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<ul><li>The campaign is conceptualised and executed by Gozoop.</li><li>It talks about how this situation has helped all of us reflect on life and what it would mean to Live Well.</li></ul>The global pandemic has pushed everyone inside the four walls of their home, making people rethink their movements and actions. Guardian Healthcare, the master franchisee of GNC, a global leader in health and wellness supplements, has launched a new campaign #IAMPOSITIVE to encourage people to stay optimistic while adapting to the new normal. The campaign, conceptualised and executed by Gozoop, starts with a video where John Abraham talks about how we have been forced to live this life for our good due to the pandemic. The campaign, which rolled out on social media, also highlights how this situation has helped all of us reflect on life and what it would mean to Live Well. <div type="Youtube" id="XvueA9DHIhc" title="I am Positive ft. John Abraham" thumbUrl="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/XvueA9DHIhc/mqdefault.jpg"></div> Elaborating on the campaign message, John Abraham says, “COVID 19 has pushed all of us into fear and negativity. Through this video, we have attempted to showcase the optimism life has shown even in these trying times. The lockdown has connected us to our true purpose as human beings. Once things get back to normal, we should take this opportunity to continue living the right way, while preserving nature, and everything else around us that we have re-discovered. That, to me, is the real meaning of Live Well. <keyword id="9462879" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Guardian-GNC">Guardian GNC</keyword>’s new campaign attempts to inspire all towards the true idea of Live Well.” Shadab Khan – CEO of Guardian GNC India added, “Optimism and positivity are the fundamentals for one’s healthy well-being. At Guardian GNC, we believe in a positive way of living life and our core purpose is to help people Live Well. As we prepare ourselves for the new normal, we all need to nurture our mind and body well, through a good balance of the right exercise, nutrition, meditation and rest.” Talking about the campaign strategy, Prashant Sarwade – Head of Marketing, Guardian GNC in India said, “We all need that extra optimism to bounce back and adapt to a new normal. We felt there is no better way to get inspired than by reflecting on the positive changes in our own lives. We wanted to reach out and connect to the community with our story of optimism, inspired by these little positive changes we all have experienced in the lockdown phase.” According to <keyword id="2456592" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Ahmed-Aftab-Naqvi">Ahmed Aftab Naqvi</keyword>, CEO &amp; Co-Founder, Gozoop, “Once you replace negative thoughts with positive ones, you start experiencing positive results. This isn’t just a campaign for us. It is an expression of our belief on how we can win in the new world.”

Guardian GNC tries to change the definition of #IAMPOSITIVE in its latest campaign with John Abraham

<ul><li><keyword id="11451125" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="gozoop-group">Gozoop Group</keyword> has acquired its fifth agency, <keyword id="11451121" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="stratton-communications">Stratton Communications</keyword>.</li><li>Stratton will be rebranded as Sm(all) and will operate independently within the Gozoop Group.</li><li>We caught up with Ahmed Aftab Naqvi, CEO &amp; Co-Founder, Gozoop Group, Rohan Bhansali, Co-Founder &amp; Director, Gozoop Group and Siddhanth Valecha, CEO, Sm(all) to find out more about the alliance and Gozoop Group’s vision ahead.</li></ul>The Gozoop Group has acquired Digital Agency Stratton Communications. This is Gozoop’s fifth acquisition. Before this, the group had acquired Red Digital in 2013, which is a part of the Dream11 Group, iThink in 2014, 56 Blue Lights in 2016 and Hat Media in 2018. After the acquisition, Stratton will be rebranded as Sm(all) and will focus on challenger brands under Gozoop’s umbrella. The agency aims at gaining recognition for its ability to use human insights to unlock authentic brand experiences that drive meaningful engagements primarily on short-form content platforms. With Siddhanth Valecha as the CEO of Sm(all), the agency will operate independently within the group and will report to the Gozoop Board. The group has already added clients such as Cipla, Regal Shoes, ExtraMile, Nasher Miles and Aster Labs in the last two months after the acquisition. Pre-pandemic, Stratton had earned Rs 2.5 crore in annual revenues and now, Sm(all) is only aiming to go bigger! We caught up with Ahmed Aftab Naqvi, CEO &amp; Co-Founder, Gozoop Group, Rohan Bhansali, Co-Founder &amp; Director, Gozoop Group and Siddhanth Valecha, CEO, Sm(all) to further understand what the acquisition means for the group, what it is like to form an alliance during a pandemic and vision ahead. Excerpts: <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Q. Can you tell me a little bit about this acquisition? When did the talks begin?" text="Q. Can you tell me a little bit about this acquisition? When did the talks begin?">Q. Can you tell me a little bit about this acquisition? When did the talks begin?</cmsannotation> Rohan: We have been on the lookout for a mid-size agency since mid-2020. The vision we were working towards was to have a second full-service agency as part of Gozoop Group. We were introduced to Siddhanth in November 2020. Through Stratton, Siddhanth has helped build some strong challenger brands with bold marketing campaigns. Siddhanth is famous (or infamous as he would say) for the first pizza to be delivered by a drone in India. This campaign was done for a pizza brand that caught not only the attention of the media but also city authorities. We loved the boldness of it. We had shortlisted three agencies as part of our search for a second agency. Amongst them, we saw the best creative and value fit in Stratton. In Stratton, we found a player that thrives on taking risks to break the marketing clutter. The negotiations took a couple of months and we formalized the terms of the deal in February 2021. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Q. How will Stratton operate under Gozoop Group’s umbrella?" text="Q. How will Stratton operate under Gozoop Group’s umbrella?">Q. How will Stratton operate under Gozoop Group’s umbrella?</cmsannotation> Ahmed: Stratton will operate independently within the framework of defined values and business principles of Gozoop Group. It has been rebranded as Sm(all) to be more in line with its vision of building challenger brands. Sm(all) will have its own culture, which will be a derivative of Siddhanth’s leadership style. We feel that that’s a prerequisite for this venture to succeed. We don’t want it to lose its bold essence. In fact, we want to accentuate it. Siddhanth: Stratton as a company, in its true element, was what initially attracted Rohan and Ahmed’s attention. Additionally, for me, staying true to our core as Stratton was also of utmost importance. Therefore, what’s made this even more comforting or rather seamless is that all three of us widely agreed on keeping the essence of Stratton, now Sm(all), in sync with what I had initially envisioned it to be. We will be operating independently under the Gozoop Group. And I couldn’t be more excited. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Q. What kind of synergies will Gozoop share with Sm(all)?" text="Q. What kind of synergies will Gozoop share with Sm(all)?">Q. What kind of synergies will Gozoop share with Sm(all)?</cmsannotation> Rohan: At Gozoop, our ecosystem is set to best service brands such as Dell, Indian Hotels and Bisleri that are market leaders in their categories. Such brands obviously have different needs than challenger brands. With Sm(all), at a group level, now we can service such challenger brands that Gozoop earlier couldn’t due to non-compete as well as the size of business reasons. The corporate side of the business – HR, Finance, IT – will have further synergies. While these will be centralized to benefit from the Group’s strong systems, specific subsystems have been set to better suit Sm(all). <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Q. How will the alliance help strengthen your overall offering?" text="Q. How will the alliance help strengthen your overall offering?">Q. How will the alliance help strengthen your overall offering?</cmsannotation> Ahmed: At a business level, we can monetize existing opportunities better as we can now service a wider array of brands. We earlier had to pass on these opportunities to other agencies. This will help revenue and bring down our overhead costs at a per employee level. As stated above, it will also lead to higher efficiencies in our horizontal functions such as HR, Finance, IT and PR. At an execution level, Sm(all) brings its own unique and bold style of brand development that will build creative repute at the Agency as well as Group level. Stratton has been well known in the industry for bold creative campaigns. Expect some firework campaigns from the den of Sm(all). Siddhanth: Gozoop is well known in the advertising industry for its culture and processes, therefore, collaborating in 3 major departments with a solid partner will only make things easier for us. It’ll help us focus on our key offerings of helping brands build a community and a narrative using our modern-day understanding and expertise. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Q. Who crafted the name of the agency Sm(all) and what was the idea behind it?" text="Q. Who crafted the name of the agency Sm(all) and what was the idea behind it?">Q. Who crafted the name of the agency Sm(all) and what was the idea behind it?</cmsannotation> Rohan: That credit goes to Ahmed and Siddhanth, both creative geniuses. Initially, I personally thought we should stick to the name Stratton since it is well known. But now I see why Sm(all) aligns so sharply to the vision. Internally, it drives the team to leverage the power and bigness in the Sm(all). The counter intuitiveness of the name works well – Sm(all) is Strong. Sm(all) is Powerful. Sm(all) is Big. And our clients are resonating with it well too. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Q. Gozoop Group has acquired another agency during a global pandemic when the advertising industry is struggling to survive. What are some of the factors that have worked in your favour?" text="Q. Gozoop Group has acquired another agency during a global pandemic when the advertising industry is struggling to survive. What are some of the factors that have worked in your favour?">Q. Gozoop Group has acquired another agency during a global pandemic when the advertising industry is struggling to survive. What are some of the factors that have worked in your favour?</cmsannotation> Ahmed: We have always been bottom line and cash flow focused. Such a mindset works better in economic down cycles. If you look back at our history, the genesis of Gozoop lies in the deep recession of 2008. Our focus since then is to build a resilient organization that has a strong fundamental moat. It is the same resilience that enabled us to be the first advertising agency that announced performance appraisals in July last year when most agencies and networks were cutting headcounts. We had promised our team no COVID-related job losses as early as April 2020. At Gozoop, we are always building for decades and we are ok to let go of short-term gain for long-term organization building. Like all businesses, our revenues too significantly suffered last year, but keeping the long in mind we wanted to protect our people. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Q. Considering this is Gozoop Group's first acquisition during a global pandemic, did you face any kind of challenges?" text="Q. Considering this is Gozoop Group's first acquisition during a global pandemic, did you face any kind of challenges?">Q. Considering this is Gozoop Group's first acquisition during a global pandemic, did you face any kind of challenges?</cmsannotation> Ahmed: The only challenge if I can call it that is that most of our conversations happened over video calls. The funny part is Rohan and I haven’t yet met Siddhanth in person. That’s the new world for you. The pandemic has taught all of us to adapt and work with what we have. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Q. You've acquired four agencies so far. So, can you tell me what is it that you look for in your partner?" text="Q. You've acquired four agencies so far. So, can you tell me what is it that you look for in your partner?">Q. You've acquired four agencies so far. So, can you tell me what is it that you look for in your partner?</cmsannotation> Rohan: Actually Stratton marks our 5th acquisition counting the one we did in Dubai. Inorganic growth through M&amp;A has always been a part of our story starting with Red Digital in 2013, iThink in 2014, 56 Blue Lights in 2016, Hat Media in 2018, and now Stratton (2021). In all these acquisitions, we first find a value synergy. In most of these acquisitions, the founder has been active in the business and hence a value alignment is critical. For eg. Yamini (founder of 56 Blue Lights) now leads our Gozoop Dubai operations. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Q. Can you give us a sense of the deal in financial terms?" text="Q. Can you give us a sense of the deal in financial terms?">Q. Can you give us a sense of the deal in financial terms?</cmsannotation> Rohan: The deal is a mix of equity and cash with Gozoop owning a majority in the company. Like in most deals in our sector, the majority of the pay-out is based on the future cash flow performance of the business. Pre-pandemic, Stratton has Rs 2.5 crore of annual Revenues. The business did take a hit in the pandemic since it was majorly focused on the hospitality and F&amp;B sector. Today, we are well diversified amongst sectors and with the current pace of growth, we should soon outdo the pre-pandemic revenue numbers. Just in the last 2 months, we have added clients such as Cipla, Regal Shoes, ExtraMile, Nasher Miles and Aster Labs. Sm(all) is going Big! <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Q. Siddhanth, what is your vision for Sm(all) now as you begin a new chapter?" text="Q. Siddhanth, what is your vision for Sm(all) now as you begin a new chapter?">Q. Siddhanth, what is your vision for Sm(all) now as you begin a new chapter?</cmsannotation> Siddhanth: Brands today don’t just need a customer base, they need a cult following that will stand with the brand, its offerings, and also its cause. Engaging and not just advertising is what I feel Sm(all) is here for. The audience today, more than ever, is aware or even uncomfortable about the fact that with every swipe or scroll there is a product advertisement that’s waiting to occupy their screens. The need for an agency/marketing partner that can help weave a narrative that goes beyond just a seasonal ad campaign, is the need of the hour in my opinion. Sm(all) envisions to be the element of change that fills this void in the segment.

Exclusive: Gozoop Group acquires Stratton Communications; acquired agency will be rebranded as Sm(all) and will focus on challenger brands

<ul><li>Whilst it is difficult to tickle your creative bone in quarantine, these two campaigns by <keyword id="7067090" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Wunderman-Thompson">Wunderman Thompson</keyword> and <keyword id="2530184" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Gozoop">Gozoop</keyword> will inspire you to think out of the box. </li><li>Ironically, the agencies have come up with out-of-the box solutions whilst being locked in a box. </li></ul>How do you produce an advertisement when the entire country is locked down and all you could do is move from your working desk to your refrigerator in the kitchen or balcony to exchange awkward smiles with your neighbour? Wunderman Thompson and Gozoop have an answer for you. In an attempt to raise awareness around the importance of staying indoors, Wunderman Thompson South Asia planned a digital film for Tata Pravesh, a brand of steel doors from Tata Steel. The film is a montage of doors being shut. It signs off with the message ‘Only a closed door can open up roads to fight Coronavirus’ and urges people to ‘Take Quarantine Seriously’, that being the only way to #ShutOutCorona. 
	<div type="twitter" handle="TataPravesh" handlename="Tata Pravesh" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1156928099507953664/vubLxMDM_normal.png" favoritecount="3" retweetcount="2" status="Coronavirus is a global emergency of an unprecedented scale. It's high time, we the citizens, take quarantine serio… https://t.co/GiGqglXudl" createdat="1584971030000" id="1242084642036973568"></div>



 ‘But how to get an ad done at a time when most of the world is behind closed doors, production houses included?’ Wondered Wunderman Thompson. Crowdsourcing and teamwork was their mantra. They turned to their colleagues across offices – Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad and Kolkata – asked them to contribute videos shot on smartphones of the doors in their homes being shut, bolted, barred or latched. Interestingly, the turnaround time was also decreased. They sent out the request to the network late last Friday and were ready with the final film the following Monday. They stitched together roughly 50% of the responses, the balance having to be reluctantly omitted because of the demands of the edit. Vijay Jacob Parakkal, Senior VP &amp; Managing Partner, Wunderman Thompson, said, “These are truly testing times, I am glad we were able to partner Tata Pravesh doors on this extremely relevant film. And I am proud the way the entire Wunderman Thompson family came together while working from home and helped us pull off this film. Please do watch the film and shut those doors. Stay in, Stay safe. Folks!” Gozoop, on the other hand, collated videos from social media for its client National Institution for Transforming India (NITI) Aayog. Its core idea of ‘togetherness in chaos’ anchored the ad quite well. 
	<div type="twitter" handle="NITIAayog" handlename="NITI Aayog" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/865131194773495809/KMjhveHQ_normal.jpg" favoritecount="1103" retweetcount="196" status="जब अलग रहकर आएंगे साथ, हम होंगे कामयाब! We express our respect for all brave hearts providing critical services in… https://t.co/cwBazwWmAK" createdat="1585063214000" id="1242471292109897732"></div>



 Under this nationwide <keyword id="91743" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="lockdown">lockdown</keyword>, the public sentiment veers between anxiety, confusion and determination. With social distancing being the need of the hour, there is a need to be united in spirit while physically staying apart, so that we can break the chain and flatten the curve. In the backdrop of this sentiment, on March 22, Prime Minister Narendra Modi asked the citizens of India to take to their balconies and windows, clapping hands and banging on steel utensils, to show solidarity with those who are providing essential services in these challenging times. The nation responded to this call with great fervour, with citizens across the country coming to their terraces and balconies to extend their support to the valiant heroes of these tough times. Gozoop collated those videos to showcase the will and determination of a nation that has come together in trying times. Speaking about this, Ahmed Aftab Naqvi, CEO &amp; Co-Founder, Gozoop, said, “This is a time for all of us to stick together in spirit but stay separate at home. We wanted to communicate this message to as many people across the nation, in a way that they understand and act on it. I am glad that our team, while working from home, put in their efforts and used the power of creativity to launch this video. I am thankful to the <keyword id="2665691" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Niti-Aayog">NITI Aayog</keyword> for supporting this idea and helping it reach across India. If this helps save even one life, we will consider our job done. #HumHongeKamyaab.” While it is important to be united in spirit in these trying times, it is equally important to physically stay apart. Let’s continue social distancing in a diligent manner and continue thinking out of the box.

Creating campaigns despite a lockdown, this is how Wunderman Thompson and Gozoop did it smartly

<ul><li><keyword id="10884239" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="vivo-ipl-2021">VIVO IPL 2021</keyword> is just three days away and our country has surpassed 1 lakh mark in daily COVID-19 cases.</li><li>With high interest from advertisers this year and consumers back at home in Maharashtra, will <keyword id="7866747" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="ipl-2021">IPL 2021</keyword> beat its previous records? We speak to digital, media and brand experts to find out.</li></ul>At the time of writing this report, the number of positive cases in India have crossed 1,25,89,067, and the death toll stands at 165K+. And the number is growing with each passing day. At the same time, nearly 80 million doses have been given so far and the vaccination drive has been steadily expanding in our country. So, there’s a mixed feeling of terror and hope in the air and consumers are trying to make sense of this new normal. When brands started buying ad spots on IPL and bidding on the sponsorship deals, the COVID cases in India were going down and the economy was improving. However, it seems like we are back to square one. So, with IPL around the corner, which has seen a lot of interest from the brandverse this year, will consumers reciprocate? “On the back of a year-long hiatus for sporting events, and the continued challenges associated with Covid, this year will naturally suffer its consequences. Low or no spectator events and a lower advertiser interest will also have a lower revenue for IPL. TV which gives the maximum for such sporting events will continue to have high interest among avid fans of the game and format, but the casual watcher will probably opt-out,” said N. Chandramouli, CEO, TRA Research. Last year, IPL broke its viewership record in the opening week itself, as revealed by BARC and Nielsen. Dream11 IPL’s viewing minutes had increased by 15% than 2019, that is 60.6 billion viewing minutes across 7 matches and 25 channels in 2020. The opening match with Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super King garnered an average of 52 million impressions, which is 29% more than 2019 and 158 million viewers watched the match. And now that we have moved into a semi-lockdown mode with entertainment outside the home taking a backseat, Rupak Ved, Chief Operating Officer, Logicserve Digital thinks that brands will shift their monies to digital mediums. Consumers will rely on television and OTTs for their entertainment dose and IPL will benefit. Ved said, “To a large extent, consumers and brands have got used to living life along with the threat of covid. Both have gone through different phases of ‘Shock-Adapt-Growth.’ And cricket is more than a sport in our country. With that, the biggest cricketing event - IPL, is a sentiment, it is an expression. It connects friends, family and the country! We looked forward to IPL even when there was entertainment outside the premise of the 4 walls of our residence! This year it will be even more special. IPL definitely improves sentiment in the country, we saw it just 6 months back and I feel that history might repeat itself here. Also, with vaccination catching pace, it will definitely add to the positive sentiment. Brands will surely subscribe to this. They have realised that digital is the only way to now reach a consumer who would be found more virtually than physically. The monies of physical advertising - OOH, cinema, BTL etc would be ploughed back to digital. To keep the consumer sentiment positive I feel IPL will be a great prescription.” Ahmed Aftab Naqvi, CEO and Co-Founder, Gozoop believes that this year will bring in extraordinary success for the broadcaster and Disney+ Hotstar by breaking previous records. He said, “The past 12 months have been painful and stressful for many in different ways and IPL provides that window of entertainment that acts like a pain relief spray — temporary yet effective. So not just repeat last year's success, I say it will exceed it. IPL drives 1.2X better results as per studies. This has been proven year on year. Also, it has proved to deliver an 8-9% uplift in the awareness &amp; consideration metrics across all categories.” Adding how IPL will also improve consumer sentiment, Naqvi said, "The sentiment around COVID at the moment is that of acceptance. Last year, it was fear and uncertainty as it was completely alien. Businesses are better equipped to make sense of their marketing spends. IPL would be something that people would, in fact, look forward to in case they are stuck at home and categories like mobile gaming, ed tech will see a big rise. Digital businesses will have an upper hand as well over everyone else." Considering that the current situation of the country seems to mirror that of 2020, Mitchelle Jansen, AVP Operations (West), WATConsult is confident that the same consumer trend will be similar to last year. She said, "The cliche that holds true for India is that "Cricket is a religion here" and when you're forced to stay in and your life is full of restrictions and limitations, you're sure to turn to cricket for comfort and some sense of normalcy. That's exactly what happened in 2020 which led to some amazing viewership numbers for Star India. Given the current scenario, history might just repeat itself, but only time will tell. Let's grab our popcorn and watch the game unfold." Looking at the advertiser interest for IPL 2021, Priti Murthy, CEO, OMD India is confident that this year will beat IPL 2020’s viewership and ad revenue records. “The rate at which TV ad inventory is being sold, it looks like IPL 2021 is slated to be a bigger success than last year. The opening markets, an economy in bounce-back mode, and the general sporting excitement that started picking up with the India-England series – these are some aspects that show promise for this season of IPL. Speaking strictly numbers, according to reports, the projected ad revenue for 2021 is set to be around Rs 400 Cr higher than 2020. That is quite a positive indicator,” said Murthy. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Advertiser interest" text="Advertiser interest">Advertiser interest</cmsannotation> Star Sports has already roped in 18 sponsors and over 100 advertisers across multiple brand categories and according to Anil Jayaraj, Executive Vice President, Star Sports, the interest among advertisers has only grown with each passing year. Disney+ Hotstar, on the other hand, has onboarded 10 sponsors so far for VIVO IPL 2021. As per media reports, Star charged around Rs 8 to 10 lakh for a 10 seconder last year. Star has previously charged brands Rs 25 lakh for 10-second slots during the India vs Pakistan ICC World Cup match and between Rs 16 to 18 lakh for other World Cup matches. In comparison, the IPL ad charges are still reasonable but the rates are among the costliest for a programme in the country. With summer brands increasing their ad budgets, experts are hoping that consumer sentiment will improve once IPL begins and sales will follow. It is also supposed to bring the advertising industry back on track. Telling us what kind of interest the clients have shown this year, Murthy said, “With respect to our clients specifically, they have looked at IPL in terms of two classifications - IPL on TV and IPL on Disney+ Hotstar, and based on these budgets and KPIs, brands have selected what’s most meaningful to them and what makes most sense for them specifically. Certain brands have chosen to stay out too, preferring to explore other cricket opportunities that will come post IPL. As a big-ticket property, and boosted by high viewership both via broadcast and streaming, with the added factor that summer brands are on the bandwagon now, this April’s IPL will definitely help boost adex, and as the total inventory gets sold, the numbers will become clearer.” The categories of advertisers this year include Edtech, Fantasy Sports, Beverages, Pay Wallets, Home Décor, Auto, Telecom, Consumer Durables, FMCG, Financial Services amongst others. According to media reports, 80% of inventory has already been sold. Star usually keeps some inventory for later, but this year, they plan to sell the entire thing in the beginning only. A digital media expert said the reason behind this is high demand as brands are using every opportunity they can to connect with consumers and bounce back. The spokesperson said, “A lot of brands have witnessed massive growth in revenues after taking up sponsorships with IPL last year when the entire market had slowed down. It’s only natural to learn from that and take action proactively this year. Also, the difference between IPL in 2020 &amp; 2021 was just a matter of 4 months, and hence this kind of demand and all spots filling in early.” At the same time, Duff &amp; Phelps’ report suggests that the IPL ecosystem value has decreased by 3.6% in constant currency terms to INR 45,800 crore from INR 47,500 crore last year. Chandramouli said that IPL 2021 will not be able to beat 2019. He said, “It is unlikely that either viewership or ad volume records will be broken this year. While the advertising budgets of brands are beginning to get better, they are nowhere close to what they used to be in mid-2019. Even IPL is likely to see smaller and newer advertisers with a few of the bigger brands that will remain a part of IPL due to FOMO.”

As India faces a second wave of COVID-19 infections, will VIVO IPL 2021 repeat last season's success?

<ul><li>Google has announced that it will restrict <keyword id="9568509" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="unauthorized-consumer-tracking">unauthorized consumer tracking</keyword> via advertisements on digital platforms, which is expected to come into existence on August 11 worldwide.</li><li>As per this policy, advertising of spyware and malware with the intent to track user data without their authorization or consent will not be allowed. </li><li>We reached out to experts to understand the consequences of this move. </li></ul>As <keyword id="618493" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="digital-marketing">digital marketing</keyword> takes precedence in the post-COVID world and consumers become more aware of the kind of digital products they are using, Google has decided to update its advertising policy in its users’ favour. It has put a ban on spyware and surveillance technology. As per this policy, Google will block brands that are marketed with the purpose of tracking or monitoring consumer behaviour and/or their activities without the tech giant’s authorization. GPS trackers that are specifically marketed to spy or track someone without their consent or promote surveillance equipment (cameras, audio recorders, dash cams, nanny cams) with the purpose of spying will be suspended after a 7 days notice. With this, users’ privacy will be protected. However, advertisers will have to find another way to personalise their ads for their consumers. So we reached out to digital experts to understand how the halt on data mining will impact digital marketing at large and how advertisers should go about it. Here is what they said: Sameer Makani, Co-Founder and Managing Director, Makani Creatives: <div type="image" title="sameer makani" msid="76944130" hostid="261"></div> Ever since the ban on Chinese apps, users have become more aware and worried about their data and privacy. This regulation was needed to ensure that users are fully secured and there is no breach of privacy on daily activity. This step will help in creating a more transparent and secure environment for brands and users, both. Furthermore, Google has sketched guidelines for such promotional content including GPS trackers, Surveillance cameras, audio recorders, dash cams, etc. Since, the advertisers and marketers will be unable to collect user data from Google; it will offer more privacy to the user. This will impact marketers as they use these data points to provide personalized experience to an individual. However, considering the ongoing data mining, it was an imperative move to restrict non-consensual data. This will also provide an opportunity to marketers to expand their communication spectrum and find alternative ways to reach their target audience in an ethical manner. Siddharth Devnani, Co-Founder &amp; Partner, SoCheers: <div type="image" title="Siddharth Devnani" msid="76944137" hostid="261"></div> Along with complying with local government on what should or should not be advertised, Google's ad platforms are known to add their own policies to prevent potential miscreants. This is a good step in that direction. It should significantly curtail the purchase of personal spying and tracking devices or software in regions where they are not banned already. Prashant Puri, Co-Founder &amp; CEO, AdLift: <div type="image" title="Prashant Puri, adlift" msid="76944140" hostid="261"></div> This change in policy is in the best interest of users. Marketers should not be allowed to advertise for products where the sole purpose is to gather private user information such as user texts, browser history or phone calls. Digital marketing spends of products like these would be negatively impacted but will have little to no impact on the overall digital marketing ecosystem. At the end, policies that are good for the end user are great for marketers. Prasad Shejale, Founder and CEO, Logicserve Digital: <div type="image" title="Prasad Logicserve" msid="76944147" hostid="261"></div> True to Alphabet's motto "Do the right thing", the new update on Enabling Dishonest Behavior policy is a very welcome step. Privacy of users in online as well as offline world is of paramount importance. In the post COVID-19 world, the new normal will be driven by ‘Digital’ being the center of the transformation. And thus, user trust and comfort in this digital world is an essential element. Google being an important player in the digital ecosystem, is setting a good example by taking a stand on one of the most crucial aspects, user privacy and trust and, any service/product violating this promise will not be allowed to advertise on Google. It’s surely a great step by the company and strongly emphasises on the importance of ethical work practices keeping privacy and data protection at the center stage, and how these aspects can help us build a safe, secure environment to work as well as thrive in the digital marketing industry. Ahmed Aftab Naqvi, CEO &amp; Co-Founder, Gozoop: <div type="image" title="ahmed aftab gozoop." msid="76948540" hostid="261"></div> We practice ethical advertising and so do all our clients. Hence there will no impact of Google’s decision. Infact it is a welcome step in the right direction. Sabiha NS Khan, VP - Strategy, Planning &amp; New Business, WATConsult: <div type="image" title="Sabiha WatConsult" msid="76953892" hostid="261"></div> “This step from Google is definitely in the right direction and yet another way to adhere to its philosophy of valuing consumer privacy while being honest and fair in its conduct. This further strengthens its platforms to be safer for its consumers as everyone has the right to privacy and to be safe online. With cyber-security being a threat to many across the globe, this will increase their usage knowing the fact that their data is in a secure environment. From a digital marketing standpoint, this provides an opportunity for brands to build empathy and raise awareness about cyber-security, empowering consumers to take precautions against privacy-threatening apps.”

Google puts a ban on non-consensual ad tracking, digital experts welcome the move

<ul><li>The pandemic-induced lockdown accelerated <keyword id="618493" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="digital-marketing">digital marketing</keyword>’s adoption rate in India. </li><li>A lot of brands have a digital-first and digital-only approach, while there are brands that want to start and stay only on digital. </li><li>So will this be a strong enough push for clients to invest a lion’s share on digital? We reach out to digital agencies to understand what we can expect in the future as digital takes precedence. </li></ul>Digital marketing has taken precedence over all mediums since the outbreak of coronavirus. According to DAN’s digital report released in January this year, digital marketing was expected to grow by 10.9% and reach ₹75,952 crore by the end of 2020. However, with the nationwide lockdown, print, radio, OOH, in-cinema advertising saw a massive drop, enabling further acceleration in digital’s overall growth. 2019 was also another year with its own set of challenges. With the economic slowdown, advertisers decided to cut back on spends and market sentiments reached a new low but despite those hurdles, digital continued to flourish. Now with reading news, catching up with friends, dating, hanging out and many other social activities becoming virtual, the whole market dynamics have altered. This has led to marketers rethinking their strategies and digital agencies introspecting on how they can lead the change. As markets are now slowly opening up, we reached out to experts to find out if the ad revenue pie will change, too. Experts opined that most advertising budgets and brands will be digital-centric in the times to come once we recover from the dent that COVID-19 has created. Unny Radhakrishnan, CEO, Digitas India said, "Digital always had a year-on-year healthy growth. More often the growth stories are reported based on how much digital media spends are growing. While that is clearly an indication of growth, the current situation is triggering accelerated growth not just in digital media spends, but in the overall approach to digitisation. There is a renewed focus on digitisation of all customer touch points. Consumers are becoming increasingly comfortable with digital interfaces - from virtual showrooms to OTT to digital news subscriptions to e-commerce. So brands will continue to invest in this transformation and investments could be significantly skewed on to digital. Most of our conversations and engagements with our clients are in the areas of these transformations and building digital brands." However, digital advertising will take some time to get its due back. Shamsuddin Jasani, Group MD, Isobar South Asia, highlighted that 95% of the ad revenue still comes from traditional beauty, FMCG and auto brands, who weren’t fully operational during the lockdown. He predicts a 40% drop in the overall digital revenue this year. “Consumption has gone through the roof for various forms of content ranging from video, gaming to education. Ramayan and news viewership also gave TV a push. Unfortunately, the clients aren't able to keep up with the pace. So far, only 5% of ad revenue comes from a pure digital brand and 95% still comes from a traditional FMCG or auto brand. They’ll start spending in the days to come. Apart from that, e-comm players told me that 75% of their sales came back in lockdown 3.0. Hence, people are going to put their best bets on digital again. Lockdown did have a long-term impact because the ad spends have cut down,” said Jasani. Ahmed Aftab Naqvi, CEO and Co-founder, Gozoop says an ‘even bigger uptick awaits us.’ “Digital spends are going to grow exponentially in the post-COVID era. CEO’s, CFO’s &amp; CMO’s are experiencing the benefits of having a digital-only marketing strategy and once they have tested success, I don’t see them resorting to other forms of advertising, at least in the short to medium term. There will be an increased focus on martech and performance marketing strategies. I also expect inbound marketing and performance-led influencer marketing to become a critical tool in the arsenal of most digital first marketing teams.” Sharing why digital has seen unhampered growth year-on-year despite the volatile environment in India, Sanjay Mehta, Joint CEO, Mirum India said, “It was due to various advantages that it offers, including sharp targeting, being very measurable, being able to track the ROI well, very efficient to create and manage campaigns, usable for small and large budgets, ease of starting, stopping, and tweaking campaigns, and not needing to stay committed to a creative or a medium, for long periods of time, etc. For all these reasons, digital advertising has been growing for years now. But marketers were still spreading their spending across media, including TV, print, OOH, cinema, radio, etc. Since all these mediums saw a drop, digital became a natural choice.” Traditional brands who offer tangible products will also embrace digital in the days to come. Giving us an insight into which categories will be the first adapters during <keyword id="9318169" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Unlock-1-0">unlock 1.0</keyword>, Jasani said, “There is a clear transfer of marketing monnies from mediums like outdoor, in-cinema to digital. Now, with this markets opening up, you should see much more activity from brands like mobile providers, who aren't termed as essentials but are important. Auto will see a boom because people will avoid public transport. But you will not go for a test-drive. This whole process will move to digital. Marketing will be around how safely it will be delivered it to you. So a lot of money will be spent on safety whether it is tourism, food, airlines, etc.” Google’s report titled ‘What is India searching for’ revealed how dependence on digital is rapidly increasing as time spent on smartphones in the first 3 week of COVID-19 disruption inched towards 4.5 hours per day and online video accounted for more than 70% of India’s total data usage. As a result, clients who have reached out to Gozoop lately are demanding digital-first strategy and Naqvi predicts that it will now get the lion’s share. “A lot of brands that are coming to us today and want a digital-first approach with some only wanting digital as the main channel. I feel that the future of brand building is digital. It’s not just here to stay but is here to lead. When it comes to the brands that have traditionally relied on mainline, there will be some tactical work that will be done occasionally, but that’s not to say that print and traditional will die. However, the portion of spends will flip. Digital spends will go up from 20-30% of the current total media spends to as high as 60-70% in the post COVID era,” shared Naqvi. The sudden transition to digital wasn’t really smooth for marketers. They were trying to figure out the market sentiment and how to communicate with consumers. Eventually, the importance of ROI was driven home. “The economic challenges of the current period do force brands to think sharper on ROI factors, where marketing spends are concerned. Hence digital as a highly measurable medium, becomes a first call. Even within digital, data-driven marketing and marketing automation, become a must-do, since these generate even sharper focus and enable far better ROI on spends,” said Mehta. There is a silver lining to this whole situation after all. Jasani predicts this consumer sentiment will pick up come Diwali. “This is going to be the best Diwali since the past 2 years. First two months will go in stocking essentials but come Diwali, consumers are going to step out and buy things. It will be a good thing for the country and economy, overall,” said he. Digital experts said that this shift to digital is an irreversible change in the marketing landscape.

Unlock 1.0: Digital will continue to take the bigger cut, share experts

<ul><li>Cookies have come under fire from privacy campaigners for using consumer data for marketing purposes time and again. </li><li>On March 03, Google confirmed that it is aiming to make <a href="https://blog.chromium.org/2020/01/building-more-private-web-path-towards.html">third-party cookies obsolete</a> by 2022. </li><li>We speak to digital experts to understand what is the problem with retargeting, some of the challenges that marketers might face in adjusting to the new way of digital advertising and the overall impact on Indian advertising industry. </li></ul>What do digital marketers and us have in common? We both love cookies. They have been thriving on cookies to track their users, improve their experience and target ads to the right audience. However, on March 03, Google confirmed that it will phase out third-party cookies by 2022, which could dramatically alter digital marketing. The search giant has also confirmed that it will not build alternate identifiers to track individuals as they browse across the web, nor will we use them in its products. Google’s blog post explains why it is charting a course towards a more privacy-first web, “It’s difficult to conceive of the internet we know today — with information on every topic, in every language, at the fingertips of billions of people — without advertising as its economic foundation. But as our industry has strived to deliver relevant ads to consumers across the web, it has created a proliferation of individual user data across thousands of companies, typically gathered through third-party cookies. This has led to an erosion of trust: In fact, 72% of people feel that almost all of what they do online is being tracked by advertisers, technology firms or other companies, and 81% say that the potential risks they face because of data collection outweigh the benefits, according to a study by Pew Research Center. If digital advertising doesn't evolve to address the growing concerns people have about their privacy and how their personal identity is being used, we risk the future of the free and open web.” Firefox and Safari have already phased out the third-party cookie and Google will get there in a year. So, we will all live in a cookie-less (digital) world by the end of 2022. According to Statista, as of January 2021, Google’s Chrome for Android accounted for 35.27 percent of the global web browser market share. In 2019, Google had a hold of more than 56% of the web browser market. <a href="https://www.statista.com/statistics/268254/market-share-of-internet-browsers-worldwide-since-2009/">Firefox and Internet Explorer have experienced massively reduced market share in recent years</a> as Chrome’s influence has expanded and new competitors have entered the market. In a cookie-less world, digital advertisers won’t be able to offer personalised content and measure their campaign’s performance as effectively. Marketers will have to rely on first-party data and they will have to work extra hard to analyse the data at hand and get to know their users personally. They will have to invest more time and labour in building new customer data platforms and finding similarities between different cohorts. However, as Google’s blog post read, “People shouldn’t have to accept being tracked across the web in order to get the benefits of relevant advertising. And advertisers don't need to track individual consumers across the web to get the performance benefits of digital advertising.” While many marketers have been expecting this, it will take our industry some time getting used to it and to figure out the best ways to use first-party data effectively. So, we reached out to digital experts to understand how a cookieless web will impact the future of Indian advertising industry. Here is what they had to say: Sir Martin Sorrell, Executive Chairman &amp; Founder of S4 Capital: CMOs should take note that this reiterates, once again, the importance of first-party data and how consumer trust and privacy are moving to the forefront of marketing. In the coming years, digital consumer relationships will be earned by customer experience and value exchange. With <keyword id="182214" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Google-Chrome">Google Chrome</keyword> removing support for third-party cookies by 2022, the time for marketers to start investing in the future is now. S4Capital is guided by our belief that first-party data is the holy grail – and already has its sights on the critical next phase for marketers, where digital identity is in the hands of the brands themselves. In 2020, we merged with leading cookieless measurement company Brightblue and readied brands like Mondelēz to leverage first-party consumer data to plan, personalize, and optimize their digital media and content. As one of our most respected clients said - Google’s decision reinforces again the importance of first party data and that we are entering into a world of at least 25 big walled gardens. It’s a natural evolution of the privacy debate. Gautam Mehra, Chief Data &amp; Product Officer- dentsu Asia Pacific (APAC) &amp; CEO - dentsu Programmatic - South Asia: This was an expected announcement. Google had earlier indicated its intention to move away from individual tracking to FLoCs, a kind of cohort-based tracking that would be privacy safe and yet allow for advertisers to track the effectiveness of their campaigns and also be able to retain attributes that matter to advertisers such as the interests/profile of their consumers albeit at a "crowd" level. However, this coupled with the expected deprecation of third-party cookie support in 2022, will be challenging for the ad-tech industry in general. Large publishers will begin to force users to sign-in to consume their content. Advertisers will have to invest largely in managing their first-party data efficiently and extracting maximum value from it, rather than relying on external signals. All in all, it is early times and we expect to see a lot more announcements in this space by various other platforms such as Facebook, Apple, Amazon, TradeDesk, Adobe and MediaMath. Harshil Karia, Founder, Schbang: I believe this is a part of an expected move as one sees the depreciation of the cookie coming in place. It only increases the emphasis of first party data and therefore I see more data management conducted by companies &amp; more measures to store data of consumers who visit platforms. I think it will see a rise of dams &amp; a rise of more first party farming by companies so that they can still continue to implement precision based targetting to the right audiences. Varun Duggirala, Founder, The Glitch: The move by Google is something that many of us have been anticipating for a while. The conversation around data privacy and usage globally is at a point where many consumers want clarity on how and how much of their data is being used. This move will only bring transparency from a consumer pov for the future and from a marketing standpoint point it’ll move us towards a more transparent data culture in how we market and target consumers and also further deepen our focus on content marketing . So from a macro point of view, it’s going to lead to a lot more growth for all. Rohan Mehta, CEO, Kinnect: As global concerns over user privacy &amp; data collection by adtech companies grow, it is imperative that the industry moves towards more efficient methods of anonymised &amp; aggregated ad targeting. While alternative ID-based identifying methods were being worked out by other players in the industry, it is quite possible that these may not have stood the regulatory scrutiny or met consumer expectations for privacy. So, Google's move seems to be a step in the right direction. However, it is important that Google works in concensus with all stakeholders in the digital ecosystem, so as to ensure a level playing field for all the players involved. As for FLoC or any other replacement systems, rigourous testing &amp; opimisation must be carried out ensure that the efficacy of future digital marketing remains par for a median advertiser. Ahmed Aftab Naqvi, CEO &amp; Co-Founder, Gozoop: Much needed and much welcomed. As marketers are goal is not just sell, but sell responsibly and a <keyword id="10869480" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="cookie-less-world">cookie less world</keyword> is certainly more responsibile. The only cookie we should enjoy is a chocolate chip one. Even though Google's FLoC technology promises near about 95% of conversions per dollar spend that we tend to get with cookie based advertising but these are just assumptions and will have to be explored and validated further. However as a marketer I feel that we are very well equipped to meet opportunities and overcome challenges by other sources of responsible data like zero party data or second party data for advertising. Moreover, the consumer demand of better privacy must be addressed in a ECR approach i.e - Education, Consent and reassurance of the data given by the user. We have gained momentum on the consent end but a long way towards educating and reassuring users. Preetika Ghosh, Media Director, FoxyMoron: Thanks to the adoption of digital, there has been a paradigm shift in consumer behaviour. Over the last decade, content consumption, e-commerce and networking technologies have witnessed a dynamic transformation. Before we get into the ramifications of the announcement by Google, one must understand that media efficiency is essentially driven by audience behaviour and interests. It can be tracked at an individual user-level (using cookies) or a group level (using cluster-based solutions like FLoC). By creating these clusters, media targeting will now be based on what group or cohort the consumer falls into. While advertisers might be sceptical, I believe the new approach will keep data at its core, thereby increasing its' affluence. Advertisers will still get the same interest-based audiences, but instead of cookie-based tracking, one will have to direct the messaging to specific cohorts. The most important difference is that data tracking will now be less intrusive making it a positive step in direction of protecting consumer privacy. It will start enabling the creation of a more user-safe environment and by extension, a more brand-safe ecosystem. Shradha Agarwal, COO and Strategy Head, Grapes Digital: Offline targeting has always been based on affinity and interest, it's with the evolution of digital, we went down to the model of cookie-based targeting. But are we really spending a lot on remarketing today? Most of our ads are either targeted towards Affinity-based users or in-market users. We do remarket but our total spends on remarketing is not beyond 20%. It's only in the case of performance campaigns like e-commerce, apps, etc where cookie-based marketing becomes really important. As per recent research, more than 70% of the users because of their minimal knowledge about "adtech" think that remarketing are creepy ads following them and don't outweigh the benefit of customised targeting. Given, the GDPI Rules and Consumer sentiment, I think the recent move is a step in the right direction because advertisers, can still easily continue with the in-market audiences or interest-based audiences. Google will still allow us to target third-party data through Api. So in totality, we would not lose on much. Sameer Makani, Co-founder and Managing Director, Makani Creatives: Privacy on the internet is one of the major concerns for users. Since the announcement that third-party data will be phased out, several brands have begun to develop their data infrastructure in order to maximize the use of first-party data. Google’s move will help in formalizing the privacy norms and maintain autonomy. Although Google's move to remove third-party cookies and alternative identifiers is intended to protect users' privacy, it will ultimately intensify the problem of ad fraud. The elimination of third-party cookies and other identifiers makes it much easier for ad fraud to masquerade as legitimate human traffic, which will cost companies that rely on ads a lot of money. With less accountability, ad fraud will almost certainly thrive, exacerbating already-existing attribution and optimization issues.

How will Google’s new privacy policy impact digital advertising

<ul><li>Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the Union Budget for 2022-23 in Parliament on Tuesday.</li><li>This year's budget is indexed towards startups, MSMEs, infrastructure projects, rural revival, digital payment apps, telecom growth and affordable housing.</li><li>We reached out to digital, media and creative agencies to understand how the increased focus on digitalisation, sustainability, blockchain and push to MSME can impact the ad and marketing industry.</li></ul>Be it the introduction of a Digital University to make education accessible across the country or the proposed launch of a Digital currency by the Reserve Bank of India to the government’s focus on promoting digital payments and fintech, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman made it is clear that digital is the way forward. The Union Budget 2022-23 aims to boost the country's digital infrastructure and enable a cashless economy. The government also announced that it will set up an Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming and Comics (AVGC) promotion task force to give a push to the animation and gaming industry. To facilitate the roll-out of 5G mobile services in India, FM Sitharaman said that Spectrum auctions will be conducted in 2022. This, in turn, will give impetus to Voice, Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality and pave the way for the Metaverse. The Digital Rupee using blockchain will help Indians accept virtual currency and accelerate cryptocurrency exchange in India. Overall, the budget also shows a promise for Electric Vehicle brands, digital payment apps, MSMEs, gaming industry and start-ups. We reached out to digital, media and creative agencies to understand how the increased focus on digitalisation, sustainability and blockchain can impact the advertising and marketing industry. Here’s what they said: Anupriya Acharya, South Asia CEO, Publicis Groupe: The Budget is positive, growth-oriented and with reforms in the right direction. The advent of 5G is sure to transform communications – for our industry it will help creation of better AV, voice and AR/VR experiences. It will also fuel digital payments, streaming entertainment, gaming, e-commerce, tele-medicine etc which in turn will aid more Unicorns! It is also heartening to note that a special Task Force is being set up for AVGC (Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming and Comic) as this will help us build the much needed capacity both for domestic as well as global markets. And then there have been no changes in income-tax slabs for people, which many consumer segments were worried about. This in turn boosts consumer sentiment. From e-passports, to battery swapping for electric vehicles, setting up of optic fiber in the remotest of villages, setting up of a digital university and skilling through an e-portal, the big push is for technology, digital infrastructure and empowerment. Narayan Devanathan, Chief Client Officer, dentsu India: Having gone through the 38-page document of the Finance Minister’s budget speech, I decided to do a search for a couple of words that I thought kept repeating throughout her speech. The words “will be” occurred 110 times in the entire speech. When I narrowed my search to the single word “will,” the number rose to 362. To me, those two words sum up the essence of what this year’s budget is and is not. What it is, is a future-focused budget, aiming at the distant vision of India@100, with a 25-year Amrit Kaal lead-up. What it is not, and what I felt was sorely needed this year of all years, is a present-focused budget. A punishing 2021 for the aam aadmi with more-than-usual expenditure on health and sustenance meant the general populace was looking for immediate relief that would place more cash in their household budgets. That did not happen. Nor was there any extraordinary investment in relieving the healthcare expenditure burden. For all the importance of farmers in upcoming poll-bound states, there was neither major sop nor stimulus given to back the importance of agriculture as a spine if not engine of the economy. Even the MSME sectors were only handed a slightly longer lease of life with the extension of the ECLGS, but there was no real move to stimulate consumption by placing more cash at consumers’ disposal, for example, extending LTA claims to restaurants (and not just accommodation). There is perhaps plenty for the industry to cheer about since it can afford to think about the future and a slightly longer term than just the here and now of survival. The stock market did cheer up even before the FM’s speech, but that only served to underscore the dichotomy between the real health of the population and the Minority of Haves. When the general population probably can’t afford to wait for the benefits of trickle-down economics to reach them in yet another trying year, the dreams and wheels of a consumer-driven economy might move slower than the industry might like, despite the many future-facing and progressive policies announced. Virat Tandon, Group CEO, MullenLowe Lintas Group: The union budget can be termed as consistent with the government's vision to reach the 5 trillion GDP mark by 2025-26. Hence, the strong focus on capex to boost infrastructure that connects and streamlines middle India and provides the engines of entrepreneurship across the length and breadth of the country. It also shows India's commitment to bring a digital first economy with the 5G rollout planned for next financial year, clarity on India's policy for cryptocurrency, data centres, EVs and our very own digital Rupee. Start-up culture will continue to flourish with the right policy framework. These investments and policies will generate jobs and go a long way in inclusive and sustainable growth for Bharat. Anurag Bansal, COO &amp; CFO, DDB Mudra Group: This Union Budget looks neutral, with no major changes in taxation. The launch of digital Rupee based on blockchain technology is a big move to bring in official cryptocurrency in India. New e-passports with embedded chips would definitely ease overseas travel. Managing the Fiscal deficit while pushing for growth and investments is a great balancing act taken on by the government. It will give a boost to capital investments and infrastructure development. Kartik Sharma - Group Chief Executive Officer – India, Omnicom Media Group: With an impetus on holistic growth, developing infrastructure and job creation across sectors, the 2022 union budget shows promise with a focus on the big picture. Reviving economic growth in the post-pandemic environment has been a focus for this government and this progressive, digital-first, and development-oriented budget reflects that. Not only does it provide a boost to the MSME, agriculture and healthcare verticals, but also signals that investing in infrastructure today will connect India better tomorrow. With an increased focus on digitization, some of the standouts for me were that the budget recognized the current gaps and opportunities within the education sector, and is advancing towards uplifting India with the creation of a digital ecosystem - one that is focused on upskilling and creating more employment; aligned with the dynamic needs of today. It also aims to further strengthen communications in the rural sector and build upon the overall financialization of India. Furthermore, while the rollout of a 5G ecosystem will improve the quality of services, the launch of digital money, supported by blockchain, signals an increasing focus on transparency. With consistency in strategic direction and focus on propelling the MSME and start-up ecosystem, this is a welcoming budget for new-age businesses and a hopeful one that will ultimately lead to a boost in the A&amp;M industry as well. We're at the cusp of the next stage of India's digital revolution and although certain factors like data privacy still remain an area to be delved deeper into, as infrastructure and banking penetrate further into rural India, we’re looking hopeful and strong to transform into a forward-leaning digital economy of tomorrow.” Deepak Mittal, CEO and Co-Founder, TO THE NEW: The government's unprecedented commitment to technology innovation and adoption in this union budget is highly encouraging. Breakthrough developments and futuristic technology such as the introduction of digital currency, the rollout of 5G within FY22-23, and e-passports using embedded chips are exciting for the country's future. Among the measures announced, the budget highlights special incentives to startups and the launch of a progressive, new portal encouraging a digital ecosystem for skilling and upskilling. These initiatives will serve as a successful catalyst for the country's economic growth. Atul Shrivastava, Group CEO &amp; Executive Director at Laqshya Media Group: The union Budget underlined the government’s focus on long-term growth. As India’s economic growth is estimated to be 9.2% in the upcoming financial year so it would be good for all the industry and with overall growth, we are sure advertising &amp; media will also show remarkable growth which was low due to the pandemic in the last couple of years. As announced the National Highways to be expanded by 25,000 km under PM Gati Shakti mission. Highways are adding a new dimension to the growth of the OOH Industry as advertising on the Highways is emerging as very strong choice for brand building for many categories. Prasad Shejale, Founder and CEO, Logicserve Digital: The FM has announced a very progressive budget with an intention to widen India's horizons and outlook in the next five years, leveraging emerging technologies. The Government has addressed some urgent priorities underpinning the digital sector, including the launch of digital currency, API-based skill credentials, digital learning channels, digitization of manual processes, etc. On the digital connectivity front, the 5G spectrum auctions will finally make the dream of a tech-savvy India a reality, further boosting the country's digital infrastructure. Additionally, the launch of a design-led manufacturing scheme for the 5G ecosystem as part of the PLI scheme will ensure affordable broadband and mobile communication even in far-flung areas. The availability of high-speed internet connectivity in urban as well as rural areas will encourage marketers to experiment with blockchain, AR, VR. On the skilling front, initiatives like establishing a digital university will provide an opportunity for youth to learn new skills from the comfort of their homes. The creation of a new task force to build domestic capacity in the Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming and Comic (AVGC) sector is commendable. The overall budget is future tech-enabled and balanced. Ahmed Aftab Naqvi, Global CEO &amp; Co-founder, GOZOOP Group: While there will always be hope for more and better, the continued push towards digital, fintech and the boost for start-up ecosystem with the extension of tax benefits till March 2023 along with capping the surcharge at 15% irrespective of the amount of long term capital gains, will fuel the fire of entrepreneurship in our nation. Varun Duggirala, Entrepreneur, Co-founder of The Glitch, Author, Content Creator and a Podcaster: The twin announcements of the digital rupee and the taxation on ‘virtual digital assets’ is clearly a focused drive from the government to regulate the crypto space. What needs to be seen is how this plays out because regulating a decentralized space is a paradox in itself. Another point that stood out for me was the national mental health program. More than anything else it signifies the normalizing of mental health as a legitimate area of focus for us as a nation. Shrenik Gandhi, CEO and Co-founder, White Rivers Media: In my opinion, it is a fairly balanced budget. There is sufficient emphasis being laid on up-skilling, and making right investments in tech which is the need of the hour. The previous budget was more inclined towards setting up a strong foundation in the digital space, and this one is essentially focused on making further advancements. Besides, Digital Rupee being introduced is indeed, a great news across sectors and it will be exciting to finally watch it become a reality. It can prove to be a game-changer in India's future as transactions will become even more instantaneous. Speaking of the expected benefits, let’s not forget that this is India’s #Budget and not a Big Bazaar scheme announcement. So, the immediate benefit may not be seen right now but considering the long-term narrative, it is a fairly established budget. Sahil Chopra, Founder &amp; CEO- iCubesWire: While the general trend of the <keyword id="12134566" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="union-budget-2022" source="Orion">union budget 2022</keyword> has its emphasis on ease of doing business, I strongly believe, data and digital occupied the centerpiece of the budget. The plans to focus and promote the fintech and digital economy are a very strong positive move. New age technologies, keeping data and digital at heart of it will allow the tech enablers to transform multiple industries. For MSMEs, the government has plans to outlay Rs 2 trillion which is again a welcoming move that will help in enhancing startups as well as entrepreneurial opportunities for all. Besides, extension on tax exemption to startups and promotion of startups to facilitate ‘Drone Shakti’ through varied applications and drones as a service is also encouraging. The ambitious optical fibre to the villages under PPP in 2022-23 shall get the next 100M in the Digital Universe soon. To sum up, it’s a positive budget for the digital sector which has always vouched for a strong digital infrastructure in the country." Chetan Asher, Founder and CEO, Tonic Worldwide: The budget clearly will help the country march towards digital adoption and transformation in many sectors. With 5G rollout on the cards we will see an acceleration across the board. The digital rupee will put India right up on the map of advanced digital economies. Clarity on Digital assets and crypto will give it new impetus. All of these initiatives will help us emerge as leaders in adoption and growth of blockchain technology Ambika Sharma, Founder &amp; MD, Pulp Strategy: The Budget is interesting as the Government has focused on all sectors. The financial support for the digital payments ecosystem is a welcome move and further reaffirms the Government of India's digital banking push. This push on digitization will make way for more inclusion in the ecosystem. The focus on 'Ease of doing business is a great step, as it will further promote entrepreneurship in the economy” . The 2022-23 budget finely balanced fiscal retreat with supporting economic recovery. The budget focused on a familiar strategy of driving capital expenditure to drive growth, to crowd in private investment through higher public spending. Although markets could be disappointed with a higher fiscal deficit of 6.4% of GDP for FY23 than expected, it is perhaps prudent to not undertake aggressive fiscal consolidation at this nascent stage of recovery. While elevated market borrowings are likely to pressurize bond yields, the inclusion of green bonds in the borrowing plan is an interesting innovation. In terms of specific policy announcements, the move towards self-reliance through protection for domestic manufacturers (change in custom and import duties) aligns with the long-term goal of Atmanirbhar Bharat. The government has extended the startup tax holiday and concessional tax for manufacturing startups by a year. While that was on the cards, it doesn’t address the core need of startups to be given a longer tax holiday of 5 years as required. One of the most encouraging aspects of the budget has been the announcement to set up an AVGC (animation, visual effects, gaming, and comics) promotion task force to plan and build domestic capacity for serving domestic as well as global markets. Loss from the transfer of virtual digital assets cannot be set off against any other income. The creation of a unified logistics platform and the developments of 100 new cargo terminals in the next three years are significant steps in improving the supply chain ecosystem in the country. Infrastructure status given to Data Centers will provide a huge boost to the fast-evolving digital environment of the country. The fiscal outcome is broadly in line with our expectations with the government having continued its focus on infrastructure and rural demand. Himanshu Arya, Founder and CEO, Grapes: The Union Budget for the financial year 2022-23 has set the stage with an invigorated focus on ramping up the process of the digital revolution. The government’s focus on the digital ecosystem is a progressive move to render an inclusive landscape for job openings and entrepreneurial opportunities. The extension of tax incentives for startups for one more year will give a slight relief to the industry. I hope that the cash flow improves in the market. The Union Budget has various encouraging initiatives and is directed towards a more viable and flexible business ecosystem that completely aligns with the ideologies of Make in India. Siddharth Devnani, Co-Founder &amp; Director, SoCheers: Digital and digitization stood out as a strong overall trend in the Union Budget 2022. The budget put a great focus on long-term growth and given how intricately ‘digital’ was integrated into several measures, it can be seen as an integral part of that growth. Implementation of the Central Bank digital currency will definitively aid the growth of digital economy and finance in the country, opening doors for digital acceleration across sectors. The announcement about the new digital university and the renewed focus on digital learning, further presents an opportunity, especially to the fast-evolving Educational Technology sector. However, a definite plan on how this will pan out for all corners of India remains to be seen. Moreover, digital will also be leveraged in the set-up and operation of tele-mental health centres, providing the necessary focus and access to mental health services to the Indian masses. This comes as one of the most welcome move as it’ll contribute infinitely to the nation’s long-term growth.

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