Best printers for Home

Best Mixer Grinder

Best wired Earphones

Best 43 Inch TV in India

Best Wi Fi Routers

Best Home Theatre in India

Smart Watch under 5000

Best Laptops for Education

Best Laptop for Students

<ul><li>Kartik Sharma comes from Wavemaker, where he was most recently CEO for South Asia. </li><li>In his new role, Sharma will work closely with <keyword id="2738740" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Priti-Murthy">Priti Murthy</keyword>, CEO of OMD India, and Jyoti Bansal, CEO of PHD India.</li></ul> <keyword id="242831" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Omnicom-Media-Group">Omnicom Media Group</keyword> has appointed Kartik Sharma as CEO for its operations in India. Sharma joins the Omnicom entity from GroupM’s Wavemaker, where he was most recently CEO for South Asia. With over 25 years of media experience under his belt, Sharma served in a leadership capacity at some of the largest agency networks, including Mindshare, Lintas Media, Madison Media and Maxus as well as managed blue-chip clients such as L’Oreal, Mondelez, Netflix and Vodafone. In his new role, Sharma will work closely with Priti Murthy, CEO of OMD India, and Jyoti Bansal, CEO of PHD India, on chartering the continued growth of the agency brands in India. Speaking on the appointment, Tony Harradine, CEO of Omnicom Media Group Asia-Pacific, comments: “A revered leader with an impressive track record, I am thrilled that Kartik has joined us. I have the utmost confidence in his ability to steer our business to even greater heights in one of the most important markets in Asia.”

Omnicom Media Group has named Kartik Sharma CEO for its operations in India

<ul><li>Ever wondered why an increasing amount of premium content is available only after registration and login? It’s more straightforward than you’d think. Kartik Sharma- Group CEO- India- <keyword id="242831" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Omnicom-Media-Group">Omnicom Media Group</keyword> tell us the reason behind it. </li><li>He further writes why we must also explore human <keyword id="9856068" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="behavioural-trends">behavioural trends</keyword> that impact marketing processes, and how media owners can keep up with changing sensibilities and sentiments.</li></ul>The value of data does not lie in its quality alone, but in how this data is analysed, interpreted and then applied. When it comes to <keyword id="970530" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Consumer-insights">consumer insights</keyword>, we have oceans of data available at hand, and this can sometimes cause one to view the end consumer as less human and more numerical. Today, brands know their consumers like we know our closest friends. Their age, gender, ideologies, political leanings, even their sleeping and eating habits. So, when humans become data, how does one keep data, human? The Age of Addressability In the era of experience, it is imperative for advertisers and marketers to innovate and stay one step ahead of the consumer by addressing and predicting their needs according to where they stand in the purchase cycle. People-centric first, product-centric second. Ever wondered why an increasing amount of premium content is available only after registration and login? It’s more straightforward than you’d think. The simplest details like phone numbers and email IDs are valuable pieces of information that can help brands identify a particular consumer as a standalone person rather than as a random part of the homogenous crowd. This makes the audience addressable to the advertiser in the most direct way possible – through first-party data. As search engine optimisation gets increasingly sophisticated, effective targeting and hyper-personalisation will not only comprise commonly entered keywords, but will also factor in voice recognition tools that will serve as an individual fingerprint for targeting. With current voice search, SEO keywords have already undergone a revamp to include words and terms and tonality that are used more in speech than in text. Considering that your Alexa probably already knows what you’re going to buy tomorrow, it won’t be long before virtual shopping assistants become the norm. With hyper-personalisation, the audience is empowered to choose the ad content they consume. According to a 2019 Deloitte report, a staggering 77% of consumers state that they would skip an online ad if they were given the chance. This further highlights the need for respecting the final consumer with extensive research into audience segmentation. Another important aspect to consider here is programmatic advertising. This system eliminates the trial and error approach to targeted advertising and helps to effectively leverage consumer data to come up with the most robust targeting options possible. With better, richer insights, ad content can be targeted to the audience in a way that prevents bombardment and waste. For the consumer, this means that they do not end up viewing an ad several times, across multiple devices until they are so overwhelmed that they get disenchanted with the brand in question. From the steady rise of OTT before the pandemic, to its unprecedented spike in lockdown times, there is great value in creatively exploring platforms that already have addressable audiences. It’s also advisable to learn from these and apply the same to promising new opportunities such as podcasts, which do not yet rank high on addressability, but show superb potential in terms of the format itself. Fusion and the art of evolving We must also explore human behavioural trends that impact marketing processes, and how media owners can keep up with changing sensibilities and sentiments. An adage that many might be tired of hearing, but which nevertheless will always remain true is, “Customer is king.” However, the strength no longer lies with brands that merely answer customer needs, but with those that diversify how they answer these needs. And this is where the creativity and innovation of cross-industry fusion comes into play. For brands to achieve this, they need to leverage consumer insights from beyond their industry and understand consumers as having interests that are diverse, yet highly interconnected. Specific categories that have always excelled in understanding their customers in a compassionate and effective manner are the food &amp; beverage industry and the fashion industry. F&amp;B brands have a keen understanding of how important food and family are to our country. A good meal with close ones is enough to sum up any Indian celebration. Whether it is the convenience of instant ramen, the health benefits of energy drinks or the refined taste of India’s finer spices, we as a culture love to spread love through food and many ads today appeal to just that. Interestingly, with consumer insights being readily available, brands have factored heart health and general fitness into every step from product development to ad filmmaking. With a finger on the pulse of India, brands are evolving to meet the needs of the consumer. With fashion brands, the picture is a little different, but just as inspiring. Fashion has long been a representation of individuality and a statement to the world. Several clothing brands have kept up with changing sensibilities so that their ads speak to a diverse audience. Where make-up brands now reach out to male influencers, garment brands for working professionals increasingly feature working women as the protagonists in their ads. In the larger scheme of things, such disruptors of the status quo are important. We as media professionals are speaking to an audience that is steadily becoming more aware of and empathetic to the world around them. And that’s our biggest reminder to forever and always – Keep it human.

Consumer Insights: When humans become data, how do you keep it human?

<ul><li>As we come to the end of another challenging year, we look forward to next with with a lot of hope. </li><li>In our attempt to crystal-gaze into what 2022 has in store for the <keyword id="35666" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="advertising" source="Orion">advertising</keyword> and media business, we spoke to a few experts from the industry.</li><li>In today's feature, <keyword id="1193084" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="rana-barua" source="Orion">Rana Barua</keyword>, Group CEO, Havas Group India, <keyword id="1627828" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="kartik-sharma" source="Orion">Kartik Sharma</keyword>, Group CEO, Omnicom Media Group - India, <keyword id="6269377" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="premjeet-sodhi" source="Orion">Premjeet Sodhi</keyword>, Chief Strategy Officer, <keyword id="5968693" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="wavemaker-india" source="Orion">Wavemaker India</keyword>, <keyword id="3364704" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="sujata-dwibedy" source="Orion">Sujata Dwibedy</keyword>, Group Trading Director, Amplifi India, dentsu weigh in on trends and themes they feel will dominate the <keyword id="1743395" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="media-buying" source="Orion">media buying</keyword> and selling landscape in 2022.</li></ul>When the pandemic hit us in 2020, most organizations around the world were unprepared for the unprecedented event. While it took everybody by surprise, it brought about a lot of changes to the entire ecosystem. It also brought with it some important lessons. Leaders told us about the importance of agility, collaboration, flexibility and empathy. While the second wave this year hit the country harder than the first, businesses took the lessons they learnt from last year seriously, ensuring they were better equipped to deal with the impact of the pandemic on business. While the months of April and May this year were especially difficult for us and for businesses across India, the bounce-back has been a little quicker this time around, with most organizations already on a road to recovery. In the advertising world, the year was driven by digital media, specifically by social, search as well as video. GroupM’s recently released global end-of-year forecast revealed that there was a much faster expansion in the advertising industry than previously anticipated, driven primarily by growth in the US, UK, and China. The report also predicted that India, the UK, Brazil, Canada, Japan and China could grow between 6-8% annually, on average. Meanwhile, Magna in its report said Indian ad spends witnessed a 14% growth in 2021 and that it will grow by 14.5% in 2022. So, as this year comes to an end and we enter another year with hope, we spoke to leaders from advertising to understand what the year 2022 has in store for us and here is what they had to say: Rana Barua, Group CEO, Havas Group India <div type="image" title="Rana Barua, Group CEO, Havas Group India" msid="88302606" hostid="261"></div> Be Relevant, Be Meaningful 2021 was all about a steady recovery. And at Havas Group India, 3 things helped us to sustain the comeback – integration &amp; collaboration of our companies and over 1000 people, a sharply defined and relevant MX &amp; CX product strategy, and our many industry-first meaningful initiatives. We realised among all innovations, we needed to become even more flexible and relevant at the core. Marketers expect agencies to be genuine partners and dynamic about consumer understanding so that they can plan smarter. Our global Meaningful Brand study reveals if 75% of global brands disappear, no one would care. This is a reality that every marketer will face. The number of brands people used in the pre and the post covid world are not the same. So, driving relevance, being honest and creating meaningful brands will become even more critical. Understanding the Consumer Experience journey and dovetailing into a sharp meaningful Media Experience will be at the core of any integrated brand planning. And with the use of smart data and analytics the same will only become richer and sharper. And finally, meaningful storytelling (short, byte or long) that connects with the consumer, will make the brands relevant and an integral part of the journey. Kartik Sharma, Group CEO, Omnicom Media Group - India <div type="image" title="Kartik Sharma, Group CEO, Omnicom Media Group - India" msid="88302611" hostid="261"></div> 2022: Back to good old creativity, emotive storytelling Data Privacy has been a highlight of the industry for a while now. The pandemic has brought to the fore new challenges of living in the digital age. And with that, having a foundational understanding of consumer privacy concerns and data protection is paramount. Data and technology are the new-age gold for the private sector across the globe. This bestows greater responsibility on leaders using it. Accountability for every concerned stakeholder and their personally identifiable information needs to be benchmarked. On the heels of data privacy bills being tabled in countries across the world, the time is nigh for companies to step up their guardrails on data and consumer privacy. Even with Google extending their deprecation timeline for third-party cookies to late 2023, the industry needs to start testing ways to reach and engage consumers across the open internet in a non-invasive manner. The big idea of 2022 is the one that'll be ideated on the back of good old creativity, emotive storytelling that humanizes brands - enabled by technology, and of course, one that respects the privacy of its audiences. Premjeet Sodhi, Chief Strategy Officer, Wavemaker India <div type="image" title="Premjeet Sodhi" msid="88302723" hostid="261"></div> Measurement of ROI as the True-North for 2022 We can’t talk enough of the changes that brands have experienced during the past Covid-affected years. Many of these changes are now at a tipping point and we will see change only accelerate in 2022. Metaverse is the flavour of the season and probably will have the highest share of conversations. However, the real work will be in the transformative shifts towards Ecom, D2C, <keyword id="623994" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="social-commerce" source="Orion">Social Commerce</keyword> and in managing media fragmentation. In this sea of ‘new’ in 2022, agencies will be at the helm working hand-in-hand with clients to work through the clutter of partners, formats, data providers, enrichment agencies and various other intermediaries for delivering on these initiatives. Novelty, excitement, and innovations will be aplenty but, objective measurement is what will be amiss. In such a scenario - measurement will be the most important theme for 2022. Each platform comes with its own activity metrics but, we need to bring in benchmarking for best practices, comparability across platforms &amp; impact on business. Marketers, figuratively speaking are at the cross-roads and they need a Compass to guide their media investment decisions. The marketers do not need to go after every new-shining media option but need to evaluate everything with ROI as the True-North. 2022 should be the year to define a clear measurement framework that will define expectations from each media intervention. It will lay-down the activity or output measures, the intermediate measures of behaviour/mindset and the business measures of footfalls/downloads/ sales/ subscriptions, etc. This needs both immediate campaign level measurements as well as broader attribution studies to derive the business impact of media investments. Outcome based Media Measurement Spends in the Industry are barely a decimal percentage of the media spends – does measurement not deserve more? What cannot be measured, will not be managed. Sujata Dwibedy, Group Trading Director, Amplifi India, dentsu <div type="image" title="Sujata Dwibedy" msid="88302719" hostid="261"></div> The year of ecommerce growth 2022 will be a sunrise year and we will see many new trends. However, we will definitely see further growth in double digits in the e-commerce space. We have already seen unprecedented growth in not only the retail e-commerce space but also many other aspects of e-commerce. The strength of smartphones and tablets is on a rise, which is also leading to the surge in e-commerce adoption, in addition to the softer aspects such as convenience and social distancing preferences post covid. If we were to contemplate on what could be working within the e-commerce ecosystem, here are a few pointers on what we may see. Firstly, customer’s satisfaction lies in the little things. So, we may see the ease of search leading to an increase in Voice Search. Diversity of payment methods, other than payment by credit card, bank transfer, mobile wallets, and others. There is a rising trend to make purchases in instalments too. We may see a surge in multichannel customer support. This will enable customers to reach the service center at any time and anywhere if they were to communicate. AI-assisted cross-selling and up-selling within seamless online purchases will be more preferred for personalised marketing and products. We have seen growth from Tier II towns and even the smaller markets. Growth in the metros comes from multiple platforms including D2Cs. With new e-commerce preferences and tools, this is likely to accelerate in the coming years.

Trends 2022: Advertising experts tell us what to expect from 2022

<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.

You Searched For "kartik sharma omnicom" and got 4 results

Omnicom Media Group has named Kartik Sharma CEO for its operations in India

BI India Partner

Consumer Insights: When humans become data, how do you keep it human?

Guest Author

Trends 2022: Advertising experts tell us what to expect from 2022

Samarpita Banerjee

The advertising industry voices its enthusiasm about the government’s steps towards boosting digital ecosystem in Union Budget 2022-23

BI India Partner

Popular Keywords

Buying Guides