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  • OpenAI joins C2PA steering committee

    OpenAI joins C2PA steering committee

    Mumbai: The Coalition for Content Provenance and Authenticity (C2PA) announced that OpenAI, a leader in artificial intelligence research and deployment, has joined the C2PA as a steering committee member. This marks a significant milestone for the C2PA and will help advance the coalition’s mission to increase transparency around digital media as AI-generated content becomes more prevalent.

    Joining other steering committee members that include Adobe, BBC, Intel, Microsoft, Google, Publicis Groupe, Sony and Truepic — OpenAI will collaborate to further develop and promote the adoption of Content Credentials, an implementation of the C2PA’s open technical standard for tamper-resident metadata that can be attached to digital content, showing how and when the content was created or modified.

    The announcement today builds on OpenAI’s previously shared initiatives to improve transparency around digital provenance. Earlier this year, OpenAI began attaching Content Credentials to images created and edited by DALL•E 3, the company’s latest image model, in ChatGPT and the OpenAI API. In addition, the company also announced its plans to attach Content Credentials to video generations from Sora, the company’s text-to-video model, when the model is ready to be deployed to the public.      

    OpenAI’s membership and implementation of Content Credentials serve as a strong endorsement for the C2PA technical specification and advance the collective mission to help restore trust in the digital ecosystem.

    “C2PA is playing an essential role in bringing the industry together to advance shared standards around digital provenance,” said Anna Makanju, OpenAI’s VP of Global Affairs. “We look forward to contributing to this effort and see it as an important part of building trust in the authenticity of what people see and hear online.”

    “OpenAI is a long-time supporter of the C2PA’s mission and we’re thrilled that they’ve deepened their engagement by becoming a Steering Committee member,” said Andrew Jenks, C2PA Chair. “OpenAI’s existing adoption, advocacy, and ongoing commitment to Content Credentials will bring an important voice to our membership’s working efforts to guide the development of the C2PA standard.”

     

  • Netskope Threat Labs: IoT botnets and infostealers target retail sector

    Netskope Threat Labs: IoT botnets and infostealers target retail sector

    Mumbai: Netskope Threat Labs has published its latest research report, focused on cloud threats in the retail sector. The report finds that IoT botnets, remote access tools and infostealers were the key malware families deployed by attackers targeting retail in the past year. Retail has also undergone a shift over the past year from predominantly Google Cloud-based applications towards Microsoft apps like Outlook.

    Key findings include:

    1. Attackers using infostealers to target retail: Infostealers are a prominent malware family for the retail sector as attackers attempt to steal valuable data such as payment details from organisations and customers.

    . Infostealers also feed into the wider cybercrime ecosystem with attackers selling harvested credentials and personal financial details.

    2. Botnets and trojans targeting network devices: The Mirai botnet family has increasingly been seen to target exposed networking devices running Linux such as routers, cameras, and other IoT devices in the retail environment

    . IoT devices are often overlooked as a security risk, but can be effective in providing visual or sensor information that can assist in cybercrime, or even abused to launch DDoS attacks against other targets.

    . Similarly, remote access trojans (RAT) were popular as they allow access to browsers and remote cameras, sending information to attackers or receiving commands.

    . Since the leak of Mirai malware’s source code, the number of variants of this malware has increased considerably and poses a risk to retail as a sector with multiple vulnerable endpoints.

    3. Microsoft Suite increasingly a target: In last year’s report, Google applications were far more popular in the retail sector than in other industries, but over the past year the researchers have seen a resurgence of Microsoft’s popularity. This is particularly evident for storage with the gap between OneDrive and Google Drive widening over the past year, with the average percentage of users shifting from 43% to 51% for OneDrive and falling from 34% to 23% for Google Drive. We see similar trends with Outlook (21%) supplanting Gmail (13%) as the most popular email app.  

    . Microsoft OneDrive remains the most popular cloud application for malware delivery across all sectors including retail. Attackers gravitate towards tactics that capitalise on users’ trust and familiarity with OneDrive, increasing the likelihood they will click on the links and download the malware.  

    . In retail, attacks via Outlook are more successful than in other sectors – retail sees twice as many malware downloads via Outlook (10%) as other industry averages (5%).

    . WhatsApp’s popularity in retail: The app was three times as popular in retail (14%) than other industries (5.8%) both for average usage and downloads. However, WhatsApp was not listed among the current top apps for malware downloads. This may change as threat actors start to see its popularity justifying the economic case to direct more attacks via the app.

    Social media applications like X (12%), Facebook (10%) and Instagram (1.5% for uploads) were all more popular in retail than other industry averages.

    Speaking on the findings, Paolo Passeri, Cyber Intelligence Principal at Netskope said;

    “It’s surprising that the retail sector still finds itself specifically targeted with botnets like Mirai as attackers look to compromise vulnerable or misconfigured IoT devices across retail locations and abuse them to dramatically amplify the effect of a Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attack. Mirai is not a particularly recent threat, and since its discovery in 2016, there are now multiple variants used today. The fact that attackers continue to use it to target IoT devices shows that too many organisations continue to dangerously overlook the security posture of their internet-connected devices. This poses a significant risk not only for the targets of the attacks launched from the IoT botnet but also for the organisation whose IoT devices are enslaved into the botnet, since their exploitation can easily lead to outages that impact the functioning of the business.

    “This vulnerability, coupled with the use of infostealers and remote access malware to extract credentials and customer financial data makes the retail sector a potentially lucrative target.

    “I was particularly interested to see that Qakbot is among the top threats for retailers, even though this operation was taken down by the FBI at the end of August 2023. Its infrastructure has been quickly refitted by the attackers to distribute additional malware payloads, providing additional opportunities for the attackers; and some isolated Qakbot campaigns have been detected even after its disruption.

    “The fact that botnets like Mirai and infostealers like Quakbot continue to be among the top methods attackers use to target retail organisations shows security leaders still have much to do to fortify their infrastructure and endpoints. Fortunately, following fundamental cyber hygiene best practices like inspecting web and cloud traffic and ensuring you can block malicious traffic and isolate compromised endpoints or domains will reduce the risk that you fall victim to these attackers.”  

    Netskope Threat Labs recommends enterprises in the retail sector review their security posture and make several recommendations for best practices to counter these threats:

    1. Inspect all HTTP and HTTPS downloads, including all web and cloud traffic, to prevent malware from infiltrating your network.

    2. Ensure that high-risk file types like executables and archives are thoroughly inspected using a combination of static and dynamic analysis before being downloaded.

    3. Configure policies to block downloads and uploads from apps and instances that are not used in your organisation to reduce your risk surface to only those apps and instances that are necessary for the business and minimise the risk of accidental or deliberate data exposure from insiders or abuse by attackers.

    4. Use an Intrusion Prevention System (IPS) that can identify and block malicious traffic patterns, such as command and control traffic associated with popular malware. Blocking this type of communication can prevent further damage by limiting the attacker’s ability to perform additional actions.

    5. Use Remote Browser Isolation (RBI) technology to provide additional protection when there is a need to visit websites that fall into categories that can present higher risk, like newly observed and newly registered domains.

    The report is based on anonymised usage data collected about a retail sector subset of Netskope’s 2,500+ customers, all of whom give prior authorisation for their data to be analysed in this manner.

    visit here 

  • Microsoft’s Prerna Korla is the new Mastercard Director-Communications Asia Pacific

    Microsoft’s Prerna Korla is the new Mastercard Director-Communications Asia Pacific

    Mumbai: Prerna Korla recently joined Mastercard as Director – Communication, Asia Pacific dated January 4, 2024. She is a seasoned professional with 13 years of experience in the communication and public relations domain.

    According to her LinkedIn post, she wrote, “Stoked to kick-off the new year with what promises to be a ‘priceless’ journey at Mastercard as Director, Communications, Asia Pacific”.

    Before joining Mastercard, Korla had an inspiring journey and had prolonged experience with positions at Microsoft and Uber, serving as Senior Communications Manager and Consumer Communications Lead for India and South Asia.

    She specialises in stakeholder-centric corporate and brand communications, executive and leadership communications, change communications, issues and crisis management, strategic planning for key brand milestones, and content writing for businesses and business leaders.

     

  • MG Motor India and Red Comet Films come together to celebrate #GharKiLaxmi

    MG Motor India and Red Comet Films come together to celebrate #GharKiLaxmi

    Mumbai: Red Comet Films (RCF), a renowned ad film and digital content production house, recently launched two powerful films during the festive period in collaboration with MG Motor India celebrating #GharKiLaxmi. The films, rooted in the essence of familial relationships, aim to redefine the traditional narrative around festivals, emphasizing the significance of empowerment, acceptance, and enduring love within Indian households.

    Inspired by a real-life story, #GharKiLaxmi captures emotions of parents who celebrate the homecoming of their daughter after a divorce, the way they celebrated her bridal farewell. The campaign aims to break shackles associated with societal stigmas and paradoxes where women are looked down upon by society once they decide to step out of an abusive marriage.

    The second movie depicts girls from various homes being raised in a conventional way, with rules about what toys to play with, how they should behave, and what activities are exclusive to men. It then goes on to show how there is a Laxmi in every home and that achieving dreams and following passion is not gender specific but more about the will to do things.

    Talking about the company’s commitment to showcasing powerful stories in a simple yet effective way through video, Ankit Ahuja, Founder, Red Comet Films, said, “At Red Comet Films, we believe in narratives that inspire change and celebrate the strength within our families. The #GharKiLaxmi campaign is a testament to our dedication to fostering empowering stories that resonate with audiences on a deeper level. MG Motor India collaborated with us to challenge societal norms and promote diversity while also laying emphasis on the integrity, dedication, and energy of women. Together, we aim to create a narrative that not only captivates but also catalyses positive change in society.”

    Commenting on the launch of this social media campaign, MG Motor India marketing head  Udit Malhotra said, “Diwali is associated with Lakshmi, the goddess of prosperity and in India, women are revered like Lakshmi. Through this soul-stirring narrative, MG aims to challenge societal taboos, encourage empowerment, and promote Stree Shakti which also resonates with our philosophy to unravel the hidden potential of women and enable them to take up challenging roles at every step of their journey.”

    In a short span of time, Red Comet Films, an IJCP Group company has become a leading production house, celebrated for creativity, innovation, and a steadfast commitment to exceptional results. Some notable names that the production house has worked with since inception include Morris Garages, Cognizant, JCB, Microsoft, Lufthansa, BITS Pilani, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Nestle, Dettol, Flipkart, and Uber, among many others. With a seasoned team of professionals in advertising and digital media, the production house specializes in crafting visually stunning ad films and digital content ranging from fashion, fiction, consumer goods to technology, automotive and more.

    #GharKiLaxmi | Happy Diwali | MG Motor

    Celebrating the Laxmis of our nation | #GharKiLaxmi

  • MMA Global India launches AI Advisory

    MMA Global India launches AI Advisory

    Mumbai: MMA Global India proudly announces the inauguration of the MMA Global India AI Advisory, a collaborative effort uniting the marketing ecosystem comprising members such as McDonald’s, HP, Microsoft, EY, ReBid, SAS, Netcore, Airtel, Aditya Birla Group, Tata Consumer Products, Bridgestone, CEAT, HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, L’Oreal India, Mondelez, MakeMyTrip, and many others.

    Why AI Advisory?

    The subject of AI is fast-evolving, and keeping up with the pace can be challenging. The MMA Global India AI Advisory is here to provide the right platform for industry representatives to discuss challenges, engage in knowledge sharing, and drive collaboration for growth.

    “With 3 out of 4 companies already experimenting and scaling, especially in areas like marketing optimization and personalization, our AI Advisory will serve as a compass to enable marketers to harness intelligence and propel innovation. I wish to welcome our AI advisory members and the industry to help shape the future of AI in marketing and together tread the path to AI-powered marketing,” shared MMA Global India country head and board member Moneka Khurana. She further added that “this council serves as a testament to our commitment to fostering collaboration, knowledge sharing, and pushing the boundaries of AI applications in the Indian marketing landscape.”

    Objective of the AI Advisory:

    The AI Advisory at MMA Global India is committed to driving the adoption of AI applications in marketing at scale. It represents a working coalition of leading marketers and thought leaders focused on applying AI to marketing responsibly and effectively.

    What Sets the Advisory Apart:

    With a special focus on the Indian market, the MMA Global India AI Advisory ensures marketers have access to relevant content and resources needed to be at the forefront of technological innovation.

    Ernst & Young, head & partner and marketing advisory Amiya Swaru sharing his excitement for the launch, said, “The MMA India AI Advisory is a significant initiative; and a commitment to drive effective AI integration in marketing. Through thought leadership, the AI Advisory’s objective is to enable marketers to deliver business goals using effective use of AI and technology.”

    Our Experts on the Council Will aim to:

    1   Champion AI-Powered Marketing and Branding Tech

    2   Foster Knowledge Sharing via Thought Leadership

    3   Keep Members at the Forefront of AI Marketing Applications

    4   Establish Authority in Marketer Tech and Be the Go-To Council

    This group is laser-focused on driving conversations at a micro-level for the industry, with visible outcomes in reports, use cases, surveys, and more. Dedicated solely to the Indian market, the MMA Global India AI Advisory guarantees marketers access to content most pertinent to them, ensuring MMA’s members remain leaders in this generation’s most critical frontier of technological innovation.

    “In the realm of AI-driven marketing, the MMA Global India AI Advisory stands as a beacon of industry collaboration. The advisory’s collective mission is clear – to champion AI-powered marketing and pave the way for marketers to not just adapt but lead in this era of transformative technology,” were some strong closing words by another key founding member of the council, ReBid CEO & founder Rajiv Dingra. 

  • Brand growth slows finds Interbrand’s Best Global Brands report 2023

    Brand growth slows finds Interbrand’s Best Global Brands report 2023

    Mumbai: Interbrand has launched its Best Global Brands 2023 ranking, revealing many of the world’s top 100 brands are in a state of stagnation. The rate of growth in the overall brand value of the table slowed sharply after last year’s significant increase – rising 5.7 per cent this year compared to last year’s 16 per cent increase, taking the total brand value to $3.3 trillion ($3.1 trillion in 2022).

    Interbrand cites lack of growth mindset, weaker brand leadership and poor forecasting as behind the slowdown. This follows a longer-term trend in which brands operating exclusively in one sector taking an incremental approach have experienced slower brand value growth.

    Interbrand Global CEO Gonzalo Brujó said: “After a few years of strong brand growth, we have entered a period of stagnation, with this year’s table showing moderate growth in overall brand value among the world’s biggest brands.

    “Businesses which have witnessed a rise in brand value, including Airbnb (#46), LEGO (#59) and Nike (#9) have all transcended their established category norms and play a more significant and meaningful role in society and consumer’s lives.

    “As we continue to navigate economic and environmental headwinds, there is a need for improved business cases and better brand management to drive future investment and sustain growth within traditional sectors and beyond. Those who can successfully leverage their brand into new consumer pools of potential will reap the rewards of strong brand growth.”

    More than two decades of analysis show companies that address a more diverse set of customer needs, often across sectors, continue to dominate the top of the table – making up almost 50 per cent of the total value. Based on the data, these companies operating across several different verticals are more stable[1], achieve higher top-line growth[2], remain more profitable[3], and benefit from a greater growth of brand value[4]. For these companies, a focus on brand rather than product plays a greater role in driving choice (12 per cent vs average), meaning they can address more customer needs, within and across categories.

    Interbrand global chief strategy officer Manfredi Ricca said: “A brand like Apple can no longer be ascribed to a sector. It competes across different Arenas, helping its customers Connect (the iPhone), but also Thrive (the latest Apple watch was positioned as a health device), Fund (its new savings account drew nearly $1 billion in deposits in the first four days), and much more. Apple’s move across Arenas has enabled it to hold the BGB top spot for 11 years, having overtaken Coca-Cola in 2013.”

    Microsoft chief brand officer Kathleen Hall, said: “We are honored to be recognized for continued strong growth in the Best Global Brands ranking this year. The combination of brand perception and financial performance is a great indicator of brand health and relevance and one we value tremendously. With our acquisition of Activision Blizzard, our prominent leadership position in AI, and our continued commitment to make a positive impact on society, we aspire to be a brand people can trust and build a responsible future with.”

    Nestlé Nespresso SA CEO Guillaume Le Cunff: “Since the beginning, sustainability has been at the heart of the Nespresso brand and we have worked hard to show coffee can be a force for good. This is a very proud moment to see Nespresso recognised in Interbrand’s Best Global Brands ranking for the first time. And we’re not stopping there. We believe that the most powerful force behind our brand is our commitment to sustainability, which enables us to consistently offer the unforgettable taste and truly elevated coffee experience that consumers expect from Nespresso worldwide.”

     

  • India Today Group unleashes five regional AI anchors to team up with Sana

    India Today Group unleashes five regional AI anchors to team up with Sana

    Mumbai: In a historic moment at the 5th India Today Conclave in Mumbai held on 5 October, India Today Group managing director Kalli Purie, joined Sana, India’s First AI anchor, to introduce a cutting-edge roster of AI anchors. Representing diverse regions of India, these AI regional anchors are set to redefine how news is delivered and consumed, marking a significant milestone in newsroom evolution.

    The India Today Group ushered in a new era of AI journalism earlier this year when it introduced India’s First AI Anchor, Sana; in March. Since then, Sana has tirelessly delivered 200 hours of programming, transcending various genres, languages, and platforms. In less than six months, Sana has already added several credits to her belt including interacting with PM Modi (first AI Anchor to interact with a head of the state), anchoring a dedicated segment on prime-time, and interacting with global leaders like Brad Smith of Microsoft and Shahrukh Khan.

    On the concluding day of India Today Conclave 2023 in Mumbai, Purie took the opportunity to get Sana to introduce a diverse array of AI anchors: SAIli, the pioneering AI Marathi news anchor for Mumbai Tak; AIshwarya, the authoritative Hindi anchor for UP Tak, Bharat Tak, and News Tak; NAIna, the engaging Bhojpuri anchor on Aaj Tak 2; AIna, India’s inaugural Bengali AI anchor on Aaj Tak Bangla; and JAI, the articulate English AI anchor on India Today TV, representing the global perspective.

    Speaking about the group’s AI anchors, Purie said, “For the first time in our group’s 48-year history, we’ve taken a leap by creating an anchor from scratch rather than hiring one! These AI Anchors exemplify our unwavering commitment to always looking out for new tech that can enable our newsroom to deliver a richer faster more personalised news experience.

    The AI news anchors cater to diverse linguistic communities across the nation, appreciating and understanding their local preferences in terms of content preference, dialect, culture, and language, creating a personal connection with the audience. This strategic move underscores the Group’s dedication to innovation and its commitment to a superior quality audience experience.

    AI Anchor profiles

    Aaj Tak now has the dynamic AI anchor NAIna, who spearheads the Bhojpuri news segment on the Aaj Tak 2 digital platform. Across India, Bhojpuri-speaking audiences are known to be the raging group driving YouTube-based news consumption. Infused with an innate understanding of the language’s nuances, AI Naina seamlessly captivates audiences, ensuring the delivery of Bhojpuri news with an amalgamation of authenticity and precision.

    In a significant stride towards bolstering regional representation, the Mumbai Tak digital platform proudly presents SAIli, its first AI news reader, proficient in Marathi. Saili’s eloquence and understanding of the regional flourish harmoniously resonate with the Marathi audience.

    AI anchor AIshwarya brings cheer to the Hindi-speaking audience on News Tak, Bharat Tak and UP Tak. An embodiment of credible journalism and precision reporting, she effortlessly fosters a robust connection with the audience through her seamless news delivery with utmost accuracy.

    Possessing absolute proficiency in Bangla and personifying the Bengali culture, AI anchor AIna establishes a compelling bond with viewers who seek news in their native tongue. Her accent, eye for detail, and cultural sensitivity establish an immediate connection with the audience of Aaj Tak Bangla.

    JAI, the dashing AI anchor, is at the helm of the English news spectrum analysis on India Today TV. His high-speed data analysis capability for churning out news content that resonates with its audiences nationwide and his innovative storytelling is highly captivating. His mastery of the language and the ease of communication make him dear to his viewers.

  • Mind the attention gap: How brands can retain the attention span of their consumers

    Mind the attention gap: How brands can retain the attention span of their consumers

    Mumbai: The digital age has brought many benefits to consumers, such as convenience, choice, and access to information. However, it has also created a new challenge for brands: how to capture and retain the attention of their consumers in a crowded and noisy online environment. According to a Microsoft study, the average human attention span has dropped from 12 seconds in 2000 to eight seconds in 2015, which is less than that of a goldfish. This means that brands have only a few seconds to make an impression and persuade consumers to engage with their content, products, or services.

    The attention gap is a serious problem for marketers, as it affects the effectiveness of their campaigns and the return on their investments. According to a report by HubSpot, 91% of consumers are more likely to shop with brands that provide relevant offers and recommendations, and 72% of consumers expect brands to personalise their communications. However, only 22% of consumers are satisfied with the level of personalisation they receive from brands. This indicates that there is a mismatch between what consumers want and what brands deliver, which leads to lower engagement, loyalty, and conversion rates.

    How to bridge the attention gap

    To overcome the challenge of the attention gap, brands need to adopt a customer-centric approach and create content that is relevant, valuable, and engaging for their target audience. Here are some strategies that can help brands achieve this goal:

    ●    Use data and analytics to understand customers: Brands need to leverage data and analytics tools to collect and analyse information about their customers, such as their demographics, preferences, behaviors, needs, and pain points. This will help them segment their customers into different groups based on their characteristics and interests, and tailor their content accordingly. For example, Netflix uses data and algorithms to recommend personalised content to its users based on their viewing history and preferences.

    ●    Create compelling stories that resonate with customers: Brands need to craft stories that connect with their customers on an emotional level and convey their value proposition in a clear and compelling way. Stories can help brands capture the attention of their customers, build trust and credibility, and inspire them to take action. For example, Airbnb uses storytelling to showcase the experiences of its hosts and guests, and how they can discover new places and cultures through its platform.

    ●    Use multimedia and interactive content to enhance customers’ experiences: Brands need to use multimedia and interactive content formats, such as videos, podcasts, infographics, quizzes, games, etc., to deliver their messages in a more engaging and memorable way. Multimedia and interactive content can help brands attract the attention of their customers, stimulate their senses, and encourage them to interact with their brand. For example, Nike uses interactive videos to showcase its products and features, and allow its customers to customise their own shoes.

    ●    Optimise content for different channels and devices: Brands need to optimise their content for different channels and devices that their customers use, such as websites, social media platforms, mobile apps, email newsletters, etc. This will help them reach their customers where they are, provide them with a consistent and seamless experience across different touchpoints, and increase their chances of engagement. For example, Starbucks optimises its content for different channels and devices by using responsive design, mobile-friendly features, social media integration, etc.

    Giving his two cents on this rapid transformation, Wing Communications CEO & founder Shiva Bhavani said, “We believe that in today’s competitive market, it is not enough to just create content for our clients. We have to create content that matters to their customers. That’s why we use cutting-edge tools and techniques to understand the needs and preferences of our clients’ target audience and craft personalised and relevant stories that capture their attention and inspire them to take action.”

    Conclusion

    The attention gap is a reality that brands have to face in the digital age. However, it is not an insurmountable obstacle. By using data and analytics, creating compelling stories, using multimedia and interactive content formats, and optimising their content for different channels and devices, brands can bridge the attention gap and retain the attention span of their consumers.

    The article is authored by Wing Communications CEO Shiva Bhavani.

  • “MiQ’s secret sauce is our partner-agnostic, tech-enabled and people-powered approach to programmatic:” MIQ’s Siddharth Dabhade

    “MiQ’s secret sauce is our partner-agnostic, tech-enabled and people-powered approach to programmatic:” MIQ’s Siddharth Dabhade

    Mumbai:  Today we are seeing the rise in programmatic advertising and MiQ  (www.wearemiq.com) is a programmatic partner for marketers and agencies combining industry knowledge with technology and data analytics to offer better-connected marketing solutions for over 1,100+ clients globally. We are experts in data science, analytics, and programmatic trading, and are always ready to solve challenges quickly and ensure our clients always spend their media investments on the right things in the right places. They’re present in 22 cities across 9 countries, with over 1,000 people. The company has a Center of Excellence in Bengaluru, with a global technology, analytics, and innovation base, where it develops cutting-edge programmatic advertising products for India and the rest of the world.

    Siddharth Dhabhade is a luminary of the technology and internet industry with over 21 years of experience across management, business development, digital marketing, key customer relationship management and business advisory roles with global technology giants.

    As managing director, Dhabhade is responsible for the growth of MiQ’s programmatic and analytics solutions, relationships with brand and media agencies, revenue growth and P&L management and strengthening the company’s leadership position across India, China and SAARC countries. He is also a part of the global operational board and helps drive the global strategy and operations for MiQ.

    Prior to joining MiQ, Dhabhade held a variety of technology, business development and management roles with industry giants such as Google, Microsoft and IBM, with his most recent position leading the Indian business of global retail technology and advertising leader, Criteo. At Google, he scaled the business 11x, and at Criteo he made India region as the fastest-growing region for Criteo worldwide with innovations in mobile/apps solutions.

    Indiantelevision .com in conversation with MiQ (India China and SAARC) managing director Siddharth Dabhade on the growth of MiQ from a start-up to a Unicorn, on data privacy, use of AI, MiQ innovation in data science, programmatic talent and much more…….

    Edited excerpts

    On the journey of MiQ

    Our growth story has been extraordinary; we have grown from a few hundred to over 1,000 individuals globally. We’ve had stupendous growth in the UK, US, and Canada markets, and we are expanding in emerging markets including India, China, APAC, and MEA to chart out our next wave of growth. India is a key market for us globally, and we continue to invest in adding more agencies, clients, partners, and talent to our India portfolio.

    MiQ has been present in India with our Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bangalore since 2012, and it has been an integral part of our global operations, serving as a hub for technology, data science, analytics, and innovations. We launched the India commercial business during the pandemic in 2020, but over the past couple of years, we have grown nearly 10 times more than the industry average. We’ve always been focused on growing profitably, and today we work with over 300 brands and almost every digital media agency in India.

    On the funding front

    Our founders, Lee Puri and Gurman Hundal, initially bootstrapped to grow in the UK and Europe but MiQ was first funded by ECI back in 2017, and that was our first foray into private equity. It was beneficial to us on a strategic level. We’re really proud to share that in ECI’s 40-year history, they have made the best ever return with us, making nearly 6.1x return on their initial investment.

    Last year, we partnered with private equity firm Bridgepoint to fuel our long-term growth strategy to deliver the next phase of programmatic media solutions, with a focus on continued international expansion and client growth.

    On advertising unfolding globally and in India

    Data privacy is the foundation on which future-proofed, privacy-centric advertising solutions are being built. Globally, the entire AdTech and Digital marketing ecosystem is gearing up for a cookieless world. This means advertisers and marketers are investing in technology that will help them identify, target, and measure without using third-party cookies. Brands are investing to bolster their first-party data, and enrich it with second- & third-party data to succeed in their marketing and advertising campaigns.

    Cookieless measurement is one of the most challenging aspects facing advertisers as we move toward a privacy-forward future, as the AdTech industry is heavily fragmented – consider all of the media channels, formats, ad exchanges, ad servers, demand vs. supply-side platforms, and the different data, measurement, and analytics available within walled gardens versus on the open web.

    Virtually all channel marketers utilize today will be impacted by the deprecation of cookies, including measurement data. Household reach, IP-based conversions, footfall, incremental lift, ROAS and CPA all currently rely on cookie-based attribution for measurement of the interlocking key between channels.

    Technology companies will embed AI into their products and solutions, which will have a transformative impact on personalization, media planning, unlocking consumer insights, campaign optimization, and measurement. We’ve been using AI, and data science algorithms to programmatically do things differently than our competitors.

    On that secret sauce that makes MIQ stand out in terms of technology, data science and programmatic talent

    MiQ’s secret sauce is our partner-agnostic, tech-enabled and people-powered approach to programmatic. In India, we have a team of over 400 data scientists, analysts, technologists, and programmatic traders, which gives us a winning edge in doing programmatic differently.

    .   Custom Analytics Solutions: MiQ offers bespoke data analytics solutions that go beyond traditional media campaign analytics. We leverage our expertise in data analysis to help businesses address major challenges such as reducing breakage and churn, identifying high-converting customers, and solving supply chain issues. This ability to apply analytics to various business aspects sets us apart by providing valuable insights and driving better performance.

    .   Data Science Expertise: At MiQ, we have a team of skilled data scientists who possess a deep understanding of data analysis, modeling, and statistical techniques. These experts are proficient in extracting meaningful insights from complex data sets, enabling them to provide valuable recommendations before the campaign begins and drive data-driven strategies to achieve campaign goals.

    .    Programmatic Trading Capabilities: MiQ has a pool of programmatic talent comprising expert traders and professionals well-versed in the programmatic advertising ecosystem. Our programmatic trading team understands the intricacies of media buying and optimization, ensuring efficient and effective campaign execution.

    .    Partnerships and Collaborations: MiQ has established strong partnerships and collaborations with data providers, technology platforms, and industry experts. Our strategic alliances allow us to access diverse data sources, cutting-edge tools, and specialized knowledge, enhancing our capabilities and enabling us to provide comprehensive solutions to clients.

    By combining our custom analytics solutions, advanced technology, data science expertise, programmatic trading capabilities, and valuable partnerships, we offer a unique combination that sets us apart in the realm of technology, data science, and programmatic talent. This comprehensive approach allows us to deliver impactful insights, optimize performance, and drive business outcomes for our clients.

    On India today making a name for itself in the global arena for its creative work

    With a large talent pool of tech, digital and creative professionals, India has the potential to become a global hub for digital and programmatic advertising akin to IT and technology services. Most global organizations (including MiQ) have their centre of excellence, captive and capability centres in India as it offers them significant advantages in terms of skills, costs and infrastructure. I personally believe that with investments in upskilling, digital infrastructure, new technologies and industry collaboration, India will become a digital advertising hub for the world over the next few years.

    On concepts such as connected television, cookie-free and sustainable advertising, data clean rooms evolving in the startup ecosystem

    In the advertising ecosystem, challenges and trends catalyze the creation of new solutions and channels. Take the connected TV ecosystem for example, which has evolved into the new fastest-growing advertising channel and has the potential to uproot the dominance of linear TV by bringing digital-like capabilities to TV advertising. MiQ’s breadth of industry-leading programmatic TV solutions enables brands to unlock incremental reach with campaigns that marry first-party linear TV data with over-the-top streaming content, a full range of devices across manufacturers, and contextual and behavioural audience analytics to give brands scale.

    With increasing concerns over data privacy and most web browsers phasing out third-party cookies, cookieless solutions are gaining popularity and more data will live inside clean rooms – a platform where advertisers and agencies can perform analysis and data science on any dataset in an aggregated way (meaning, at a group level rather than data that can be linked to specific individuals), and without moving it out of the platform.

    MiQ is also bringing the sustainable advertising solution to India, through its partnership with Scope3 and Seen This. This is the first such offering in India.

    While there are many point solutions in this space, the programmatic ecosystem is very fragmented and requires a specialist like MiQ which can help brands connect the dots between technology, partnerships and people.

    On CTV or digital advertising is the go-to medium for brands today

    With a boom in CTV/OTT platforms, FAST channels, Smart TV manufacturers and ISPs jumping into the CTV advertising space, the complexity of this platform is increasing. Advertisers have many options to buy, activate and measure their campaigns but an integrated, data-driven approach is often missing. To make media buying on platforms like CTV or digital advertising more transparent, MiQ employs various approaches and tools. These include:

    .    Authorized Digiadvertising,, or ads.txt is an IAB Tech Lab initiative that helps ensure that your digital ad inventory is only sold through sellers (such as AdSense) whom you’ve identified as authorized.

    .    Our campaign manager tool is available to all clients to ensure transparency of inventory

    .    Third-party brand safety – IAS (pre-bind and post-bid)

    .   Supply path optimization

    .    Fraud detection through internal algorithms

    On sustainability today as many brands have climbed on the sustainability bandwagon

    If the internet was a country, it would be the third largest polluter in the world – after the US and China. MiQ aims to be a game changer in the field of sustainability by offering carbon footprint measurements of brands’ digital campaigns. We recognize the significant environmental impact of online activities, and by combining data partnerships, technology, and programmatic approaches, we can help brands reduce their carbon footprint without compromising performance.

    To achieve this, MiQ has set off on a mission to understand how to minimize carbon emissions associated with programmatic advertising. We have developed a tool called the “Green Score” that allows brands and their agencies to assess the environmental impact of their programmatic advertising campaigns. The Green Score provides insights into campaign emissions compared to industry and vertical benchmarks. By analyzing the Green Score, brands can gain a better understanding of their environmental impact and build more sustainable campaigns.

    MiQ’s approach involves standardizing measurement and providing benchmarks to help brands improve their sustainability efforts. By measuring the carbon emissions resulting from various actions in programmatic advertising, such as running devices, connecting data, and powering servers, MiQ enables brands to identify areas where emissions can be reduced. By implementing sustainable practices based on the insights provided by the Green Score, brands can effectively reduce their carbon footprint.

    The way we use the Green Score Report is simple so that every advertiser can benefit from adding this to their campaigns risk-free, with no impact on performance. We use it to:

    .    Inform tactical day zero planning (before your campaign goes live);

    .    Adapt mid-flight media mixes; and

    .    Dynamically optimize to greener supply using the Green Score as a secondary KPI

  • Dentsu and Microsoft come together to build a path to the metaverse for brands and business

    Dentsu and Microsoft come together to build a path to the metaverse for brands and business

    Mumbai: dentsu International has announced its collaboration with Microsoft to build a unique collaboration space in the metaverse, designed to excite and inspire brands to innovate and experiment with web3 technologies. Using their combined expertise, the firms have partnered to showcase a range of real-world use-cases that have been reimagined in a virtual setting to drive greater engagement, productivity, and accessibility for business.

    With many brands and businesses still assessing how to take advantage of the huge opportunities presented by web3, dentsu and Microsoft have come together to showcase what can be achieved in critical business areas such as customer service, retail, and learning and development.

    The initiative is underpinned by dentsu’s recently announced Web3 Center of Excellence, which falls within the Creative pillar. This is where clients and dentsu teams have the chance to innovate, test ideas, experiment with hypotheses, and learn how evolving technologies and platforms could be used within integrated campaigns or future business models.

    The new dimension, created by a move into the virtual world, brings a wealth of exciting and engaging opportunities to transform important touch points with customers and employees. The newly built dentsu and Microsoft spaces are located on the dentsu campus, in “Moon Valley,” a digital twin of the moon created by HeadOffice.Space, the metaverse for productivity. The space was designed specifically to be more accessible by more people and through any web-enabled device, as well as VR and mobile.

    Developing a space in the metaverse required the application of some unique technologies, brought together for the very first time by the teams at dentsu and Microsoft:

        Dentsu Metaversity for Microsoft Power Skills: Powerup Power Skills with new starter inductions and employee training, enabling teams anywhere to upskill and gain new competencies through the full suite of Microsoft 365 products, text-to-speech capabilities, and forthcoming Microsoft Designer capabilities.

        Microsoft Retail Education: a space for retailers and brands to learn more about Microsoft Dynamics 365 and dentsu’s ShopNXT retail innovations.

        Lounge: A virtual “room” where brands can connect through their professional LinkedIn identities to recruit, network, and engage with prospective buyers and customers.

        Ecosia Forest: Provides overall education on Ecosia, the search engine that plants trees where they are needed most, with over 160 million trees planted to date, powered by Microsoft.

        AI-Powered Virtual Human: Our full experience will be guided by ‘Neva,’ an AI-powered virtual human created in collaboration with HeadOffice.space. Neva combines the power of Unreal Engine’s MetaHumancreator framework and Microsoft AI-powered text-to-speech, a capability within Azure Cognitive Services, part of the Azure AI platform, that converts text to lifelike speech across 400 neural voices across 140 languages and variants.

        Additional spaces on the dentsu campus include the ShopNXT Showroom, Merkle Virtual Retail Lab, and Intelligence Center.

        The co-space is built on Unreal Engine 5, the world’s most open and advanced real-time 3D creation tool, and features full-body 3D avatars with Ready Player Me Integration.

    dentsu vice president of solutions and innovation Val Vacante said, “We’ve seen a lot of activity around the Metaverse, with some businesses jumping in simply to grab headlines rather than figure out how Web3 can really change perspective on existing business challenges. At dentsu we’d say it’s ‘near but not here’ and that is exactly why we wanted to work with Microsoft to show the world how today’s business problems can be solved in the Metaverse tomorrow. Whether it is overcoming the skills-gap by making accessible and engaging training programs, or building multi-channel customer loyalty solutions using NFTs, or mapping innovation explorations through our NXT Intelligence platform, the opportunities are truly endless!”

    dentsu group vice president of growth & enablement Paul Veltman said, “Microsoft and dentsu have been partners for many years, working hard to push the boundaries of where technology, creativity, and productivity meet brands and the customers we serve. When we come together, though, we always want to do so with a clear focus – whatever we create must help our clients solve problems and stand out, but it also has to drive tangible and sustainable growth. By developing this incredible new virtual space, we’re inviting clients, their people, and partners to discover, experiment, and co-create. From connected e-commerce opportunities to engaging talent solutions and integrated CRM capabilities, we have an exciting new space to partner with you on your journey in the metaverse.”

    Microsoft managing director media & entertainment Simon Crownshaw said, “The media and advertising industries continue to be transformed by digital technology, which now includes the Metaverse. These transformations will continue to require that brands adapt their business models and strategies in real time to take advantage of new creative opportunities. As our collaboration with dentsu evolves, we’re continuing to elevate creativity with the power of the Microsoft Cloud, enabling the future of content creation and collaboration from anywhere in the world.”