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Tag: Digital

  • Old wine in a new bottle: Cadbury Dairy Milk Silk’s new look with special love

    Old wine in a new bottle: Cadbury Dairy Milk Silk’s new look with special love

    Mumbai: For the mushy lover in me, alphabetically, ‘L’ stands for ‘Love’, then what does ‘S’ stand for? According to the new campaign of Cadbury Dairy Milk Silk, ‘S’ stands for ‘Love’. Some days back, Mondelez India, which is a part of Mondelez International, a multinational confectionery, food holding, beverage and snack company revamped the look and shape of its flagship premium chocolate, ‘Cadbury Dairy Milk Silk’ through an elaborate digital campaign.

    The campaign, which has been put in place by Ogilvy India, opens with various renditions of love amongst couples, and shows the progression of how Cadbury Dairy Milk (CDM) Silk as a name has now been revamped to a symbol of love – ‘S for Silk’, how from a letter it now holds the infinity of love (the infinity sign gets converted inversely into the shape of an ‘S’), and how with a new look and shape of the brand, one could indulge in the new language of love.

    Ever since its launch in 2010, Cadbury Dairy Milk Silk has continued to cater to the young generation through its personalised innovations and heartfelt messaging. “Over the years, the brand underwent a few rounds of packaging upgrades while remaining largely consistent in terms of brand architecture and personality. But for the first time, Silk is undergoing a bold visual identity upgrade to further strengthen its consumer connect and dial up premiumness,” reveals Mondelez India vice president of marketing Anil Viswanathan.

    CDM Silk is undoubtedly one of the leading products from Mondelez’s portfolio. Talking about the market share that the brand CDM Silk holds in the chocolate segment, Viswanathan adds, “CDM Silk virtually created the premium segment in the chocolate category. It currently holds approximately 74 per cent share of the premium segment within the chocolate category (as per MAT 20 Nielsen data).”

    The revamped look, co-incidentally, makes it just in time for the festive season

    Considering that CDM Silk is one of the most loved brands in the country currently, Mondelez’s detailed research led to the refurbishment of the look and shape of the brand. Viswanathan emphasised, “Over the last decade, Cadbury Dairy Milk Silk has been synonymous with the celebration of young love. The new generation is constantly on the lookout for richer, innovative and fulfilling experiences that make their everyday moments special. And the change in packaging was done to manifest this expectation and the brand’s promise to offer the ultimate premium indulgent experience visually as well.”

    The exuberant packaging exhibits vibrant colors to highlight variants along with tempting visuals that signify premium indulgence. Along with this, the refreshed mould designs carry an ‘S’ engraving across every cube of the silk bar as part of its holistic design revamp strategy. “Perfectly embodying the role of CDM Silk as the most special chocolate for all special occasions through design and the proposition for Love’,” points out Viswanathan.

    The new look and shape of CDM Silk, co-incidentally, are timely for the festive season. Talking about whether the move was intended to be this way, Viswanathan clarifies, “Cadbury Dairy Milk Silk is loved by consumers all year round, but it enjoys incremental love, especially during special occasions. However, the timing was aligned from the perspective of our brand plans and goals rather than just targeting the festive season, in the hope of making our consumer’s ‘me’ and ‘we’ moments even more special.”

    The creative thought and execution

    Having a chat with the creative agency behind the campaign and talking about the new ‘S’ for Love proposition for CDM Silk, Ogilvy India chief creative officers Kainaz Karmakar and Harshad Rajadhyaksha say, “Cadbury Dairy Milk Silk has always been about young, innocent love. The bold new packaging design now has a single letter ‘S’ standing out in gold. We wanted to create a campaign line that not only captures the essence of what Silk stands for but also stays memorable. ‘S’ for Love does that beautifully.”

    As we all know, CDM Silk’s brand positioning has always been about love and romance, since its inception and clearly, it continues to be so. Could there be any particular reason behind that? “CDM Silk is a premium chocolate, a special formulation that is more of an experience than just a new taste,” asserts  Rajadhyaksha.

    Delving further into the creative thought of the campaign,  Karmakar says,“’S’ for Love is a campaign that reinstates the relationship CDM Silk has with love. The brand implements every effort to make love special. With ‘S’ for Love, we want every couple to understand that if someone has gifted you a CDM Silk, it is a gesture of love.”

    I first saw the new look and shape campaign of CDM Silk on Spotify, and I simply loved it!  Karmakar and Rajadhyaksha chime that they equally loved creating the campaign too. Mondelez experiments with various types of media for CDM Silk and talking about the execution of the campaign, they say that the campaign has a digital as well as OOH spectrum. “So apart from the launch of video and outdoors, we have exciting influencer activations and a host of social media engagements coming up.” They add that the campaign also has a phase II with a TVC and a subsequent digital campaign around it that the team is super-excited about. Followed by a high decibel 360-degree marketing campaign which introduced the identity of the brand, the campaign is set to utilise multi-media robustly till the end of 2022.

    Strategy forward and innovations

    Viswanathan seems well-focused on the way forward for the brand. “We want to stand for the ultimate premium indulgent experience, not just within the category but in our consumer’s world. Thus, our efforts are geared towards continuously turning more and more consumers into CDM Silk lovers – increasing market penetration on the back of elevated brand and product experiences,” he mentions.

    Discussing the innovations that one could look forward to about the brand CDM Silk, Viswanathan explains, “With consumer-centricity at its core, Mondelez India believes in empowering consumers with more choice, driven through unique innovations across brands. Thus, over the last decade, the brand has pioneered first-to-market product innovations and introduced new eating experiences in the form of Silk Bubbly Bubblegum, Silk Mousse, Silk Red Velvet Oreo, etc. As the consumer palate continues to evolve with exposure to emerging trends and products, we aim to adapt and accelerate the innovation engine to match the growing expectations.”

    I’m all set to dive into the enticing experience of the new CDM Silk, and Viswanathan only avows further on a concluding note, “You will hear more from us on this in the future.”

  • Guest article: What to know about the modern marketing playbook in the era of web 3.0 and AI

    Guest article: What to know about the modern marketing playbook in the era of web 3.0 and AI

    Mumbai: For quite a while now, two terms have been making very speedy rounds in marketing circles-web3.0 and artificial intelligence. This new wave of the internet is set to disrupt the way marketing is done globally, commanding quick and agile systems. The reason: this is where the consumers of the future are. As marketing tactics change along with the advent of the digital revolution, new standards will be established at the same time, drastically altering modern marketing.

    What is web 3.0, and what are the new trends it brings to the table

    The third generation of the internet, or web 3.0, integrates data in a decentralised manner to provide a quicker and more individualised user experience. Constructed with the help of artificial intelligence, machine learning, and the semantic web, it uses the blockchain security system to improve privacy and provide an immersive experience with a marketing opportunity. So, businesses stand to benefit from an online presence here, and marketers will get a stronger opportunity to connect with their target customers.

    Web 3.0’s degree of functionality has been attained in the previous two web generations. Its technical ancestor, known as web 1.0, was born in 1989 and reached its prime in the 1990s and early 2000s. Then came web 2.0, which reached its maturity in the middle of the 2000s and introduced the novelty of collaborating and communicating online.

    A rich and interactive marketing experience

    A marketing challenge today is delivering a hyper-personalised experience at a time when users are expected to have more control over their data. And it indicates that reaching out to both present and future consumers will soon become more difficult. Users now create information on the internet as well as consume it, which is helpful for marketing. Here is where web 3.0 components such as AI help make sense of the massive creator data.

    Web 3.0 marketing uses the rapidly changing internet to improve results. For instance, marketers can examine customer chats using natural language processing technologies. AI has also been utilised to further personalisation, particularly in the areas of online content rendering and presentation, the delivery of e-commerce goods, and automated customer assistance. A greater symbiotic link between humans and machines will lead to more web 3.0 features having a significant impact on marketing. Besides this, the other brilliant arms of web 3.0 are NFTs and the metaverse, which is an all-consuming version of the internet that uses tools like virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) to work, play, and amuse others in a 3D environment.

    How to market effectively on Web 3.0

    Any kind of creative work can be represented by NFTs, giving advertisers the opportunity to reach consumers with a range of interests. They can be implemented into customer loyalty programmes where participants are given the chance to acquire exclusive products. This is being done to perfection by brands like Taco Bell, Macy’s, and Budweiser.

    Immersive surroundings, virtual user identities, and a working virtual economy are all distinctive aspects of the Metaverse. Its objective is to mirror physical environments and lives in digital form, thus enhancing human potential. The metaverse offers marketers the chance to connect with consumers in a brand-new setting where they are fully engaged. Businesses will have the ability to increase their reputation by highlighting the assured security of blockchain transactions.

    Web 3.0/AR & VR are being touted as game-changers in modern marketing. Given its immersive and ‘phygital’ nature, interoperability, and collaboration capabilities, however, an ongoing commitment to the platform is key. Many web 3.0 principles are still up for dispute.

    Web 3.0 is still being defined as a whole since there isn’t a single, agreed definition of what it exactly is. In other words, we are creating the aircraft while we fly. Despite this, there is no denying that web 3.0 is changing the way that the modern corporation interacts with its clients. In addition to the numerous potential advantages for early adopters, marketers should be actively involved in the process of establishing this next phase of the internet because they have a duty to future generations. Numerous companies have begun experimenting in this realm, including brands like Airtel, MakeMyTrip, Amazon and Swiggy.

    In one classic example Alpenliebe brand house which comprises candies, pop & Eclair collaborated with Nickelodeon’s annual awards property – Kid’s Choice Awards which screened in the metaverse. Hosted at Decentraland which is one of the biggest metaverse platforms globally, the brand organized a quirky entry for its participants where they were asked to form their own ‘’Avatars’’ upon registrations. A slime pool, a blimp pool, slime fountains & fun slides also appealed to the kids. The metaverse event was mobile friendly which delivered an immersive user experience and created good brand value.

    Again, for companies like Starbucks, technology need not alienate us. To quote Tata Starbucks director of marketing, category, loyalty and digital Deepa Krishnan, who is also a jury member at MMA India Smarties 2022, the future will be all about marrying technology with purpose, experiences, and value by getting to know consumers, their interests, and preferences and making their lives simpler through deep analytics, harnessing multi-point data and insights.

    Five years ago, marketers were beginning to shift more spends online through advertising and digitisation, notes Krishnan, adding that the pandemic hastened that significantly. “The future will be about bringing the offline experience online. It is going to be about humanising the digital. People realise and appreciate the power of human connections and are increasingly craving community-driven engagements. How a brand connects with its consumers is still very much significant and will always remain paramount,” she adds.

    Revolutionising the marketing and advertising industry

    The future customer won’t be susceptible to today’s issues, such as obtrusive marketing and inadequate data protection, thanks to a solid foundation. But for businesses looking for success in the new era of the internet, AI and the metaverse-based research technology will not only introduce them to the developing web 3.0 marketing but will also give them access to the consumer and market intelligence necessary to grow a company.

    The author of this article is MMA India country head Moneka Khurana.

  • Thums Up’s ‘Stump Cam’ campaign engages consumers

    Thums Up’s ‘Stump Cam’ campaign engages consumers

    Mumbai: Thums Up, Coca-Cola India’s first billion-dollar homegrown brand, has unveiled a new ‘StumpCam’ campaign, just in time for the ICC T20 Men’s World Cup. This will provide audiences with exclusive access to match footage and content. The brand will be adopting a digital-first, multi-tech marketing approach to drive consumer engagement for the content-led campaign.

    The campaign, which features renowned cricketers and superstar bowlers Jasprit Bumrah, Umran Malik, and Brett Lee, aims to amplify Thums Up’s new “Stump Cam” offering, which will offer a thrilling view into exclusive ’Toofani’ match moments, straight from the pitch. After each World Cup match, the Stump Cam video of ‘Toofani’ cricketing moments will be accessible to viewers by scanning a QR code on the Thums Up bottle. The offering will enable cricket lovers to access unique content from the tournament like never before.

    Commenting on the new campaign, Coca-Cola India & Southwest Asia vice president & head – marketing Arnab Roy said, “Cricket is a shared passion which connects billions of fans across genders, generations, and cultures. We are always finding innovative ways to activate passion points like cricket and especially the ICC T20 World Cup. Thums Up’s “Stump Cam” will offer audiences the most ‘Toofani’ view of key moments of the tournament – leveraging the Stump Cam footage was a disruptive opportunity that would bring to fans a complete new way of experiencing the game. We are elated to have on board with us India’s lead bowler and star Jasprit Bumrah, who is an indispensable asset for the Indian team; Umran Malik, who is touted as the fastest bowler in the country today; and one of the legends of the game, Brett Lee. This is the first time we are doing a content-led campaign, voiced by cricketing stalwarts like Harsha Bhogle”.

    Commenting on his association with Thums Up, Indian fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah, said, “Thums Up has been a longstanding partner and supporter of events and athletes across sporting formats and I’m extremely happy to have been associated with it for over a year now. It’s exciting to bring to cricket lovers and fans the brand’s new offering “Stump Cam” which will enable them to access thrilling cricketing content from a never-seen-before angle, straight from the pitch and get closer to the game.”

    Australian former international cricketer and one of the fastest bowlers of his time, Brett Lee added, “I am ecstatic to be partnering with India’s most iconic soft beverage brand Thums Up, for their new StumpCam campaign. I have lived and breathed cricket all my life, and I am thrilled to be part of Thums Up’s “Stump Cam” offering, which will excite consumers beyond measure as it gives them the ultimate view of key match moments as if they were watching it right from the pitch. #WicketSeCricket!”

    The campaign film has been conceptualized by Ogilvy India. Ogilvy India chief creative officer Sukesh Nayak stated, “Thums Up’s ‘Stump Cam’ is the most daring end-to-end experience idea. It’s the most Toofani, the closest possible view of the ICC T20 Men’s World Cup. And the ticket for this is the Thums Up bottle. We are proud to conceptualise and execute this end-to-end engagement idea in partnership with some incredible partners from the world of content. #WicketSeCricket campaign is an invitation for every Thums Up drinker to experience a Toofan he or she hasn’t had so far.”

    Ogilvy India- North chief creative officer Ritu Sharda added, “From sitting on tree-tops, to gathering around paan shops, India has watched cricket in every possible way. But we wanted to give Thums Up fans an opportunity to get the most toofani ‘view’ in the house and frankly that’s where Thums Up Stump Cam found its genesis. We wanted people to really feel the rush of a ball coming right at them at 95 mph. We wanted them to experience cricket, like a cricketer does, right from the middle of the pitch. We are partnering with ICC and Oaktree Sports, for a 24-hour match to pack to screen marathon, making World Cup 2022, the most toofani World Cup you have ever seen. Dum hai toh dekho #WicketSeCricket”

    Thums Up has been a longstanding partner of the ICC (International Cricket Council). The Coca-Cola Company has a long history of partnering with major sporting events around the world, including an eight-decade long association with the Olympics, four decades with the FIFA, and nearly 25 years with World Cup Rugby. These associations with sporting events underscore the company’s philosophy of endeavoring to be a part of the joyous moments and occasions of its consumers.

  • Panasonic launches #India’sTrulySmartWashingMachine with digital campaign

    Panasonic launches #India’sTrulySmartWashingMachine with digital campaign

    Mumbai: Panasonic Life Solutions India (PLSIND), a leading diversified technology company launched a new line-up of India’s truly smart washing machines this festive season. Powered by Panasonic’s connected living platform – Miraie, the new range of top-load smart washing machines come with unique smart features along with premium design.

    To create awareness about the new range of Miraie top load washing machines, Panasonic has launched a holistic digital marketing campaign #India’sTrulySmartWashingMachine, bringing back the iconic Gupta Ji, across all Panasonic India handles on Instagram, Youtube, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn to engage consumers. With the entire world switching to smarter technologies, it’s time washing clothes get smarter too. Panasonic Washing Machines loaded with a host of interesting features like Built-in Heater, Wash Wizard & Stain Genius, powered by Miraie, are making the chore of washing clothes truly smart and effortless.

    Conceptualized and executed by Dentsu Creative, the digital campaign is a series of short films where the protagonist Naveen introduces Gupta Ji to a smarter way of washing clothes. A quirky banter between the protagonists highlights the features of the washing machine in a fun and interesting manner. Panasonic’s truly smart washing machines not only remove the toughest of stains with Stain Genius and Wash Wizard feature but also keeps one’s clothes germ-free with its in-built heater technology. 

    The new models of this range of washing machines come in multiple capacities ranging from 6.5 kg, 7kg to 8 kg starting at Rs 19,690, and are available at all Panasonic brand shops, large format retail outlets across the country, and online platform Amazon. 

    Commenting on the launch, Panasonic Life Solutions India business head – home appliances Sandeep Sehgal said, “Our exclusive consumer insight study tells us that Indian consumers seek enhanced product experience that can make daily life chores easier and efficient, and 81 per cent are willing to pay a bit extra for connected features. The insight study further tells us that over 50 per cent of consumers aspire to the idea of connected living with comfort, convenience, and safety being the top reasons. Our latest range of Miraie-enabled top-load washing machines offers smart features such as customized wash cycles, scheduled wash programs, and built-in heater technology for a sanitized washing experience. We are aiming for a 30 per cent growth in the washing machine segment in FY 2022-23.”

    Talking about the campaign, Panasonic Life Solutions India head- brand & marketing communications Shirish Agarwal said,“Panasonic as a brand is committed towards helping consumers live their best by aiding them with the right choices customised as per their lifestyle. The digital campaign is an extension of this. It depicts the true, slice of life moments of an Indian household, on how we struggle to remove stubborn stains using various home remedies. It goes on to highlight how technology can be the key enabler for a clean and fresh laundry. Panasonic’s latest range of smart washing machines are designed with advanced technologies that offer a value proposition of comfort, convenience and connectivity.”

  • Weekend Unwind with: Hansa Mondal, COO & co-founder of Ssoftoons Entertainment Media

    Weekend Unwind with: Hansa Mondal, COO & co-founder of Ssoftoons Entertainment Media

    Mumbai: With yet another Saturday upon us, it’s time to unwind with a dose of our weekend special series. Weekend Unwind is a tete-e-tete with an industry executive—akin to a virtual water cooler chat – an attempt to get to know the person behind the title a little better.

    This week we have with us Ssoftoons Entertainment Media co-founder & COO Hansa Mondal, sharing her nuggets on dealing with the curveballs life throws at us.

    Having left a well-secured job, Hansa embarked upon her entrepreneurial journey in 2001, co-founding Ssoftoons—a homegrown animation company—with her business-cum-life partner Sourav Mondal in Howrah, West Bengal. Being a complete novice in the industry, she had to start from scratch by learning to sketch and arming herself with the industry know-how. After nearly a decade, the company saw success in the regional market, and with an intention to have a national presence, the couple moved to Mumbai. Having delivered some successful projects, Hansa is currently working in association with Disney India. In her current position as COO at Ssoftoons, she undertakes planning and execution to keep the flow running smoothly.

    So here goes…

    Ø Your mantra for Life 
    Since childhood, I have followed “perseverance.” I am aware of my goal and remain focused and dedicated to achieve my dreams.

    Ø A book you are currently reading/plan to read
    “Start with Why” by Simon Sinek. I read each and every page more than once. It is really inspiring.

    Ø Your fitness mantra, especially during the pandemic
    To put it simply: inhaling and exhaling. Am a yoga lover. Yoga and pranayama keeps me fit both mentally and physically. 

    Ø Your comfort food
    Mummy-made Besan (Gram Flour) ke Pakode with green coriander chutney.

    Ø When the chips are down a quote/philosophy that keeps you going
    “One year equals 365 possibilities.” I calm down and regain the power to think and rethink to overcome the situation. I follow the philosophy of gratitude in every case, be it good or bad.

    Ø Your guilty pleasure
    Secretly taking good pens from my kids and husband’s drawers with the intention of not giving them back! I never buy a pen for myself.

    Ø When was the last time you tried something new
    I have started learning the piano. Practising and mastering this instrument requires dedication and sustained effort. It relaxes my brain. 

    Ø A life lesson you learnt the hard way
    That we all are playing our roles on the stage of life. So, no matter what happens, the show must go on. Time never stops for anyone. It doesn’t care about your worries or about your happiness. So, accept every situation because worries and fears are yours, like happiness. 

    Ø What gets you excited about life
    I started my journey from absolute zero. So, when I am out of projects or in a problem, I never regret it and instead try to give a kickstart, as I know how to grow from zero.

    Ø What’s on top of your bucket list
    Completing a management course from Harvard University Online.

    Ø If you could give one piece of advice to your younger self, what would it be
    Maintaining a database of contacts and keeping in touch. I always preferred to be within myself. But later in my life, I realised my mistake because I came to know that “network = net worth.”

    Ø One thing you would most like to change about the world
    Blasphemy. 

    Ø An activity that keeps you motivated/charged during tough times
    Reading good books and doing something constructive, like developing new concepts or plots. Building good stories boost my confidence to fight back.

  • Ad spend to remain bullish this festive season

    Ad spend to remain bullish this festive season

    Mumbai: After two Covid-impacted years, the mood among consumers and advertisers for the festive season is a lot better. Media agencies expect a decent uptick in ad spends.

    The overall sentiment is positive. iProspect India executive vice president Kaushik Chakraborty explains, “Unlike the last two years, this festive season will be far more exciting. We can expect brands to encash on the positive sentiment. While media spends will be primarily driven by TV and digital, print and OOH spends will also grow,” he tells Indiantelevision.com.

    He explains further that there has been a robust growth in ad spends during festive seasons in the last three years. “In 2021, the growth was more than 20 per cent as compared to the previous year. Although the inflationary pressure will impact overall consumer sentiments, we can expect a 10 per cent plus growth in media spend this festive season.”

    The key categories that will witness a strong push in demand are e-commerce, automobiles, e-wallets, BFSI, and retail.

    “Normally, festivities contribute around 40 per cent of AdEx. A similar trend will continue this year. The bulk of the spending will happen till Diwali, and post that, advertisers will rationalise spending,” he says.

    When asked about the impact of startups being under pressure to conserve cash, he points out that startups contribute less than 13 per cent of overall AdEx. “Traditional advertising players will contribute during the festive seasons, while seasonal advertisers will continue their spending.”

    IPG Mediabrands chief investment officer Hema Malik says that ad spend growth will be 10-15 per cent. Print, radio, cinema and out-to-home (OOH) are bouncing back. She expects the print media’s festive season ad spend growth to be over 50 per cent. “This will be the first festive season in three years without restrictions. The festive season will be celebrated in full-swing on-ground. Earlier, there were issues with masks, fewer places to visit and timings. The market should see a good pick-up currently.”

    However, Malik highlights that television ad spends during the festive season will be flat due to the Indian Premier League (IPL) that happened last year. The annual advertising budget was diverted to IPL promotions. Also, the upcoming Twenty20 World Cup in Australia will take place after Diwali, which is an appropriate time and cooling-off period for advertisers. Hopefully, things will pick up in the advertising market and advertisers will likely increase their spending.

    “Companies discontinue campaigns after Diwali and take a break. There will also be a struggle due to the disappointing IPL viewership recently and also the mediocre performance of India in the Asia Cup. It will be difficult to watch the Twenty20 World Cup on television. The challenge for television is that viewership has been steadily declining. The numbers are unexplainable. It is becoming a deterrent to price revisions. This has been a perennial issue for a couple of months now,” Malik tells Indiantelevision.com.

    Elucidating further on the startup situation, she says, “Startups are facing a slowdown that is another challenge for television and digital media. Big sports properties will come under pressure. Other categories will fill up the gap, and selling inventory will not be an issue. The issue is whether those companies would be willing to spend as much as startups who have a target reach.”

    Filling up inventory is never an issue for television, Malik explains further. It is yield maximisation that will be the challenge. The startup issue will also have an impact digitally. “The dampener is the startups and new-age companies that are under a slowdown this year. That is impacting the advertising mood and AdEx growth, she adds.

    She adds that a few categories are firing, but not all. She expects categories like confectionery, paint, and jewellery to do well. “They will come back in full force. Retail is expanding into more areas. E-commerce will also be there,” she concludes.

  • GUEST ARTICLE: Connected TV is emerging as an opportunity for entertainment brands in India

    GUEST ARTICLE: Connected TV is emerging as an opportunity for entertainment brands in India

    Mumbai: Connected TV (CTV) viewing has been gaining momentum in the western part of the world and is now on an escalating curve in India with 12–14 million monthly active CTV users, according to the FICCI-EY report of March 2022. The advancing new trends in the media and entertainment (M&E) industry have led to a noticeable change in the TV viewing habits of Indian audiences, leading to connected TV making a strong appearance in India. The exponentially growing CTV, which was earlier incomparable to linear TV, has now loomed out of the shadows and is considered a potent alternative for brands to advertise on. In the current digitally evolving ecosystem, affordable prices of smart televisions, increasing data penetration, and the availability of global content have aided in the medium’s rapid growth, making it a prominent mover and shaker in the M&E space. According to the March 2022 FICCI-EY report, by 2025, this number is expected to hit 40 million, highlighting its explosive growth as a medium in the country.

    A revenue stream within digital:

    For many years, traditional TV was the only platform for media buying. As users move towards connected TV, the medium is creating an opportunity to grow business revenues. In today’s time, content dissemination and consumption are platform-agnostic, giving brands an opportunity to generate visibility for themselves on the big screen. With CTVs ushering in the next big revolution, the ecosystem holds the potential for greater returns. As a new revenue stream within the digital landscape, CTV has grown to become an impactful channel that provides targeting capabilities and measurability. In a digital-forward world, measurement capabilities make the medium a must for any brand to push forth its marketing strategies and capitalise on the same.

    A powerful addition to the marketer’s toolbox:

    Connected TV, which has recorded notable growth in the past few years, is becoming a paradise for advertisers. In today’s data-rich world, consumers are increasingly demanding brands to deliver focused and relevant messaging. With more eyes on the big screen, CTV helps brands reach out to new and hard-to-reach audiences and form deeper connections with them. It has surfaced as a successful growth opportunity for advertisers who want access to a highly engaged, affluent audience. Advertisers, globally and in India, are lapping up the connected TV opportunity as it continues to grow as an exciting medium.

    With the widespread adoption of digital, CTV as a medium appears to be very promising for both consumers and advertisers. The growing adoption of streaming content through connected devices makes the medium an important and new touchpoint for advertisers. According to the IAB 2021 Video Ad Spend & 2022 Outlook report, globally, ad spending on connected TV grew 57 per cent in 2021 to $15.2 billion and will grow another 39 per cent in 2022 to $21.2 billion. In India, while CTV advertising spends are yet to fully catch up with growing smart TV subscriptions and consumers spending more time on these devices, ad spends will eventually move in a positive direction, making connected TV advertising the next big frontier.

    Towards a promising future:

    Presently, growing at a burgeoning pace, the connected TV market seems to have a propitious future. In our approach to reaching out to our digital audiences, CTV acts as a significant contributor. Needless to say, the medium will further prosper as a result of increasing attention from advertisers as they look to leverage the potential of digital advertising to reach their target customers in an innovative and effective manner. The overall ecosystem of connected devices, driven by technological advancements, will provide enormous headroom for growth in the future of media and entertainment. For a progressive future, it will become imperative for all stakeholders to strategically cater to this exponentially rising consumer growth trend.

    The author of this article is QYOU Media India COO Krishna Menon.

  • ‘Weekend Unwind’ with: Loktantra Mediatech, CEO & founder Piyush Kulshreshtha

    ‘Weekend Unwind’ with: Loktantra Mediatech, CEO & founder Piyush Kulshreshtha

    Mumbai: With yet another weekend upon us, in our latest ‘Weekend Unwind’ series, it’s time to take a peek into the mind of the head of social networking and conversation platform through a fun lens in an attempt to get to know the person behind the title a little better.

    In this week’s edition, we have Loktantra Mediatech, CEO & founder Piyush Kulshreshtha. In his current pursuit of developing Khul Ke, a homegrown social networking app that enables users to freely express themselves through purposeful and positive conversations that matter and level up their engagement.

    Through his illustrious career spanning over two decades, he’s known for holding prominent positions across leading real estate, and investment organisations. With a strong stance, he is frequently known to lend his voice to the creation of meaningful discourse.

    Prior to embarking on this project, Piyush spent years in a top-management position in Mumbai’s real-estate development industry, where he explored his skills in management and leadership, which groomed him into a poised figurehead.

    In the stock broking industry, Piyush worked for five years in brand management at Motilal Oswal and Sharekhan. During his MBA days, he worked as a radio jockey with All India Radio for three years and spent a year writing for Indian Express’ youth magazine Channel Y. Piyush is a graduate in economics.

    So without further ado, here it goes…

    • Your mantra for life

    Act & perfect, don’t overthink.

    • A book you are currently reading/plan to read

    Vibhanga

    • Your fitness mantra, especially during the pandemic

    Pranayama and light asanas.

    • Your comfort food

    Arahara ki daal and rice with aloo ki bhujia.

    • When the chips are down a quote/philosophy that keeps you going

    This too shall pass.

    • Your guilty pleasure

     Gulab Jamun

    • When was the last time you tried something new?

    Everyday.

    • A life lesson you learnt the hard way

    There is no moment in my life that I do not deserve. Everyone has to carry their own cross.

    • What gets you excited about Life?

    Possibility of becoming a better version of myself.

    • What’s on top of your bucket list?

    Research work on vipassana and Buddha’s discourses.

    • One thing you would most like to change about the world

    Be more objective.

    • An activity that keeps you motivated/charged during tough times

    New ideas and quick execution.

    • What lifts your spirits when life gets you down?

    Vipassana.

    • If you could give one piece of advice to your younger self, what would it be?

    Life is a journey, keep moving.

  • 61% consumers watch online video content like YouTube/OTT on their mobile/home TV: Axis My India Sep CSI Survey

    61% consumers watch online video content like YouTube/OTT on their mobile/home TV: Axis My India Sep CSI Survey

    Mumbai: Axis My India, a leading consumer data intelligence company, released its latest findings of the India Consumer Sentiment Index (CSI), a monthly analysis of consumer perception on a wide range of issues.

    According to reports, 20 per cent of consumers are planning to shop more this festive season. On media consumption, 61 per cent mentioned that they watch online video content either on their mobiles or connected TV. 32 per cent mentioned that they notice advertising on TV, followed by digital (26 per cent). An interesting observation was on app usage. On average, nine apps are used by a smartphone user.

    The net CSI score for September, calculated by percentage increase minus percentage decrease in sentiment, is at +10, from +9 last month, reflecting an increase of one point. The sentiment analysis delves into five relevant sub-indices: overall household spending; spending on essential and non-essential items; spending on healthcare; media consumption habits; and mobility trends.

    Key Findings:

    •     Overall, household spending has increased for 61 per cent of families, which is the same as in August. The net score, which was +52 last month, has increased by +1 to +53 in September.
    •     Consumption of media remains the same as the previous month, i.e., 19 per cent. The overall net score, which is -1 in September, also remains the same.
    •     Mobility has increased for seven per cent of families, representing a one per cent increase over the previous month.
    •     Spending on essentials like personal care and household items has increased for 46 per cent of the families, which is an increase of one per cent from last month. The net score, which was at +26 this month, has increased by +3 to +29.
    •     Spending on non-essential and discretionary products like air conditioners, cars, and refrigerators has increased for seven per cent of families, which reflects an increase of one per cent from last month. The net score, which was at nil last month, has improved to +2 this month. This could reflect the spirit of the festive season approaching.
    •      Consumption of health-related items has increased for 37 per cent of the families, which reflects a decrease of one per cent from last month. The health score, which has a negative connotation i.e., the less spent on health items, the better the sentiments, has a net score value of -23 for September, as compared to -24 last month.

    On topics of current national interest:

    •      In an attempt to understand consumers’ engagement with mobile apps, the survey discovered that, on average, consumers have nine apps on their smartphones. 16 per cent use a minimum of 4–8 apps on their smartphone, and 22 per cent have more than eight apps. A significant 24 per cent mentioned that they use a feature phone.
    •     In order to determine which medium advertisements are more likely to be noticed, the survey discovered that a majority of 32 per cent notice ads on TV, while 26 per cent notice them on online media. It was also discovered that only 17 per cent notice ads on social media platforms, 15 per cent in print, six per cent in outdoor and two per cent on radio.
    •      The survey further revealed that a majority of 61 per cent watch online video content like YouTube or OTT on their mobile/home TV.
    •     Digging deeper into the festive spirit, the survey shows that 20 per cent plan to shop more this festive season compared to last year. However, 32 per cent plan to shop the same as last year.
    •     According to the Axis My India Consumer Sentiment Index Survey, 48 per cent of consumers shop/purchase more products during the festive season as compared to the rest of the year.
    •      Exploring farmers’ sentiments towards new tractors, the survey found out that 10 per cent are planning to purchase new tractors in the coming year, while three per cent and two per cent plan to do so within six months and three months, respectively. For reasons like smaller land size, renting, or affordability, a significant 86 per cent of farmers don’t own a tractor.

    The survey was carried out via computer-aided telephonic interviews with a sample size of 10014 people across 32 states and UTs. 68 per cent belonged to rural India, while 32 per cent belonged to urban India. In terms of regional spread, 23 per cent belong to the northern parts while 24 per cent belong to the eastern parts of India. Moreover, 29 per cent and 23 per cent belonged to the western and southern parts of India, respectively. 59 per cent of the respondents were male, while 41 per cent were female. In terms of the two majority sample groups, 32 per cent reflect the age group of 36-year olds to 50-year olds, while 31 per cent reflect the age group of 26-year olds to 35-year olds.

    Axis My India chairman and MD Pradeep Gupta said, “After compromising the past two festive seasons because of the pandemic and its related constraints, this year consumers are expected to shop more during festivities. One can already witness a slight increase in expenses across essential and discretionary products. Further improvement in mobility sentiments highlights the fact that more and more people are enjoying the stores’ and malls’ experiences of discovering, shopping, and gifting.”

    He further added, “This sentiment is also extended among the Indian farmers, wherein a significant percentage of 15 per cent intend to buy a brand new tractor in the next one year. This is thus a crucial time for the Indian advertising business as spending is expected to bring a lot more returns than usual. As more and more people (61 per cent) are watching online video content (YouTube/OTT) on their mobile/home TV and thereby noticing ads across TV, online and social media platforms, it is of utmost importance for the media industry to tap the right medium for addressing differentiated consumer needs.”

  • VI brings live darshan of Lalbaugcha raja to its loyal customers

    VI brings live darshan of Lalbaugcha raja to its loyal customers

    Mumbai: To enable its customers to experience the Lord Ganesha from anywhere in the world, telecom brand, Vodafone Idea will be streaming live darshan of Lalbaugcha raja on Vi App and Vi Movies & TV App, powered by ShemarooMe.

    The Ganesh Festival will be celebrated from 31 August to 9 September across the country.

    Vi customers can access the Vi Movies & TV App or Vi App from their mobile devices to watch live daily virtual aartis throughout the 10-day festive period.

    The daily aarti will be streamed live at 1:00 p.m and 8:30 p.m. In addition, Vi customers will be able to watch Ganesha documentaries on the Vi App and Vi Movies & TV App.

    On Anant Chaturdashi, viewers can join the live-streamed visarjan procession and bid Ganpati Bappa farewell until 10 p.m.

    Vi has also made special arrangements to install Led screens in select Vi stores in Mumbai, which will broadcast Lalbaugcha Raja’s live darshan for the benefit of visitors and the general public.