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Tag: analytics

  • Climate-conscious marketing startup bags $2m to fix advertising’s waste problem

    Climate-conscious marketing startup bags $2m to fix advertising’s waste problem

    MUMBAI: Nearly two-fifths of the $1 trillion sloshed around global advertising each year vanishes into the ether—wasted on botched targeting, feeble creative and sheer duplication. Climaty AI reckons it can plug the leak.
    The Dubai-based startup, which bills itself as the world’s first “CliMarTech” company, has secured $2m in early-stage funding led by Turbostart to build what it calls an agentic AI ecosystem—self-learning marketing infrastructure that optimises campaigns in real time whilst measuring their carbon footprint.

    Founded by Neel Pandya, former chief executive of AI startup Pixis (which he helped scale to $225m in funding), Climaty AI deploys four AI-powered agents—Campaign Builder, Creator, Optimizer and Analytics—to automate the grunt work and free media planners to focus on strategy rather than spreadsheets.

    The funding will bankroll expansion across Asia-Pacific, EMEA, Britain and north America, where demand for sustainable marketing is climbing. Climaty AI has already run pilots with Opella and tested its platform across edtech, consumer healthcare, automotive and consumer goods sectors.

    “Marketing platforms of the future will combine performance with accountability. Climaty AI is shaping this new standard with CliMarTech and agentic AI,” said Bengaluru-based venture and accelerator fund Turbostart founder Ganesh Raju. 

    Pandya, who spent two decades at L’Oréal, Vodafone and GroupM before diving into AI, argued that the most successful brands will treat accountability as a performance driver rather than a cost centre. “Agentic AI and sustainability are at the core of everything we do,” he said.

    The pitch: smarter campaigns, measurable results, and a smaller carbon footprint—performance and responsibility in one package. Whether agencies and brands buy it remains to be seen, but with $370 billion going up in smoke annually, there’s certainly room for improvement.

  • DoubleVerify unveils GenAI protection to shield brands from low-quality AI content

    DoubleVerify unveils GenAI protection to shield brands from low-quality AI content

    MUMBAI: The leading software platform for digital media measurement, data, and analytics DoubleVerify (DV) announced the launch of its generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) website avoidance and detection solution. This innovative offering helps advertisers navigate the risks posed by low-quality, AI-generated content and protect their brand reputation online.

    According to DV’s  2024 Global Insights Trends Report, 54 per cent of marketers believe that generative artificial intelligence negatively impacts media quality. DV has identified numerous long-tail websites that leverage GenAI tools to churn out low-quality content, often rife with errors, editorial inconsistencies and plagiarism. With DV’s GenAI solution, clients can seamlessly enable post-bid monitoring within their brand suitability profile and employ DV authentic brand suitability across leading DSPs for pre-bid avoidance.

    “Advertisers are focused on maximising campaign performance while ensuring that their ads appear within suitable environments that align with their brand,” said DoubleVerify CEO Mark Zagorski. “By expanding DV’s brand suitability solutions to identify low-quality, AI-generated content, we’re empowering advertisers to stay ahead in a rapidly evolving ecosystem.”

    DV uses a nuanced approach to classify websites within its GenAI websites category. The company evaluates sites and subdomains predominantly exhibiting AI-generated, low-quality content with minimal human oversight. Poor quality signals include repetitive cookie-cutter formats, chatbot-generated text within articles, placeholder content, and other markers that may concern advertisers.

    Powered by proprietary detection technology that combines AI-driven analysis with human expertise, DV’s GenAI solution ensures precision in identifying and categorising low-quality content. Importantly, websites that use generative AI responsibly and maintain reasonable quality standards are not categorised, allowing advertisers to balance quality reach with suitability.

    DV’s category-based implementation streamlines activation and ensures dynamic updates, eliminating the manual effort of maintaining inclusion and exclusion lists. This approach enables advertisers to stay ahead of the ever-growing landscape of low-quality, AI-generated content.

    In addition, aligning pre-bid controls with post-bid measurement offers advertisers a comprehensive media authentication strategy. Pre-bid protection evaluates content before impressions are transacted to support the delivery of ads to appropriate environments. Post-bid measurement analyzes content after impressions are purchased, offering advertisers insights into suitable ad delivery. This dual approach helps brands optimize future campaigns and media investment decisions.

    Currently, DV’s GenAI classification applies to English-language content with plans to launch across other languages in the future. 

  • Our AI growth engine gives brands the ability to scale their marketing with full confidence: Amitek Sinha

    Our AI growth engine gives brands the ability to scale their marketing with full confidence: Amitek Sinha

    Mumbai: We live in a digital era where everything is driven by data and analytics. With increasing competition, becoming visible to the intended customers has become very crucial for brands vying for the audience’s attention. In such a scenario, several digital marketing agencies are emerging on the scene. But the ones doing a commendable job at helping brands scale up their size and presence are far and few.

    Incepted in the year 2013, Etml is headquartered in Saket, New Delhi. Its founder & CEO, Raghav Kansal, was in his third year of college when he started his first venture, Edulution Technologies, with a couple of friends intended to be an online portal solely catering to engineering students and aspirants. It was started in 2010 and was operated till mid-2013. The ride wasn’t very smooth for the team and the business was not picking steam despite the website getting a decent traction. Raghav still wasn’t disheartened and decided to give entrepreneurship another go. The good thing that came out of his maiden venture was that in the process of promoting his business online, Raghav took up an active interest in the digital marketing space.

    Indiantelevision.com’s Rohin Ramesh caught up with Etml co-founder & COO Amitek Sinha where he discussed how data when coupled with a hyper growth attitude can radically transform the way companies acquire and grow with high value customers.

    Edited excerpts

    On some key factors that contributed to your success since the company’s inception in 2013

    Our success at ETML, since we started in 2013, comes down to one simple truth: it’s in our DNA. The core of everything we do revolves around People, Process, and Data. Data, especially, is what drives us—it’s the backbone of our approach and the reason we’ve been able to build data models and testing frameworks that deliver exceptional advertising ROI for our clients.

    The journey always starts with a solid data strategy and monitoring framework because, as we like to say, “what you can’t measure, you can’t improve.” It’s about digging deep into insights, studying customer behavior, and setting the right KPIs. Once we’ve laid that foundation, we focus on strategizing the best mix of audiences, channels, funnels, experiments, creatives, and messaging. And then comes the part where we bring it all to life with seamless execution—because without great execution, even the best plans fall flat.

    But it’s not just about data. It’s also the people behind the scenes—our team includes brilliant minds from IITs and top-tier engineering schools. Their expertise enables us to identify gaps, design smart experiments, and prescribe solutions that help businesses grow. Our process is rooted in a deep understanding of what works, and our track record shows it—whether it’s boosting revenue, improving ROI, or scaling brands across verticals.

    The businesses we work with have seen impressive results, from double- to triple-digit growth, and that’s what drives us to keep innovating. It’s a combination of building the right strategy, understanding the needs of the business, and executing flawlessly that has helped us become one of the fastest-growing digital agencies today.

    On technologies helping your clients achieve sustainable growth

    At ETML, we’ve built our success on innovation, and Adbytzz 2.0 is a perfect example of that. It’s our proprietary tool that brings together more than a decade of digital marketing experience, powered by both AI and human intelligence. Adbytzz 2.0 connects a brand’s data across all key marketing channels—campaigns, creatives, CRM systems, and more—into one central system. This allows us to deeply analyze and optimize every step of the customer journey, from the first click to the final purchase.

    What really sets Adbytzz 2.0 apart is its ability to continually fine-tune everything—audiences, platforms, creatives, you name it. This constant optimization has helped our clients achieve real results, like a 20% boost in revenue for a financial conglomerate and a 1.6x increase in leads for India’s top real estate group.

    Our AI growth engine gives brands the ability to predict and scale their marketing with full confidence. It’s not just about generating more traffic; it’s about growing smarter, optimizing budgets, and ensuring long-term success. In short, Adbytzz 2.0 allows us to take all the moving parts of digital marketing, streamline them, and deliver sustainable growth that our clients can rely on.

    On partnerships helping you stay ahead in the competitive digital landscape

    Being a Google Partner and Facebook Marketing Partner really helps us stay ahead of the game in the competitive digital landscape. These partnerships give us early access to new features, tools, and beta programs, which means we get to try out the latest innovations before they’re available to everyone else. This lets us offer our clients fresh strategies and cutting-edge solutions that keep them ahead of the curve.

    What’s also great is the direct support we receive from both Google and Facebook. When we’re tackling complex strategies or need quick solutions, having dedicated experts on hand is a huge advantage. It ensures that we’re always optimizing our campaigns to the fullest.

    Plus, these partnerships mean our team is constantly getting top-notch training, so we’re always up to date with the latest platform changes and best practices. All of this helps us deliver more effective, data-driven strategies that keep our clients ahead of their competition and drive real results.

    On the future of Etml

    We are targeting a very specific spot in the realm of digital marketing and we intend to grow in this niche. All our actions are planned and executed to progress one step at a time  towards our goal.

    Looking ahead, the next big step for Etml is international domination. We’ve already established a strong presence with offices in Dubai and Singapore, and we’re working with clients across the USA, Middle East, and beyond. But now, we’re aiming to really make our mark on a global scale. Our goal is to deepen our footprint in these regions, taking the success we’ve built and amplifying it across new markets. It’s not just about expanding geographically; it’s about bringing our unique blend of data-driven strategy, innovation, and flawless execution to a much bigger audience.

    As for the future of digital marketing, AI is definitely going to play a massive role, and we’re already preparing for that shift. But it’s not just about relying on AI. The key will be how we, as marketers, manipulate AI to work in our favor. We believe that while AI can do incredible things, it’s going to take sharp minds—our people—to harness it effectively. This is where we’re focusing our efforts, blending the power of AI with human intelligence to ensure it’s beneficial for our clients.

    At the same time, we know that data privacy and personalisation are two sides of the same coin. Consumers want more personalized experiences, but they also demand stronger privacy controls. Navigating this balance is going to be critical, and we’re already laying the groundwork by building systems and strategies that respect both. So, as we look to the future, we’re preparing to not just adapt but to lead the charge in this evolving landscape, ensuring that we stay at the forefront of innovation while continuing to deliver exceptional results for our clients.

  • Research and development is crucial in any business setting – Srikant Rajasekharuni

    Research and development is crucial in any business setting – Srikant Rajasekharuni

    Mumbai: Marketing is not as easy as people anticipate. It is a combination of many factors including projection, anticipation, good campaigning, research and development, analytics, and understanding the target audience. With new trends, Indiantelevision.com exclusively interacted with Srikant Rajesekharuni CEO and co-founder of RMT (Red Matter Technologies) integrated marketing agency. Here are excerpts -Interview of Srikant Rajasekharuni – CEO and Co-founder, RMT

    Broader perspective on phenomenal growth –

    In the past 8 years, our experience of working with over 300 brands reflects remarkable growth.Collaboratively adapting and learning from diverse sectors such as entertainment, FMCG, real estate, education, and healthcare, we have effectively tailored marketing strategies to align with new trends. This approach has allowed RMT to evolve in response to client needs and market dynamics. Our team’s ability to adapt, learn, and strategize has led to the successful implementation of tailor-made marketing strategies. This collaborative effort has established long-term relationships with clients, including national-level brands like ZEE5, The Economic Times, Monin Syrups, My Home Constructions, and Manipal Global Education.

    Our strategic, innovative, and adaptive approach has contributed to our company’s growth. Moving forward, we aim to empower more brands and business owners by facilitating lasting and meaningful connections with their consumers.

    On Pros and Cons of the 360-degree digital industry at large?

    In the current market, the digital industry offers extensive opportunities and challenges. Pros include the vast reach and accessibility to a global audience, enabling precise targeting and personalised engagement. Digital platforms allow real-time analytics, facilitating data-driven decision-making and ROI assessment. However, saturation and competition pose challenges, requiring constant innovation to stand out. Rapid technological advancements demand adaptability and investment in emerging trends, which can be both a pro and a con. While it opens doors to novel approaches, it also necessitates ongoing learning and resource allocation. Overall, the digital industry offers immense growth potential but demands continual evolution to remain competitive and effective.

    On working with B2C, B2B, and D2C brands –

    In our experience with B2C, B2B, and D2C brands at RMT, we have grasped the need for distinct approaches tailored to each sector. Recognizing the diverse target audiences, we customize marketing plans to align with our client’s specific business requirements. Adapting existing trends and strategies across sectors requires creativity, and our collaborative RMT team excels at learning, adapting, and implementing successful marketing campaigns. Beyond delivering results, it’s been fulfilling to contribute to building customer relationships and enhancing brand reputation. We look forward to expanding our collaborative approach across more sectors and further refining our industry strategies.

    On ROI in current volatile market condition –

    Given the current volatility in the market, assessing the overall profitability of the industry in terms of ROI is crucial. In response to market dynamics, the marketing industry must adapt to new business requirements and trends to distinguish itself. Companies in this sector can capitalize on the potential of digital marketing by remaining flexible, embracing change, and fostering innovation. Our RMT team prioritises the professional growth of its members through training, mentorship, and skill-building, ensuring that we stay ahead in industry knowledge and trends. This strategic and result-driven approach not only strengthens client relationships but also contributes to a high ROI.

    On cost-cutting measures while considering ROI –

    The focus on ROI is paramount in our approach. It ensures accountability and tangible value for our clients. While emphasizing ROI, we prioritize delivering impactful results without compromising on service quality. Cost-cutting measures should not compromise the efficacy or integrity of our services. Instead, we aim for efficiency gains through smart strategies and resource optimization. Our goal is to provide substantial value while ensuring that our clients receive a significant return on their investment in our services.

    On digital campaign using AI invention –

    Scaling AI in digital brand campaigns involves a client-centric strategy, assessing AI’s value in campaigns, and gradually adopting it in phases. Starting with smaller projects helps gauge effectiveness before expanding. Team training and staying updated on AI trends are crucial for optimal usage. Fostering a culture of collaboration and experimentation aids iterative improvements. Ultimately, it’s about aligning AI with business goals and evolving alongside market needs.

    On spending on R & D –

    Research and development is crucial in any business setting. I firmly advocate substantial investment in research and development (R&D). At RMT, we adopt a comprehensive approach, providing clients with insightful strategies, optimizing marketing campaigns and effectively reaching their target audience. I believe that research and insights extend beyond marketing, playing a crucial role in shaping overall business strategy. R&D is not only vital for marketing success but also instrumental in fostering competitiveness, addressing areas for improvement, and ensuring long-term growth and sustainability.

    On new-age marketers addressing challenge –

    In my opinion, new-age marketers are addressing the challenge of mixed reactions to marketing campaigns by emphasizing personalised and interactive engagement with their target audience. They prioritize researching and identifying their specific target demographic and leverage innovative technologies like AI to enhance customer interaction. Through personalized content on social media and customized messaging, they aim to capture the audience’s attention and foster a stronger connection with the brand or business. This approach not only attracts customers but also contributes to the success of digital marketing campaigns.

    On idea and challenges behind starting consultancy –

    In 2015, my friends and I started RMT in Hyderabad with the purpose of assisting small and medium businesses in their growth journey through effective digital transformation. Recognising the widespread desire among businesses to leverage social media and digital platforms for customer outreach, we established RMT to provide creative and innovative solutions to those lacking the expertise or resources to navigate these channels.

    RMT was founded in response to a prevalent issue in the digital marketing industry: client’s dissatisfaction with inexperienced agencies and freelancers. These smaller outfits often lack depth in digital marketing, leading to subpar results and a misconception among clients that digital marketing isn’t effective for their business. This presents a challenge for RMT, as we invest heavily in quality talent and infrastructure and often need to re-educate clients about the true potential of digital marketing.

    Another challenge arises from clients and employees who overestimate their understanding of digital marketing. Clients often believe they understand the field because they use social media, influencing their expectations and opinions on strategies that may not align with their target audience. Similarly, many individuals claim expertise after completing short-term courses, lacking the depth gained from practical experience. At RMT, we prioritise practical skills and experience over theoretical knowledge, ensuring a team capable of delivering high-quality, effective digital marketing solutions.

    On using analytics for target audiences –

    Analytics plays a crucial role in understanding market segments and effectively reaching the target audience. At RMT, we focus on key parameters such as demographics, age, and gender to identify the specific target audience for a business. This information is essential for devising a tailored marketing campaign that aligns with the business needs, ensuring a consistent and successful strategy.

    To achieve this, we utilize various analytical tools. Website and app analytics provide insights into user demographics, interests, devices used, navigation patterns, and content engagement. This data optimization helps in creating a user-centric online presence.

    Additionally, social media analytics reveal audience demographics, interests, conversations, and brand sentiment. This information guides the customization of social media strategies and content to resonate effectively with the target audience. Furthermore, the Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system holds valuable customer data, including purchase history and communication records.

    Analysing such parameters and data aids in identifying loyal customers, predicting future purchases, and personalizing marketing efforts. The result is an optimised and well-planned advertising campaign that benefits both the business and customer relationships.

    On balancing advertising campaign with quality –

    Absolutely, effective brand promotion of quality products plays a pivotal role in boosting sales. While having a quality product is essential, effectively showcasing its features, benefits, and unique value proposition through strategic brand promotion can significantly impact sales and customer engagement. Advertising helps in creating awareness and visibility for quality products. It allows brands to communicate their story, build credibility, and differentiate themselves from competitors. Through social media or other marketing channels, businesses can highlight the attributes that make their products stand out, thereby attracting potential customers and driving sales.

    RMT goal anticipation for the next 5 years –

    RMT navigated a landscape marked by economic uncertainties and a focus on profitability, leading to reduced media spending and a shift from traditional to digital marketing. This trend, driven by digital marketing’s targeted efficiency, provided RMT with the opportunity to on board new clients transitioning to digital channels. Embracing this shift, we effectively guided these clients through their digital transformation, showcasing our adaptability and expertise in the evolving market.

    Simultaneously, the integration of AI into marketing has revolutionized our industry, particularly in content generation, strategy, and research. This technological leap has accelerated processes, allowing a greater focus on creative aspects. RMT has been at the forefront of utilizing AI to enhance our services and deliver superior results.

    Looking ahead, we plan to continue this momentum by forming strategic partnerships with specialized agencies in creative design, performance marketing, and video production. This collaborative approach aims to offer more integrated solutions, ensuring mutual growth and success while staying true to our values of integrity, creativity, and client-centric service.

  • India excels in Cloud, AI, and ML: 85 per cent of Indian businesses use cloud providers for analytics: Experian Study

    India excels in Cloud, AI, and ML: 85 per cent of Indian businesses use cloud providers for analytics: Experian Study

    Mumbai: India demonstrates remarkable resilience in the face of a challenging global landscape, according to the World Bank. Robust domestic demand, public infrastructure investments and the strengthening of the financial sector collectively contribute to India’s performance. As a testament to this resilience, a staggering 77 per cent of business leaders surveyed maintain a positive outlook for the upcoming year. These findings emerge from a comprehensive study conducted by forrester consulting commissioned by Experian, a global information services leader. The study also explores the profound impact of AI on analytics, risk assessment and customer experience. Notably, India demonstrates impressive AI and Machine Learning (ML), adoption rates, reaching 49 per cent in customer service and 40 per cent in identity verification.

    The study highlights India’s leadership in the EMEA and APAC regions, with 85 per cent of surveyed Indian businesses using external cloud providers for analytics. India’s adoption outpaces countries like Germany (66 per cent), New Zealand (per cent), and Spain (58 per cent), solidifying its position as a front-runner in cloud, AI, and ML utilisation.

    Role of AI in mitigating top risks:

    The report delves into the transformative potential of AI, the biggest risk priorities, and underscores how AI plays a pivotal role in fortifying resilience. Data privacy (59 per cent) and cybersecurity (53 per cent) emerge as the top risk concerns for the upcoming year, followed by ESG risk (47 per cent) and credit risk (41 per cent).

    Effectively mitigating these risks depends on improving the predictiveness of models and unlocking value from a wide variety of data sources. In this regard AI, particularly ML stands out as an instrumental tool with immense potential.

    Data integration and cloud investments drive AI success:

    Achieving AI success requires large volumes of data and the right data infrastructure. Despite an increase in new data sources, the biggest data-related challenge (for 48 per cent of respondents) pertains to the difficulty in effectively sharing data at a large scale while ensuring trust and security. As a result, 86 per cent of business leaders are prioritising investments in new data sources to better understand risk and affordability.

    The research shows that the biggest analytics-related challenge for nearly half of respondents (55 per cent) is the ability to seamlessly connect different data assets in a data warehouse that can adequately support AI/ML use cases. To address this issue, 86 per cent are prioritising investments in cloud technology for seamless data integration with 63 per cent agreeing that externally hosted cloud services are the best way to avoid data silos and aggregate data sources.

    Unlocking AI’s potential: productivity and efficiency enhancements:

    There are multiple ways in which AI can improve productivity, efficiency, and service delivery. Many organisations are actively exploring AI use cases, with a diverse range of possibilities, including enhanced underwriting with ML-based models, proactive and early identification of vulnerable customers, improved fraud prevention and faster customer service. More than half (65 per cent) of those already using AI find that their productivity gains have offset the initial cost – a clear indication of positive ROI from AI adoption.

    Experian managing director Saikrishnan said, “AI is currently leading the way in identifying innovative approaches to unlock the power of data, revolutionising business operations and elevating customer experience. As businesses engage with increasingly intricate decisions, AI plays a pivotal role in optimising the efficiency and effectiveness of business processes. Embracing the enduring role of AI becomes imperative, providing unparalleled insights for precise decision-making, particularly in critical areas such as risk management and fraud prevention. Simultaneously, it ushers in a new era of operational efficiency through automation, ultimately elevating the customer experience to new heights.”

    “AI/ML has increasingly emerged as a pivotal catalyst in combating new fraud challenges, automating credit risk processes, and leverage alternative data. AI is rapidly transitioning from a choice to a necessity, driving improved business performance and fostering inclusive financial growth,” he further added.

    Adding to it, Experian CEO, EMEA & APAC Malin Holmberg said, “While AI is driving innovation and enhancing analytical performance, it is critical to ensure this technology is used in a responsible and ethical way. It is reassuring that 61 per cent of our respondents have a comprehensive AI risk management program in place and are actively addressing unintentional bias through fully transparent and explainable AI. Businesses that embrace this technology will find themselves at an advantage as they unlock new growth opportunities through process efficiency and greater automation,”

  • DoubleVerify releases report – ‘Four Fundamental Shifts in Advertising and Media’

    DoubleVerify releases report – ‘Four Fundamental Shifts in Advertising and Media’

    Mumbai:  DoubleVerify (DV), a leading software platform for digital media measurement, data, and analytics, has released its report for the year 2022, “Four Fundamental Shifts in Advertising and Media.”

    Two years after DV’s original report, this expanded edition analyses insights from over 16,600 global consumers in 18 countries. At a time of significant macroeconomic change, these findings reveal the dynamic relationships between consumers, digital content, and advertising—arming stakeholders with the insights they need to make well-informed strategic decisions.

    The report marks some significant takeaways. Firstly, the economic downturn continues to ‘stay at home’ content consumption—particularly on CTV and social media—with most (55 per cent) consumers now spending more time consuming content daily than they did pre-pandemic.

    Secondly, attention fuels media efficacy—two thirds (66 per cent) of respondents claimed an ad that captures their interest in the first five seconds will make them more likely to pay attention.

    Thirdly, online shopping surges and is bolstered by a contextual approach—54 per cent of respondents report buying more items online now than pre-pandemic, while 67 per cent are more likely to pay attention to an ad if it’s relevant to the content they’re viewing—such as reviews or gift ideas.

    Fourthly, trust and shared values foster loyalty, but consumers are quick to judge. Consumers are concerned about the spread of mis- and dis-information, and it shows—61 per cent are even less likely to purchase/use a brand again if they see it advertised alongside mis-/dis-information.

    “This study highlights that consumer consumption habits are evolving in response to macro social and economic trends—from intensifying concerns about inflammatory or polarising content to a continued shift in the platforms and channels consumers are turning to for content consumption,” said DoubleVerify CEO Mark Zagorski.

    He continued, “Brands must react to these changing habits to ensure they reach the right audiences as efficiently as possible and maximise their digital investments. As our research shows, with digital content consumption rising, there’s a clear opportunity to garner consumer attention and power campaign performance. To unlock this opportunity, brands must evolve their ad strategies—meeting their audiences where they consume content and focusing on contextually relevant, attention-grabbing ad placements that also safeguard their brand reputations.”

    “In these hyper-evolving times, these insights are significant for brands wanting to boost their digital ROI. This is especially important in India, where the market is highly competitive and dynamic. As demonstrated in the findings, digital content consumption and post-pandemic online shopping are higher in India than in any other region. This presents a huge opportunity for marketers who need digital media strategies that can effectively reach relevant audiences while ensuring that they don’t inadvertently advertise/promote misinformation and disinformation,” said DoubleVerify head of sales India Nachiket Deole.

    He added, “This is the era of new-age consumers, who are more aware, conscious, and empowered than ever. Thus, we are working with clients to help them develop the best strategies to protect their brand reputations while achieving scale, and deliver on the desired outcomes of influencing the customers to convert to a purchase.”

    Consumer appetite for content continues to soar—led by CTV, streaming, and social

    Globally, most consumers (55 per cent) are spending more time each day consuming content now than they did pre-pandemic. This is as high as 78 per cent in India, the highest of all regions surveyed. Inflation is a key driver, with almost half (45 per cent) of respondents globally noting the reason they’re spending more time consuming digital content is because they are staying at home due to the rising cost of living.

    CTV (connected TV) and streaming services have clear momentum, with 55 per cent of respondents having subscribed to additional services in the past 12 months. The increase in sign-ups is strongest in India, where 74 per cent have subscribed to additional services in the last twelve months. Meanwhile, globally, 27 per cent expect to spend more time on social media in the year ahead—peaking at 41 per cent among 18-24 year-olds.

    With costs under consumer scrutiny and digital content consumption rising, ad-supported content represents a growing opportunity for advertisers, with 59 per cent open to ad-supported video streaming apps if they cut prices.

    Brands must address attention fragmentation—or risk losing consumers

    Survey respondents reported that they believe they see between one and 50 ads per day—estimates suggest the true average figure is at least 4,000.

    Where an ad appears determines its impact, according to consumers. YouTube dominates as the number one proprietary platform for securing the attention of respondents in 15 out of 18 countries surveyed—followed by Facebook (39 per cent) and Instagram (28 per cent). Newer platforms continue to attract consumer attention and engagement. TikTok is rapidly expanding, and 43 percent of 18- to 24-year-olds say they intend to spend more time on the app in the coming year.

    Timing is essential, with two thirds (66 per cent) stating that they are more likely to pay attention if an ad captures their interest in the first five seconds.

    Shopping’s digital maturity presents a new opportunity for brands to make an impact

    Online shopping continues to grow, as most consumers—54 per cent, report buying more items online now than they did before the pandemic. Meanwhile, consumers in emerging markets are more likely than the general population to say they are shopping online more now than they were before the pandemic, with Indians leading the pack at 74 per cent.

    Pre-purchase habits are also evolving, with over half (53 per cent) highlighting that they use digital content to inform planned purchases more often than they did before the pandemic—in India, this is a notable 75 per cent. With two thirds (67 per cent) of consumers saying they are more likely to pay attention to an ad if it’s relevant to the content they’re looking at—like reviews or gift ideas. This reinforces the importance of contextually relevant ad placements.

    Brand values are key as consumers reward action against inflammatory content, mis- and dis-information

    Likely exacerbated by polarised news and opinions, the majority of survey respondents (68 per cent) are concerned that levels of mis/disinformation are increasing—and brands must be conscious of ad adjacency. In fact, 61 per cent would be less likely to purchase/use the brand again if they saw it advertised next to content that they determined to be mis-/dis-information. In India, this is 63 per cent.

    The majority of survey respondents (82 per cent) state they have been exposed at some point to mis-/dis- information on social media.

    Brand action on mis-/dis-information will be rewarded with trust from consumers. The majority (69 per cent) value brands that actively fight against mis-/dis-information and the same number (69 per cent) state that companies that are genuine and authentic appeal to them.

  • ACKO appoints Saurabh Jha as senior VP of digital marketing

    ACKO appoints Saurabh Jha as senior VP of digital marketing

    Mumbai: Digital-native insurer Acko has announced the appointment of Saurabh Jha as the senior vice president of digital marketing.

    Saurabh is a seasoned leader with strong management experience across the consumer internet and start-up space. He has worked in various verticals such as travel, ecommerce, and real estate for both digital and traditional marketing functions. Saurabh’s prime focus has been to lead businesses towards excellence.

    At Acko, he will be responsible for scaling and driving growth across all business units, and his mandate will include digital marketing, content, and strategic partnerships.

    Before joining Acko, Saurabh was associated with Housing.com as the senior director of growth, marketing & analytics, where he spearheaded the team. During his professional journey, he has also contributed significantly to the growth of HolidayIQ and Jungle Lodges & Resorts.

    Saurabh holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree from IIFM and a bachelor’s degree in computer science.

    Speaking at Saurabh’s appointment, ACKO founder & CEO Varun Dua said, “I am delighted to welcome Saurabh to the team. Saurabh brings with him years of knowledge in the performance marketing domain. He has been a part of the growth journey of some well-known digital brands and clearly understands what it takes to fuel growth for brands.”

  • Wow Skin Science ropes in Karan Punjabi as SVP – strategy and analytics

    Mumbai: Wow Skin Science announced the appointment of Karan Punjabi as the senior vice president – strategy and analytics. He will be responsible for defining the strategic roadmap, building scale, and optimisation hereby driving fresh revenue and profitability.

    Punjabi has more than 16 years’ experience in corporate finance. He most recently served as vice president at Ather Energy and prior to that, with Avail Finance as chief financial officer. His past professional tenure also includes KPMG and Flipkart.

    “I am delighted to be an integral part of Wow Skin Science. The brand’s success story that we see today is the perfect strategic combination of market know-how, consumer behaviour analysis, and the brand fitment,” Punjabi said.

    Wow Skin Science co-founder Manish Chowdhary said, “I am pleased to welcome Karan Punjabi to the Wow family. Given his vast experience and his expertise of so many years, Karan will be an asset to our company.”

  • Sonali Malaviya appointed as managing director Essence India

    Sonali Malaviya appointed as managing director Essence India

    MUMBAI: Essence, a global data and measurement-driven media agency which is part of GroupM on Thursday announced the appointment of Sonali Malaviya as the agency’s managing director for India.

    Malviya will be responsible for leading continued client-centric innovation in data, analytics and technology, as well as business growth and company culture for the agency in the market. Based out of Delhi, she will report to Essence APAC CEO, T. Gangadhar and GroupM South Asia CEO, Prasanth Kumar. She will join Essence’s APAC leadership team and GroupM India’s executive committee as part of her role. Meanwhile, Anand Chakravarthy, previously managing director for Essence India, has moved on from the agency to pursue new opportunities.

    Joining Essence in 2018, Malaviya most recently led the agency’s Google business in India and Southeast Asia as senior vice president, client services. Previously, she served as chief operating officer at Colorbar Cosmetics and country marketing lead at Twitter in India. With over 20 years of industry experience, she has also held senior roles at Mindshare, PHD, Roy Morgan Research and MediaCom in India, the United Arab Emirates and Australia.

    “Sonali comes with rich experience in management, marketing and media across industries and markets, as well as a deep understanding of Essence’s business, work, people and culture. In addition to building strong, collaborative partnerships with clients and employees alike, she is an advocate of diversity and inclusion in the workplace. India continues to be a priority for Essence in APAC and globally, and with Sonali at the helm, I am very excited about our next phase of growth and development in the market,” said Essence APAC CEO, T. Gangadhar. “We would also like to thank Anand for his efforts in helping to establish our business in India over the last three years. We greatly appreciate his contributions and wish him the best in his future endeavours.”

    “We are glad to see Sonali take over the role of Essence India managing director. With her background and significant achievements, she will add to the capabilities of Essence and work with our teams to improve the client experience. As we continue to develop leaders internally, Sonali is also part of our growing pool of talent taking on various leadership roles across GroupM India. I look forward to working with Sonali and leveraging her expertise,” said GroupM South Asia CEO, Prasanth Kumar.

    “I am truly honoured to have the opportunity to lead Essence in India. Over the past three years, I have witnessed and been part of our incredible growth story in this market, and am very proud of what our agency, clients and employees have achieved together. I am looking forward to partnering with our highly talented teams and leveraging our industry-leading capabilities to help even more brands in India achieve data-driven growth and transformation, as well as valuable connections with consumers,” said Malaviya.

  • Chrome DM week 51: Religious genre emerges as top gainer

    Chrome DM week 51: Religious genre emerges as top gainer

    NEW DELHI: Religious genre is the top gainer for week 51, 2020 of Chrome Data Analytics and Media data. The genre clocked a marginal growth of 0.6 per cent.

    In this category, Sanskar has gained the highest OTS with 98.3 per cent. OTS is the actual census-based percentage connectivity of a channel spread across 81 million homes, as reported by Chrome DM, across analogue cable, digital cable, and DTH.

    This week, the Hindi movies genre has emerged a close second on the top gainers list with a marginal growth of 0.4 per cent in the all India market. In this genre, B4U Kadak has gained the highest OTS with 93.3 per cent.

    Read more coverage on ChromeDM

    Among other genres, business news, English news, and infotainment have grown slightly by 0.15 per cent, 0.15 per cent and 0.07 per cent respectively.