Tag: Roma Datta Chobey

  • Ad to the Future Google revs up AI to rewrite the rules of marketing

    Ad to the Future Google revs up AI to rewrite the rules of marketing

    MUMBAI: Who needs a crystal ball when your ads can now predict, create and convert, all thanks to AI? At its annual Google Marketing Live event, Google rolled out a wave of AI-powered advertising tools designed to flip the marketing playbook from reactive to proactive. From smarter bidding and creative generation to shoppable TV and AI-driven search ads, the tech giant is giving Indian marketers a suite of tools to anticipate consumer behaviour, not just respond to it.

    “The purchase journey isn’t a straight line anymore, it’s a maze of swipes, scrolls and searches,” said Google India MD for digital first businesses Roma Datta Chobey. “Our new launches help brands cut through the chaos, scale creativity, and reach the right people at the right time with precision and impact.”

    Here’s what’s turning heads:
    Smarter Shopping, Streamlined Selling

    ●    Shoppable CTV lets users buy products right from their smart TVs using QR codes or “send to phone” options.

    ●    Youtube Masthead is now shoppable on mobile, giving brands high-visibility, click-to-cart impact.

    ●    Ads in AI Overviews will soon roll out in India, inserting Search and Shopping ads directly within AI-generated search summaries.

    AI-Powered Creativity with “Generated for You”

    ●    Set to launch in Product Studio later this year, this tool will generate images and videos based on product catalogues, trends, and brand identity no design skills required.

    Performance Max Retention Only Mode

    ●    In beta in India, this lets brands focus solely on re-engaging existing users. Swiggy tested it and saw a two-thirds reduction in cost for bringing users back to the app.

    AI Max for Search

    ●    Now live in India, it’s a one-click booster that learns from your site and existing keywords to serve smarter, more relevant ads. Cashify reported a 15 per cent conversion bump in early trials.

    Smart Bidding, Smarter Insights

    ●    A major bidding update now helps brands uncover less obvious conversion paths, with testers reporting an 18 per cent increase in new query categories that convert.

    Meridian Gets an Upgrade

    ●    Google’s open-source Marketing Mix Model (MMM) will now include a dynamic scenario planner and more frequent access to key reach/frequency data via API.

    AI Agents in Ads & Analytics

    ●    New “agentic” AI tools will soon help with campaign setup, keyword strategy, and performance reporting inside Google Ads and Analytics, using conversational prompts and visuals.

    For early adopters like Swiggy, the tools have already shown impact across the funnel from creative acceleration to better cost efficiency and growth in new user cohorts.

    As marketers juggle non-linear journeys across screens, platforms and attention spans, Google’s AI arsenal aims to give them not just tools, but an edge where insights spark action, and creativity scales without compromise.

    In the race for attention, Google isn’t just offering ads. It’s offering answers.

  • Google ropes in Preeti Lobana as country manager India

    Google ropes in Preeti Lobana as country manager India

    MUMBAI: There’s a new country manager who’s come on board at Google India. Google president Asia Pacific Sanjay Gupta announced that Preeti Lobana is joining the company as country & vice-president for India.

    Said he: “Her leadership and passion for customer-centricity has fueled impactful solutions for businesses across industries empowering millions of businesses to thrive in the digital age. Preeti’s leadership will be instrumental as we deepen our engagement with India’s unique ecosystem, leveraging AI advancements like Gemini to accelerate digital inclusion and unlock unprecedented economic opportunities for every Indian. I am confident that her deep market expertise will guide us in shaping a future where technology truly benefits all.”

    “In her new role, Preeti will partner deeply with Roma Datta Chobey, who led as the interim country manager and will continue her exceptional leadership as managing director for Google India’s digital native Industries. Roma’s expertise across diverse sectors, from e-commerce and fintech to gaming and media, will be invaluable as we accelerate innovation and growth for these dynamic businesses.”

    An MBA from IIM Ahmedabad, Preeti  worked mainly in the financial services sector in the early part of her career before she joined Google in 2016 as director APAC customer experience.  Over the next eight years she explored roles such as senior director ads customer care and vice-president publishers, partners, ads content team g Tech. And now she is the country manager and vice-president Google India.

    Her financial services exposure began with ANZ Grindlays Bank  for 10 years where she went on to head the personal loans department. Then as head of banking services at Standard Chartered Bank. She followed that up with a close to 10 year stint at American Express where she headed global services. She then moved on to Natwest group as managing director and head global financial services India where she stayed for four years.