and use them for their own benefit. And with the evolution of the digital arena, fraudsters are becoming smarter. With time, infringement attacks have gone beyond just tampering with the intellectual property of a brand.

    Some of the evolving infringement threats looming on the brands are:

    ATO attacks: The fraudsters have mastered the skill to replicate and misuse the brand’s domain, website, and logo. They have broadened their level of attacks from just intellectual properties to stealing the brand’s consumer data.

    One of the highest-growing infringement threats to brands is account takeover attacks, where a fraudster gets access to a person’s online account. Generally, the fraudster takes over the account of the user and locks them out of their own account. According to a recent report, ATO attacks have increased by up to 90 per cent in the past two years.

    The consequences of the ATO attacks are not limited to consumer data leaks. It leads to the brand losing the trust of a loyal customer. When a user’s account is compromised, they are unable to access the brand’s website or services.

    The user’s data is a gold mine for fraudsters, as they use it to steal payment details and make purchases. Either the money is directly taken from the accounts or the points on shopping sites and apps are used to buy goods and services.

    While the pandemic has caused a surge in ATO attacks, it has also made it necessary for brands to be more vigilant to protect their consumers’ data. To bring trust and safety to the entire customer experience journey, brands must take charge and ensure consumer data protection.

    Fake customer care numbers: Fraudsters have hacked not only consumer data but also brand customer service numbers. With the growing demand for being online, brands have started putting their customer care numbers online. And the con artists have discovered yet another winning pot from which to profit.

    The number of cases where people have been duped by a fake customer care executive has increased. When a consumer searches for the number online, they find the customer care number available. But here is the catch.

    The fraudsters put fake customer care numbers under the name of a legitimate brand. And when consumers call on these numbers, they are often fooled into transferring money.

    Eventually, the fraudster gets the money, the consumer loses the money, and the brand name used to dupe them loses its reputation without their knowledge.

    Spam emails: The search engine is no longer necessary because fraudsters can now enter the inbox without raising suspicion. The fraudsters can use a brand’s email template, and logo to reach out to their consumers, just like a legitimate brand. In most cases, they lure users with things like an “extravagant offer” or an “urgent message” to take quick action.

    Usually, the user is either asked to share their personal information in exchange for the offer or asked to download an app or visit a website. When the user takes the action, the fraudsters get access to their information and can misuse it for their own gain.

    This is a wake up call

    As digital marketing is set to take new leaps, cyber risks are also looming in the digital era, which is going to impact both brands and their loyal consumers. And with the growing threats, the need for brands to incorporate a shield for their new digital world has become a necessity. Thus, the brands have to go beyond the traditional definition of brand safety. To uphold the brand’s reputation, the brands have to focus on a solution to protect not just their brand but also their consumers and stakeholders.

    The author of this article is mFilterIt director and co-founder Amit Relan.

  • GUEST ARTICLE: Artificial intelligence: The key ingredient to boost the growth of the advertising industry

    GUEST ARTICLE: Artificial intelligence: The key ingredient to boost the growth of the advertising industry

    Mumbai: For a layman, the term “artificial intelligence” is usually associated with robots and voice assistant software like Alexa and Siri or Elon Musk’s self-driving cars. Many people don’t think about the scope of AI beyond these concepts. However, the aforementioned use cases of AI are just the tip of the iceberg.

    In reality, the power of AI cannot be summarised in a few words or applications, as an infinite number of AI-enabled tools and interfaces are working behind the scenes to make the lives of consumers and other stakeholders a lot easier.

    This is especially true in the business world. AI has played a pivotal role in putting products and services in front of potential customers through social media or other means, even though it wasn’t widely recognised or understood. An impactful form of marketing, AI-enabled advertisements present themselves before customers only after learning and assessing their online preferences, shopping behaviour, and other necessary inputs.

    And soon, the fast-emerging advertising industry realised that the days of manually asking for customer inputs are behind us, as AI can do this job in the background. This was just the beginning of an AI hurricane that swept the advertising world off its feet. Automation technology evolved, and so did its applications.

    Against this backdrop, we will discuss AI’s role in the advertising industry and its advantages in-depth. Without further ado, let’s dive in!

    The emergence of adtech: A comprehensive overview

    If there’s one industry with a genuine case of AI fever, that is advertising, aka adtech. From the desktop sidebar ads in the 1990s to mobile advertising and the user recognition capabilities of CTV marketing, the advertising industry has evolved dramatically over the past two decades. Everywhere the eye can see today is likely an advertisement. One can thank the internet and new technologies like AI and ML (machine learning) for this drastic change.

    Gradually, as remote access to stable internet connections and the widespread distribution of smartphones and smart televisions increased, the pathway to video and online ads became clearer. Some significant industry experts believe that the launch of the iPhone and the consequent smartphone market growth played a considerable role in augmenting the acceleration of adtech, specifically online advertising.

    A 2021 InMobi report revealed that programmatic mobile video ads had registered a 194 per cent increase in India. This proves the widespread adoption of video ads as a more effective source of advertising than others, as they are better at connecting and engaging with the audience. But this is just one example of the new wave that enveloped the advertising industry and pushed it toward the path of unprecedented success.

    The latest tools and approaches are taking the adtech world by storm

    Interactive ads: Going over and beyond

    Interactive advertising is a contemporary marketing technique that enhances customer participation. The primary focus is to ensure that consumers engage with and interact with the ad, directly or indirectly, and provide real-time feedback on the relevant campaign. The idea is to not limit the audience from viewing the ad but to make them feel its presence and relevance. There are different ways to implement interactive advertising. Here are a few pioneering examples:

    1. 3D impact: A solution that offers immersive experiences to consumers by leveraging advanced animations to deliver multiple messages in one video. Utilising this, advertisers can improve customer brand recall, enhance the ROI, and make a high impact.

    2. 3D wobble: A solution that delivers compact and efficient information through a comprehensive UX powerhouse. It adds a noteworthy twist to ads and increases user engagement, brand conversion ratio, and click through rate (CTR).

    3. Shoppable unit: A solution that appears as a deck inside a conversational flow. It allows customers to swipe and check out the sequence of product images. This is an effective solution for brands gearing up to streamline their sales and marketing strategies.

    CTV advertising: Think bigger

    Connected TV advertising (CTV) is a type of advertising approach placed on any smart TV with the facility to connect to the internet. CTV essentially depends on a large TV screen, which enables advertisers to engage audiences in a linear TV-like environment.

    It allows advertisers to create a one-to-many relationship with the audience (propelled by co-viewing) compared to other advertising methods where advertisers establish a one-on-one relationship with their target customer base. There are several ways to implement CTV advertising. Here are a few suggestions:

    1. Split screen: The split screen technology offers viewers a non-disruptive, non-intrusive, side-by-side creative display. This ensures that consumers don’t miss any key details or pay attention to the content they are consuming while consciously or subconsciously watching the display ad.

    2. Brand assimilation: By harnessing the power of mighty brand assimilation, advertisers can manipulate visual effects and place brands in a place where they get seen by customers seamlessly and effortlessly.

    3. Persuasive overlay: This approach includes a contextualised and commercial interactive video that connects with the audience through powerful content. The video is created in such a fashion that consumers can quickly connect the display with the brand.

    Wrapping up

    The use cases, solutions, and approaches mentioned above clearly demonstrate that AI is not the distant future of adtech but its present. This remarkable technology plays a crucial role in helping advertisers deliver highly engaging and non-intrusive ads while providing incremental revenue to publishers. Additionally, given that AI can automatically generate the ad while keeping customer preference in mind, advertisers don’t need to engage their manual workforce for such tasks and can easily concoct their next ad campaign.

    AI has made it incredibly easy for advertisers to leverage its many benefits while simultaneously saving money and optimising efficiency to a noteworthy extent. Adequately handling this can improve the overall effectiveness and ROI of ad campaigns, making the entire concept more rewarding.

    The author of this article is VDO.AI founder and CEO Amitt Sharma.

  • MIB advises digital publishers, private channels against broadcast of online betting ads

    MIB advises digital publishers, private channels against broadcast of online betting ads

    Mumbai : The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting ( MIB) has advised digital media publishers, OTT platforms and private TV channels to refrain from broadcasting advertisements of online betting platforms and/or their surrogate news websites or any such product/service depicting these platforms in a surrogate manner. 

    The Ministry has observed that promotional content and advertisements of betting platforms are still visible on certain news platforms and OTT platforms. 

    The online advertisement intermediaries have also been advised not to target such advertisements towards the Indian audience. 

    The circular said ,”The advisory had been issued for the reason that betting and gambling is prohibited in most parts of the country, and pose significant financial and socio-economic risk for the consumers, especially youth and children. Accordingly, the promotion of offline or online betting/gambling through advertisements is not advised in larger public interest.”

    The ministry also observed that some online offshore betting platforms have started using news websites as a surrogate product to advertise betting platforms on digital media.

    “Betting and gambling is an illegal activity in most parts of India. In accordance with the Paragraph 9 of the Guidelines for Prevention of Misleading Advertisements and Endorsements for Misleading Advertisements 2022 under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, it has been 
    observed that since betting and gambling is illegal, advertisements of online offshore betting and gambling platforms are prohibited,” the note said.

    The ministry reminded that according to the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules 2021,  advertisements of betting platforms, being an illegal activity, can not be shown on digital media.

    “In respect of the advertisements of the surrogate news websites operated by the online betting platforms, it may be mentioned that the logos of the concerned news websites are strikingly similar to the betting platform”, the note said.

    The concerned betting platforms and the corresponding news websites are also not registered with any legal authority under Indian laws. “Accordingly. the online offshore betting platforms appear to be promoting betting and gambling under the garb of news as surrogate advertising.”

    The Department of Consumer Affairs has also informed that online betting platforms have been advertising themselves as professional sports blogs, sports news websites, etc. while providing an indicative list of online betting platforms which are using news for surrogate advertising. 

    “The provisions of the Guidelines for Prevention of Misleading  Advertisements and Endorsements for Misleading Advertisements 2022 under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019 read with the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules 2021, it is informed that advertisements of concerned news websites, which are infact surrogate advertisements for online offshore betting platforms, do not appear to 
    be in strict conformity with these laws,” the ministry said.

  • Guest Article: Is Fem-vertising really working to sell products

    Guest Article: Is Fem-vertising really working to sell products

    Mumbai: It’s an established fact that advertising has a larger role than simply selling products. Advertising mirrors society and also encourages people to embrace change. But this change is only visible in recent times. Observe how women were portrayed in advertising a few years ago. Mostly as housewives, doing chores at home, cooking for their families and finding happiness in being appreciated for the same. Or objectified as sex symbols to gain instant attention. It’s only in recent times that advertising has taken it upon itself to change the narrative and show women in a different light. Building an inclusive world is the responsibility of everyone, and advertising plays a clear role in encouraging society to look at the world through a better set of eyes.

    Femvertising is the kind of advertising strategy that employs women in a different light. Using an empowering tone of voice, these ads are breaking the norm and displaying a more progressive and gender-free world. In India specifically, these campaigns are breaking conventional ideas around gender equality, patriarchal mindsets, and other commonly held notions. A lot of these campaigns have won awards and been applauded on social media. “BreaktheBias” by Titan, “#ShareTheLoad” by Ariel, and “#MyChoice” by Vogue are just a few of the notable efforts made by advertisers. These advertisements are pitched like beacons. They fuel the conversation about how women should really be portrayed. The current wave of femvertising is riding on a woke generation’s mindset to call out societal fallacies. It is also built on the premise of wanting to promote a more authentic and real image of women and their lives.

    And while these campaigns definitely get their fair share of attention, I wonder if they have a larger impact than the buzz that they create. Is this simply a brand-building tactic that creates a positive aura around the brand, or is there a real intent to change society? How do these campaigns impact the primary objective of advertising? Do they really lead to short-term and long-term sales? Or is the message too far removed from the product?

    Research has shown that a lot of people who see these advertisements find them engaging and interesting. They appreciate the message being conveyed but do not necessarily support or purchase the product being advertised. Which takes one back to the basic theory of advertising. Advertising is meant to inspire and cultivate a certain kind of lifestyle. It is meant to reflect an ideal. One that everyone secretly wants. At a subconscious level, advertising generates desire. It fulfils a need or a pain that people have. In its bid to be hyper realistic, does femvertising lose out on the appeal and aspiration that advertising has traditionally been hinged on? Watching a curvaceous real body instead of an airbrushed and photoshopped one is surely endearing, but is it aspirational? Does it make me want to buy the brand to fulfil a deeper desire to become something other than myself?

    Also, what about sales? I was recently caught by surprise when I saw a steel brand advertising the concept of “Nari Shakti.” While the ad was interesting and engaging, I wonder if it had any relevance to the target audience of the category? The ad was successful in building credibility for the brand, but I doubt it led to any jump in sales at all.

    A lot of brands have jumped onto the bandwagon of femvertising without understanding the basics. It has become a fad that wins awards and gets viral on social media. Today it is femvertising, and tomorrow it may be another trend that advertisers will pick up on to create a buzz. However, this cannot be said for all brands. There are some noteworthy campaigns that have cleverly woven together the product and brand characteristics with the narrative of the ad. Vim’s “Nazariya Badlo, Dekho Bartano se Aage” has cleverly used the product in its storyline when a man tries to ‘help’ his prospective bride in the kitchen, while she offers to ‘help’ him back with cleaning the dishes. It’s a clear message of a balance of roles and responsibilities while also incorporating the product into the story.

    Views on femvertising are mixed. A lot of critics reprimand advertising agencies for promoting this kind of advertising to win awards and to increase visibility on special days like Women’s Day or Mother’s Day. While there are several brands that use femvertising in interesting ways. I wonder if femvertising is here to stay, or is it a passing wave? Is it truly having an impact on society and changing how women are perceived, or is it simply a shallow tactic to generate more likes, shares, and buzz in the media? I’m hoping that there are more brands that create relatable and inspiring content that reflects society and also encourages change in more authentic ways.

    The author of this article is Jigsaw Brand Consultants founder Rutu Mody Kamdar.

  • GUEST COLUMN: Online gaming is India’s fastest growing digital entertainment

    GUEST COLUMN: Online gaming is India’s fastest growing digital entertainment

    Mumbai: Entertainment has become democratised and accessible as a necessity for all walks of life in India. In today’s ‘Digital India,’ the average Indian has found solace in some form of online gaming at some point in time during the day. There are various types of gamers, ranging from hyper-casual to strategic games to real-money gaming. The surge in the online gaming ecosystem in India has validated that Indians have definitely selected online gaming as a medium of entertainment. The common motivation to entertain across OTT and gaming remains constant across all media, old and new: it is a temporary escape from reality.

    The pandemic saw an unprecedented increase in gaming activity, especially on old favourites like ludo, carrom or any other classic board game on their mobile to enjoy playing with friends and family. The soon-to-be multi-billion dollar online gaming industry has a lot to offer in terms of the diversity of products, services, technological developments, job opportunities, and more.

    Although it still faces perspective biases in India from key sections of society on issues ranging from addiction to taboo, the behavioural shift of the consumer is here to stay. There are valid concerns surrounding the stigma of gaming being harmful or dangerous owing to investments of time or money, depending on the segment of the users, and the ecosystem will need to work with key government stakeholders to address that.

    Needless to say, anything in excess has adverse effects, be it binge eating, shopping or gaming. This brings in the need for higher levels of self-control from a user, which can happen if more power is shifted to the user’s hands. Spain has recently mooted the idea of making it mandatory for all real-money gaming businesses to ensure that players select options on time and money limits at the beginning of every week so that they stick to their limits. Since it is hard to unilaterally shift power back to the players owing to a conflict of business interests, there is a need for regulations and policies to force operators to do so.

    These issues don’t necessarily stem only from real money gaming, as there have been numerous reported unfortunate incidents of young children and families being impacted by other forms of online gaming, such as first person shooter games. India will need to come up with some kind of framework to address various segments of the gaming ecosystem to ensure that these businesses remain a mode of entertainment and not an unaccounted escape from reality. Having said that, there are some self-regulatory bodies that are proactively trying to keep operators in check by adhering to certain standards of integrity, transparency, and responsible play for users. While these are the right steps in the right direction, there needs to be more to follow.

    With significant financial integration in online gaming, cyber fraud, foreign capital flow, the nature of advertisements, etc., have been major pain points to solve. Industry players have been on their toes and have put these issues much ahead of anyone on their radar. Like every growing industry, there is a need for incubation and support rather than rejection. In terms of annual mobile game app downloads, India leads the global charts behind China. The sector is a significant contributor to the economy and is set to create more than 12,000 new job opportunities by 2023. While the industry is mature and has put self-regulatory measures in place, it is important to build and develop a robust framework in collaboration with the government, not only to sustain, boost, and track growth but also to check irregularities and unfair practices that are detrimental to the Indian gamer.

    The author of this article is Head Digital Works vice president – business strategy Siddharth Sharma.

  • GUEST ARTICLE: How is B2B influencer marketing emerging as a trend in the marketing space?

    GUEST ARTICLE: How is B2B influencer marketing emerging as a trend in the marketing space?

    Mumbai: Influencer marketing is extremely popular in the B2B arena, owing to the fact that customers trust experts more than advertisements. However, the worldwide pandemic has brought new challenges for B2B marketers. Marketing strategies have shifted as the customer and industry environments have changed post-Covid. Companies are also seeing lower marketing spending, which is expected to continue. In addition to such market dynamics, marketing teams are under growing pressure to continuously offer business value and significant outcomes.

    Gartner’s annual CMO Spend Survey has found global marketing budgets now equate to just 6.4 per cent of overall company revenue, down from 11 per cent previously. As a result, marketers must accomplish more with less. These challenging times create a compelling opportunity to redesign influencers in the B2B marketing strategy and think creatively, tactically, and comprehensively. Companies may establish high-impact, scalable, and long-term relationships that add value to the organisation. B2B influencer campaigns have greater reach and confidence with possible buyers, who are more receptive and accepting of information coming from a neutral and reputable source.

    Without a question, the B2B marketing sector will be quite fascinating in the next few years. The reliance on digital interaction, experience, and an increasing tendency toward B2B e-commerce will undoubtedly continue. Data from Salesforce’s seventh annual State of Marketing report shows that 44 per cent of B2B marketers have ‘completely changed’ their marketing channel mix since the pandemic began to meet new challenges. Furthermore, content will continue to play a prominent role, experiences will be everything, and the function of influencers in digital media will become much more significant. B2B marketers must shift away from brand-centric marketing experiences and toward customer-centric marketing experiences.

    Advertisers are increasingly looking for experiences that can attract, engage, and transform the buyer in the driver’s seat. Some B2B marketers are already successfully leveraging partnerships with the industry’s most trusted voices, aka influencers. The reach and efficacy of B2B influencer marketing in obtaining brand awareness and buyer attention are now significantly greater than traditional marketing tactics. 84 per cent of B2B marketers work with influencers to create brand awareness and 69 per cent of B2B marketers work with influencers to help generate new leads (according to the State of B2B Influencer Marketing Research Report). This is why, as part of their brand marketing, prominent businesses from a wide range of industries are partnering with leading industry influencers across both digital and traditional platforms.

    Due to the significant digital change in B2B buying choices, the relevance of engaging influencer marketing has grown in the industry. Buyers rely on these trustworthy sources to educate and influence their purchasing decisions. The B2B marketing business anticipates a stronger focus on digital engagement, experience, and growth in the next few years. Content will continue to play an important part in this area, and experience and impact will be more prominent than ever. Considering this trend, B2B companies must leverage influencer relationships to build experiences that attract, engage, and convert customers in a way that promotes long-term trust and loyalty.

    People have shown an interest in learning more about influencer marketing during the last several years. B2B marketers should be on the lookout for this possibility because it will be a trend in the near future. As the primary source, it will be one of the fastest-growing client acquisition strategies. Working with recognized influencers in the company may give considerable prospects for promoting to prospective buyers.

    People have raised an interest in learning more about influencer marketing during the last several years. B2B marketers should be on the lookout for this possibility because it will be a trend in the near future. As the primary source, it will be one of the fastest-growing client acquisition strategies. Working with recognized influencers in the company may give considerable prospects for promoting to prospective buyers.

    The author of the article is The Girlfriend Box co-founder Vaibhav Pathak.

  • GUEST COLUMN: Five ways digital attribution can improve CTV & OTT advertising return on ad-spend

    GUEST COLUMN: Five ways digital attribution can improve CTV & OTT advertising return on ad-spend

    Mumbai: CTV/OTT viewership has exploded in India since the start of the pandemic, opening a new market of opportunities for advertisers. Combining the best of digital and traditional linear TV advertising, CTV/OTT advertising has become marketers’ favourites because of its ability to reach the right audience at the right time. These platforms provide advertisers with easy access to a vast pool of active buyers with high purchasing power.

    It is estimated that more than 500 million Indians are already consuming OTT content. The number of CTV (connected TV) users is expected to reach 80 million households or nearly 320 million users by 2025. As linear TVs continue to lose viewers’ attention, advertisers are scrambling to make the most of the rising CTV/OTT viewership. This has also led to an increase in the amount of money spent on advertising on CTV/OTT, especially by B2B marketers.

    In the OTT and CTV spaces, marketers have the advantage of clear targets, ideal buyer profiles, and clear-cut targeting strategies. While some other factors may affect the overall impact of CTV and OTT campaigns, these platforms also help in improving the return on ad spend (ROAS) through the right digital attribution.

    Here are five ways in which digital attribution can help improve the ROAS:

    Identifies customer touchpoints better

    Marketers have to engage with customers at multiple touchpoints for successful conversions. In video campaigns, it is not easy to identify the exact touchpoint at which the viewer decides to convert.

    Advertisers must have a comprehensive understanding of the customers’ journey for better ROAS. This issue can be mitigated by adopting multi-touch digital attribution for CTV/OTT, as it will enable the advertiser to locate the touchpoint that triggered the conversion. Such knowledge will empower them to reduce ad spend wastage.

    Filters out non-performing tactics

    Through conventional attribution, specific campaigns walk away with sales and conversion credit without giving an insight into what parameters actually worked. This technique fails to take into account that some of the sales may be due to repeat customers or old customers who may have restarted their services. For CTV/OTT, conventional attribution will fail to give the real picture as advertisers use multiple tactics to drive conversions. Digital attribution can help identify the exact ways that resulted in sales on CTV/OTT. It will enable advertisers to focus more on winning tactics and avoid unnecessary ad spending on non-performing strategies.

    Real-time optimisation

    CTV/OTT metrics provide real-time data on customer responses to ad campaigns, allowing marketers to make in-the-moment adjustments. If something is not working, advertisers can withdraw the campaign and launch its alternative or improved version in real time. Digital attribution plays an important role here by enabling advertisers to identify the highest-performing tactics and make adjustments in real time. For example, during live streaming of a new movie on CTV/OTT, if a 30-second video ad is outperforming a 60-second creative, the advertiser can use this data to allocate more budget towards the better-performing 30-second campaign rather than giving in to the length of a video campaign.

    Targets the right audience

    The CTV and OTT streaming markets have exploded since the pandemic. As a large part of the population was confined indoors due to lockdowns, the demand for new entertainment platforms and content also increased. The availability of cheaper data across the country further amplified viewership on OTT and CTV. The surge in OTT/CTV content demand gave advertisers access to a massive new audience.

    However, it has also become important to segment audience attributes for better targeting. With the right attribution, advertisers can easily segment customer databases to identify at which stage of the purchase the customer is actually converted.

    Identifies “buy signals” more accurately

    One of the most common differentiators between a successful and unsuccessful marketer is their ability to identify the “buy signal” from a prospective customer. The “buy signal” on CTV/OTT is an action or behaviour indicating a viewer is ready to become a customer. The actual sale often takes place much after the campaign is over. The right attribution can help in identifying the buy signal correctly. It will further enable marketers to match their strategy with sales insights to optimise the campaign for better results.

    To sum up

    Converting sales from a digital campaign requires slick digital attribution. This beats conventional ad-based tracking. It not only provides precise data points where the customer is most likely to convert, but it also provides insights into consumer purchasing behaviours. A modern world needs more contemporary digital attribution techniques, and we are already ready with one.

    The author is VDO.AI founder and CEO Amitt Sharma.

  • Royal Enfield’s new ad-film kindles the joy of returning home

    Royal Enfield’s new ad-film kindles the joy of returning home

    Mumbai: Royal Enfield has rolled out a new digital film capturing the joy of returning home after a long journey alone.

    The film called ‘Home‘ is conceptualised and executed by Mumbai-based production house Coconut Films and was taken up by Royal Enfield. It follows a sole rider’s journey through Ladakh on a motorcycle, the wheels mapping out the circle of life beneath them.

    The film, which is extensively shot in the beautiful locales of Ladakh, touches upon various emotions and feelings attached to returning to one’s safe haven- one’s home. It captures a solo traveller’s emotions and what she feels through her journey back home like reminiscing the good old days and light-hearted moments that are experienced by her while travelling a long distance on her bike. It strikes a connection with its core message : ‘Going the distance is not about how far away you will get, but from what length you’re willing to return.’

    Targeting all biking enthusiasts, the film has been released digitally across all social media platforms.

    Shedding light on producing and shooting Royal Enfield’s new brand film, Coconut Films co-founder, Tushar Raut said, the team has put its soul into making the film. “The campaign idea was born out of conversations with our team which has a lot of biking enthusiasts. They all beamed a common passion around the bike, its looks and its performance. One thing we knew was to let the story emote itself while showing the bike in all its glory and yet create a narrative that touches the audience’s heart. As for the music, the choice of the folkloric vocals and background music is like an uplifting crescendo that gives a charismatic, authentic touch to the film,” he said.

    Speaking about the film, Royal Enfield, global head of marketing, Shubhranshu Singh said, “As a brand we welcome creative expression and are fortunate to be at the heart of an evolved community of gifted creators. ‘Home’ is an evocative piece of content by Coconut Films that tells a heartfelt story in a very authentic manner”.

    Speaking about the film, director, Aiman Ali said, “Seldom, we get to do projects crafted with so much perseverance, honesty, and love. Shooting at one of the humblest places in the world – Ladakh, and exploring the raw beauty and wholehearted emotions of its people was a side we hadn’t seen before. Their way of life made us wonder if we are missing a point when we say we need to go the distance in life. Maybe at times going the distance could mean taking a step back, towards your roots. This introspection is what fuelled our latest project ‘Home’ for the Royal Enfield Himalayan”.