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<ul><li><keyword id="3900173" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="logicserve-digital" source="Orion">Logicserve Digital</keyword> recently announced that it clocked 55% CAGR over the last 6 years and witnessed accelerated growth across verticals, Creative (70%+), Data &amp; Insights and Technology (90%+) in CY 2021 compared to CY 2020.</li><li>We speak to <keyword id="3900175" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Prasad-Shejale" source="Orion">Prasad Shejale</keyword>, Founder &amp; CEO, Logicserve Digital about the agency’s journey so far and what lies ahead.</li></ul>After the outbreak of coronavirus, <keyword id="618493" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="digital-marketing" source="Orion">digital marketing</keyword> accelerated at an unbelievable speed, exceeding all predictions and expectations. Brands were quick to adapt, pivoting aggressively from traditional mediums to invest in digital. Logicserve Digital is also winning new businesses at a time when the market isn’t particularly performing well. In the last few months, it has bagged marquee brands such as Canara HSBC, Domino’s, Ebro India, Fresh To Home, Future Generali, Haier, to mention a few. It recently announced that the agency witnessed 55% CAGR over the last six years and Prasad Shejale, Founder &amp; CEO, Logicserve Digital told Advertising and Media Insider that the agency is now eyeing to achieve 100% growth. He further told us about the biggest challenges that lie ahead for the agency and digital marketing ecosystem, how the agency is preparing for the third wave and boosting its employees' morale and his vision for 2022. Q. Prasad, how was 2021 for Logicserve Digital and for the digital advertising industry? It’s an exciting time of change we’re living in. We’ve come a long way in these past years, and more so since 2020. In 2021, we won 61 new accounts across Media, Creative, Data &amp; Insights and Technology and 20 new accounts for our eMarket service. We successfully added multiple new categories of brands to our portfolio including E-commerce, Fintech, BFSI, FMCG, Gaming, Consumer Durables, F &amp; B, Health &amp; Pharma, B2B, IT, Media, &amp; Entertainment. Additionally, we partnered with some well-known names in the industry, including Canara HSBC, Domino’s, Ebro India, Fresh To Home, Future Generali, Haier, iMocha, Jubilant FoodWorks, Reynolds, Wakefit, resulting in 150+ total India clients. Overall, it has been a phenomenal 2021! From the industry perspective, many changes have happened in the past year. We have seen a huge growth in this industry, something that was only expected to happen in the next 5-10 years. More and more users have adopted the digital ways of doing things. Brands too are embracing the digital industry, including the ones who weren’t very active or totally inactive on digital earlier. The industry has definitely seen positive growth and helped businesses defy the odds and continue their success journey while allowing them to provide delightful experiences to their customers. In my opinion, some of the key trends that dominated 2021 include Customer Data Platforms (CDPs), Digital Security, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Customer-centric vision, Contactless solutions, digital payments, etc. Q. What will be the biggest challenges and opportunities for the advertising industry in 2022? How are you preparing yourself to face it? During the latter half of 2021, people went outside to meet their friends and family and celebrated the festivities after a long wait. As we move into the grips of the highly infectious Omicron variant, once again, digital continues to ensure people's safety, life continuity, and is a necessary support system. Sometimes, it might be challenging for marketers to embrace emerging technologies disrupting the digital medium, skill-up, and keep pace with the rapidly evolving digital ecosystem. Furthermore, how people of different age groups interact with technology will transform incredibly over the next five to ten years. The ability of some brands to keep pace with this accelerated pace of transformation will define if they will lead the game or just be bystanders. Hence, bridging the gaps with technology, newer trends, and the correct identification of relevant tools might challenge the industry. In terms of opportunities, I think 5G has been making good progress, and I am sure we will soon see it become mainstream this year. It offers a wide range of benefits right from the increased capacity for delivery of new content and services. It will lead brands to deliver unique experiences in unthinkable ways, that too at incredible speed. The major trends that we have been talking about in the past few years, like AR, VR, etc., will finally prevail in consumers' lives with high-speed internet availability. Foraying into regional is another great opportunity for brands this year. As per reports by Google India, only 20% of the Indian population can speak English and 45% of the local language users prefer accessing content exclusively in regional languages. So, it's a no-brainer that we have seen an upward trend in the last few years where brands are making original content in respective regional languages for maximum impact and reach. At Logicserve Digital, we have always focused on a solutions-led approach for our business. The restructuring of our verticals revived and synchronized the energies of our team members. So, in 2020, amid the pandemic, we could quickly pivot our model to ensure customer experience was not compromised at any level. We also follow our Logicserve Digital Transformation Framework (LDTF) that combines our capabilities across Media, Creative, Data &amp; Insights and Technology and helps us curate apt and result-oriented solutions for our clients’ specific needs. This agility in our business focus, digital expertise, and cultural transformation allows us to adjust our strategy according to the latest market changes. We embrace changing consumer behavior, shifting buyer choices, increased inclination towards quality products, etc., to deliver more creative and personalized experiences that ultimately ensure our clients remain category leaders. Furthermore, our brand values, mission, and vision prepare us for any uncertainty that might come ahead. Q. How will you ensure that you keep the momentum going this year? As you can see, our constant evolution has helped us yield phenomenal results with incredible new growth records in 2021. Banking on our team's capabilities, knowledge, and skills, we have overachieved customer expectations by leaps and bounds. Our workforce is the engine behind our growth, and we are in a better position than we were in the pre-pandemic era. I am delighted that we have successfully restored our clients' trust; as a result, they trust us on our expertise to lead their digital functions. We have aligned our priorities properly - People, Purpose, Partnership, and then Performance to lead the brand to glory as we move ahead in 2022. Our teams will deal with the first 3Ps with compassion and determination, and hence we are sure 'Performance' would follow. Q. What is the one thing digital/advertising agencies need to change and keep in mind this year? Technology and capabilities always come with lots of responsibilities too. We have to build socially acceptable rules and follow those as we embrace trends like in the virtual world too. Rest everything, I am sure, will fall into place when the basics are adhered to by the agencies. For instance, as technology gets cheaper and with the advent of quantum computing, innovative experiences will be delivered much faster in the metaverse. In that respect, expensive occasions like travel to exotic places, which probably was possible for those who are economically well off, is now also possible for those who are not economically well off. And thus, a new virtual world will be for everyone and not just people from big cities. Hence, agencies need to be responsible for keeping the virtual world's space healthy and positive. The social construct that has built us, as a human race, needs to be followed in the virtual world too. Q. How is the agency making life better for its employees considering we're heading into another wave? We have a positive outlook for 2022. Employee safety has been and will be a focal point for all our decisions while ensuring business continuity. We hope that the Omicron wave can be controlled in Q1 of 2022 with proper guidelines and a vaccination drive and our efforts will be concentrated towards this very goal of the industry and government. We are delicately working on a plan to consider Flexi working once again along with Flexi timing with a greater focus on results rather than efforts. We have already installed thermal scanners and contactless hand sanitizers in the office premises along with a system to ensure that the number of employees in the office is always at the lowest optimum. Apart from a well-conceptualized hybrid work policy, our Emergency Response Team (ERT) ensures employees get the necessary aid. Furthermore, our HR teams are well equipped to help teammates in real-time with initiatives like regular health check-ups. Q. How has the pandemic impacted the relationship between agencies and clients? The uncertainty has brought the agencies and clients closer with seamless collaboration. Particularly for us at Logicserve Digital, we have been following our Logicserve Digital Transformation Framework (LDTF) that has helped us focus on building digital businesses for our clients in a holistic way. Our workforce is an engine behind our exponential growth and has left no stone unturned in delivering 100% satisfaction to our clients. Our teams quickly adopted a hybrid set-up to make sure that the customer's transition towards 100% digital is smooth and seamless. It gives me pride to say that our employees are our brand custodians and work as an extended team of our clients with a ‘WE’ spirit. Furthermore, our growth verticals, customized approaches per changing buying personas, and ability to harp on the latest trends prepare our teams to provide excellent support to clients 24x7. And the fact that our clients know that we are more of their partners in their journey gives us an edge. Q. Consumer behavior has also changed drastically. We are all anxious again and there is still uncertainty looming around. The kind of communications a brand comes up with during a crisis can either help win consumer trust or work completely the other way around. So when you work on any campaigns for your clients, how will you ensure that you are treading that line to really make sure that you get it right? Brands have increased interest in breaking clutter and building awareness about their products/ services in digital media. Once they have achieved their awareness goals, they are looking at enhancing it further and driving quality leads. With the uncertainty peaking again, digital ad spending is bound to succeed as users are more open to making purchases online from the comfort and safety of their homes. Brands and agency partners are well aware about how the consumer behaviour changed during the pandemic. This has happened before too but now the shock value has gone down. Even with regards to the pandemic, we have witnessed two waves already and hence have a better understanding about how the consumer has evolved. We need to be relevant as well as sensitive when we connect with them while maintaining a fine balance that allows effective communication without overdoing it. This is where I feel agency partners play a significant role, in terms of guiding brands to communicate with audiences in an ethical and compassionate manner. When we work with brands, we are always mindful about the situations, are sensitive towards consumer sentiments and communicate with empathy. We shall continue to follow this approach. We never focus on overselling and rather emphasize on keeping the communication going and maintaining the relationship with consumers in a sensitive way. This way they are aware about the brand and their offerings, have a good recall and will come back to them when the need arises. Customers do understand when a brand knows how to maintain the fine balance of communicating without overdoing it and when you portray this in your communication, they are bound to notice it. Also, the empathy cap has to be there always. Always communicate with empathy and the people will surely get the message. Q. What would your focus areas for this year be? An integral part of our success has been the company's people-first approach i.e. ability to convert employees into brand ambassadors through community building and elevating customer advocacy with an unparalleled support system. As we move ahead ‘people’ will be our priority both from an internal and external standpoint i.e. employees and customers. We also intend to enhance new areas under LDTF for better client experience. We have added new products under our initiative of Data Solutions that will help our clients build better efficiencies for their digital business. We love to work with great brands and that shall continue for all our verticals, whether it is media, creative, data &amp; insights or technology. We want to move closer to our goal of being a truly integrated digital marketing &amp; transformation company. Our Leadership team focuses on 3Ts – Trends, Talent &amp; Texture. That shall continue for us to define new areas as they come and to build our talent pool for all the new changes that we make to help our clients grow their digital business and communication. From an expansion perspective, growing inorganically is on cards for this year. Q. What kind of growth have you seen over the years and what's your target for this fiscal? We saw Y-O-Y revenue increase as client confidence restored and the brand's spending levels became more resilient and predictable in 2021 compared to 2020. In addition, we were well-positioned to capitalize on the growing need from clients across domains for expertise around transforming customer experiences through the core capabilities across Media, Creative, Data &amp; Insights, and Technology, as well as the new eMarket initiative. Logicserve Digital clocked 55% CAGR over the last six years, our media managed grew by 186% in Calendar year (CY) 2021 compared to CY 2020, and we witnessed accelerated growth across verticals, Creative (70%+), Data &amp; Insights and Technology (90%+) in CY 2021 compared to CY 2020. For 2022, even at a large base of ours, we are aiming at a 100% growth rate. Q. What are your plans for 2022, in terms of expansion, new business targets, talent acquisition, and technology development? In 2021, we grew phenomenally across all areas of our business. Our headcount increased by 27%. This year, we are looking at growing by 100% and with that we will be looking for new talent required to support this growth. Our talent requirements are across the hierarchy. There is a huge focus to get the best of talent available in the country, but apart from that, we are also putting in a lot of effort into hiring and grooming new talent by training freshers. Inorganic growth will also add to our talent pool as the year proceeds. Our products through our data solutions vertical are ready to help enhance our offerings thereby benefiting our clients in their expansion journey as well. Q. Lastly, the pandemic has brought with it a lot of learnings. What are your major learnings from this experience so far? The past year has taught us a lot and pushed us, in a way, to go back to the basics and follow an empathetic and humane approach in everything we do. It taught us the importance of perseverance and resilience. It urged us to let go of old ways of doing things, figure out alternatives and quickly adapt to the changes to be able to stand strong in the market. Hence, the Corporate Empathy Relationship (CER) will be central to our action plan

Logicserve Digital eyes to achieve 100% growth this year by focusing on Corporate Empathy Relationship

<ul><li>Logicserve has undergone a visual transformation to match with today's ubiquitous digital world. </li><li>The agency’s new logo symbolizes its personality traits of being -- Curious, Adaptive, and Intelligent, which, Prasad Shejale, CEO &amp; Founder, <keyword id="3900173" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Logicserve-Digital">Logicserve Digital</keyword>, says are ‘indispensable to thrive and lead in the dynamic world’.</li><li>Logicserve has seen 102% CAGR in the last 5 years and hopes to become a ₹180 crore agency by March 2020.</li></ul>To adapt to the constantly changing landscape, Logicserve Digital, a digital marketing agency and the Indian arm of Logicserve Group, is donning a new visual identity. The agency has revealed a new logo to match with today’s dynamic world. It symbolizes Logicserve’s personality traits of being -- Curious, Adaptive, and Intelligent. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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 The circle at the bottom is similar to the anchor seen in a question mark or an exclamation -- it symbolises curiosity that is the genesis of any change or transformation. The fluid shape showcases adaptability highlighting the company’s ability to change and evolve. The mnemonic that looks like a profile view of a brain, symbolises intelligence and thought leadership. Telling us further about why Prasad Shejale, CEO &amp; Founder, Logicserve Digital, felt now was the right time to launch a new visual identity, he said, “Multi-specialisation is the need of the hour and varied skill sets are required to design a solution for the challenges faced by today’s world. Here, the company represents its core capabilities – Media, Creative, Data &amp; Insights, and Technology – as distinct from one another through different colours and shapes. The core capabilities are ever changing and evolving, which is why the shapes are fluid and transient in nature. These core capabilities are interdependent and when brought together, embodies what they offer to the world – an integrated solution.” Clientele and Growth Plans Logicserve Digital has so far serviced more than 300 clients including Paytm Mall, Inshorts, Bajaj Finserv, DHFL General Insurance, Tata Motors, Shemaroo Entertainment, Hungama, Oppo Realme, Thomas Cook India and Fullerton India. When Shejale founded Logicserve Digital in 2012 with one office, it has now grown to a team of over 320 employees with three offices in Mumbai, Bangalore, and Delhi. The agency also expanded its operations to Dubai this year. In the last financial year, Logicserve recorded ₹110 crore plus as its revenue and throughout the last five years, the digital agency has seen a growth rate of 102% CAGR. This year, it hopes to grow 3X faster than the rest of the players in the digital industry and become a ₹180 crore agency. “Achievement of these significant milestones has made 2019 a wonderful year for us so far. We have been beating the industry and will continue beating them in the growth perspective -- at least three times more than what the industry is growing. So if the industry is growing at 33%, we would definitely want to keep on growing at 100%,” explains Shejale. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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 Standing Out in the Clutter Shejale says the reason for this smooth-sailing is because the agency provides 360-degree digital solutions and is quick to latch on to new trends. “We are one of the early trend-catchers. When people were talking about programmatic, we immediately built a programmatic division and that’s why we picked up a lot of programmatic buyers in this country. Right now, digital is so much beyond media. It has four different skill sets and we have to weave them together to give an integrated solution to the customers. And there are very few agencies who can take an integrated approach properly,” says Shejale. Way Forward for Digital Media Shejale says high internet penetration, low price of data, and increased internet accessibility has helped the digital industry boom exponentially. Clients have also started realising the importance of digital media and its reach. Telling us the reason behind digital’s growth, Shejale says, “We stand at an important juncture where the rising adoption of digital platforms by consumers is encouraging brands to reach out to masses not only in Tier I cities but also in Tier II and Tier III through digital channels. The consumers expect personalization and their behaviour is changing a lot. This makes it important for brands to focus on digital. The digital medium also offers more flexibility on budget, accountability, and Returns on Investment, therefore, brands are trying innovative approaches including the latest ‘Social Commerce’. In 2020, we will witness the growth of digital industry at a very different pace owing to emerging trends backed by technology including Artificial Intelligence, Virtual Reality, Martech tools, data penetration, etc.”

Logicserve Digital dons new identity after seeing 102% CAGR in the last 5 years; hopes to become a ₹180 crore agency by March 2020

<ul><li>In this new year, we want to crystal gaze into what the year has in store for the industry.</li><li>With the <keyword id="169310" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="digital-advertising">digital advertising</keyword> industry changing at a rapid pace, throwing a new set of challenges every day, experts are optimistic that 2021 will be a game-changer that will help them redefine a lot of rules in advertising, with smarter marketing techniques. </li><li>We spoke to a few industry experts to identify opportunities that 2021 will bring forth for the industry as we move forward and here is what they had to say. </li></ul>Over the past few years, the world has increasingly been moving towards digital and 2020 became the year when the digital ecosystem acquired many new users, thereby making digital advertising perhaps one of the most effective mediums to reach out to people locked inside their houses and stuck to their phone and tablet screens. It was an interesting year for digital marketers as the nation-wide lockdown gave a push to augmented reality, mobile marketing, digital animation, video content, voice search and influencer marketing. Despite the initial setbacks during the lockdown, consumers opened up to experimenting with digital formats, trading brand loyalties for availability of stock and performance marketing came into the picture. Digital eventually became a dominant medium as marketers pivoted their monies from OOH, print and event marketing to virtual platforms. India is now at the cusp of a massive revolution with digital making inroads and brands looking to go beyond urban markets. While we saw <keyword id="618493" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="digital-marketing">digital marketing</keyword> taking the center stage, the economic slowdown and uncertainty affected market sentiment, and naturally, the industry. However, during this volatile period, the industry tried to throw out the inefficiencies to make themselves more productive. According to Statista, ad spending in the Digital Advertising market is projected to reach US$398,762m in 2021 and the market's largest segment is Search Advertising with a projected market volume of US$171,641m in 2021. In FY2020, the revenue generated by digital advertising across India was valued at around Rs 199 billion. In India, the digital ad revenue in the country will be worth almost Rs 540 billion by fiscal year 2024, while the television and print ad revenues were projected to reach about Rs 455 billion and Rs 276 billion rupees respectively. These numbers clearly show that India is heading towards a digital advertising future. We reached out to experts to find out how 2020 disrupted the digital ecosystem and understand their expectations from 2021. Here is what they said: <h3 style="line-height:1.3846153846153844;background-color:#ffffff;margin-top:14pt;margin-bottom:0pt;padding:0pt 0pt 4pt 0pt;">Unny Radhakrishnan, CEO, Digitas India:</h3><div type="image" title="Unny Radhakrishnan, CEO, Digitas India." msid="80216690" hostid="261"></div> One thing I see is that Brand Building and Creating Loyalty will become far more tougher and marketers will find themselves in trying to juggle multiple things. The reason I feel so is that the factors that influence consumer choices are getting wider and complex. First, there is this vast sea of online media – with regular cluttered media, platforms as sharply targeted media, e-com channels as media, and influencers (democratised media); second, the availability of vast amounts of information, product reviews &amp; feedback; third, the customer/user experience at all touch points (online &amp; offline); and fourth, the availability of products on various channels, irrespective of your geography (from e-com to the neighbourhood store on Whatsapp). Then, finally at a larger level, there is also a blurring of line between categories which are vying for the same share of wallet. So, there is so much 'to-do' in a marketer’s plate to ensure awareness, availability and great experience. The underlying marketing operations will be complex and will need breadth and depth of skill sets and the ability to string it together. Prasad Shejale, Founder &amp; CEO, Logicserve Digital: <div type="image" title="Prasad, Logicserve, Horizontal" msid="80216730" hostid="261"></div> Integrated Digital Marketing approach will be a game changer for brands rather than being just a nice-to-have strategy. While the post-COVID world has leapfrogged the digital growth across industries and consumers are making digital a first choice now, brands need to evolve further and implement truly integrated methods for catering to customers’ needs at every touchpoint of the customer journey. This involves a holistic strategy across Media, Creative, Data &amp; Insights as well as Technology. That is how brands can make an impact and continue to delight the new-age customers. Harshil Karia, Founder, Schbang: <div type="image" title="Harshil Karia Schbang" msid="80216747" hostid="261"></div> A big trend that will take shape in 2021 is the process of centralization of data and the creation of database. The digital departments will move beyond marketing to create centralized business data with the know-how, skills, and associations they possess. With good quality creative execution, the smart digital business professionals will pave the way to move the business table and deliver further with greater efficiency. Chetan Asher, Co-Founder &amp; CEO, Tonic Worldwide: <div type="image" title="Chetan Asher" msid="80216769" hostid="261"></div> 2020 has been a year of pivots for the digital industry. Consumer habits and digital platforms are disrupting rapidly. Hence 2021 will be the year of customer experience reinvention. Traditional fulfilment channels are moving to digital, social media is a serious e-commerce platform now with platforms like Instagram moving beyond just discovery platforms, Influencer led commerce has also evolved. Hyper-personalisation both pre and post purchase journeys will become norm. The biggest trend we will see is how all these parts come together for reinvention of the customer experience and push the industry to evolve. For businesses that are adapting to digital and the ones that have matured in their digital journey, both will have to shift their lens to prepare themselves in how their consumers interact across multiple touchpoints. Amyn Ghadiali, Vice President- Business &amp; Strategy, Gozoop: <div type="image" title="Amyn Gozoop" msid="80216799" hostid="261"></div> You know while there are many trends like voice search, local SEO, data science, social, etc., and each one will be a great driver for the industry – I believe that the one trend which will drive all the above trends is that brands &amp; clients will be asking a lot more from their agencies, digital in specific. The pandemic has made brands realize, even those that didn’t believe in it first - the power of digital marketing. This power is not appreciated because it was through digital that we connected in 2020; it is appreciated because it proved it can be a serious driver for business. This innate and interconnected ability of the space has got many CEOs/CFOs/CMOs interested to understand it more, and eventually harness what it has to offer. This also means that integrated solutions under one roof would be preferred, and most brands would, thus, turn to their digital agencies for support to make it happen. This trend, or rather a behavior shift, I believe, would be a great driver for the digital industry, creativity, and business in every way. Prashant Puri, Co-Founder &amp; CEO, AdLift: <div type="image" title="Prashant Puri, adlift" msid="80216817" hostid="261"></div> A couple of digital marketing trends that will increase and/or take shape in 2021. More than half of smartphone users are engaging in voice search – we see that number further growing in the next year with an emphasis on visuals (within ecommerce segment) will make SEO even more important. Google Lens is carving the path here. Influencer marketing will grow to about 15% of overall digital media budgets. 68% of consumers (based on a survey) have said that they’d like to learn about new products via short video. With video consumption is surging – we foresee advertisers (both big and small) investing in thumb stopping videos to marketing to their customer base via Instagram, Roposo, FB and YouTube. All in all, the creation of content (and content marketing) – whether long form text or video is going to become the cornerstone of all digital marketing campaign.

Digital Advertising: The trends to watch out for in 2021

<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.

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

<ul><li>While festivals will still be celebrated either virtually or in small groups this year, consumer sentiment has already shown early signs of improvement due to recently concluded Ganesh Chaturthi.</li><li>With a steady monsoon, plump harvest so far and IPL returning, <keyword id="34612" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="advertising-industry" source="Orion">advertising industry</keyword> is hopeful that the ongoing <keyword id="36208" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="festive-season" source="Orion">festive season</keyword> will bring in cheer and serve as a respite from the pandemic-associated slumber. It will help the ad world bounce back to normalcy.</li></ul>India is the land of festivals and every festival is celebrated with great pomp and joy in this country. While the recently concluded festival of Ganesh Chaturthi, which is otherwise known for its fanfare and grand celebration, was affected due to the pandemic, it has brought in early improvement in consumer sentiment. According to Axis My India report, 42% of families said they will shop more or the same as compared to last year. This gives an indication that there is a sense of cautious optimism and the pent-up demand or degree of revenge shopping that happened last year might not be the same this year. This expected increase in spends is higher among private and government service employees. The spends increase on essentials like personal &amp; household care is at 47%, an increase of 4 percentage point over last month. Consumers are spending a little extra money to spruce their homes now to welcome Maa Durga and then prepare for India’s biggest festival, Diwali. Ergo, brands are pinning a lot of hopes on the festive season this year to help them bounce back. They have started working on their advertising campaigns in full swing to win back consumer trust and help shape the market sentiment. The progress of the advertising industry has always been in tandem with consumer sentiment and about 40-45% of the annual ad spends in India happen between Raksha Bandhan and New Year. In many ways, advertising is a lag and lead indicator for our country -- if the country's GDP is growing at 8%, advertising grows at 12%. If GDP falls, ad revenue falls even lower. In 2020, when ad revenue had reached as low as -60% in April, a lot of hopes are banking on the festive season this year for industry’s overall revival. Mohit Joshi, CEO, Havas Media Group India said, “With the increase in the vaccination numbers and positive market sentiments, the festive period is poised for a stronger, and better recovery from 2020. It is estimated that the festive season will generate advertising upwards of INR 7000 Crore, which is approximately 12-15% higher than last year’s festive season and is expected to provide big support to the growing economy.” This Indian festive season is coupled with IPL, which is a gigantic festival in itself that drives advertising industry’s revenue and holds the power to alter market sentiment. Joshi said that the return of IPL 2021 and a slew of high-impact properties like the ICC T20 World Cup coupled with reality shows like the KBC 13, Bigg Boss 15, Dance+6, and several mega OTT releases will make it a festive bonanza for all stakeholders. Hari Krishnan, CEO, Mullen Lintas is also optimistic about seeing a better recovery than 2020. He said, “Last year, it was cautious optimism. This time around, there seems to be a lot more confidence post-vaccination and the optimism appears to be a lot more reassured. That apart, there are two big cricketing events and that’s definitely going to bring a lot of eyeballs back to television. It’s a great reach platform and something that brands would be eager to be a part of. There’s every chance that this festive season could see a lot of pent-up shopping happening which different categories could benefit from.” Experts said that digital will lead the game as advertisers have been shifting their monies from traditional to virtual platforms. Sahil Shah, Managing Partner, WATConsult said, “I reckon it will be a 60-70% jump in certain categories who will go even more aggressive. And compared to pre-covid levels, overall spends should be 15-20% higher. I think digital invariably will see the maximum percentage-wise growth followed by TV and then other mediums. From a marketing point of view, data-led communication will gain more importance and so will eCommerce investments. Also, marketers are experimenting with newer ways of reaching the consumer through innovative content and experiences which is an area that the overall <keyword id="618493" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="digital-marketing" source="Orion">digital marketing</keyword> industry will surely move towards.” <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Digital media to take lead, followed by TV and print" text="Digital media to take lead, followed by TV and print">Digital media to take lead, followed by TV and print</cmsannotation> Rishabh Mahendru, AVP, Client Servicing, AdLift is expecting to see ad revenue grow by 10%-15% this year. While digital is likely to get the bigger chunk of the pie, he said that Facebook (Instagram), OTT and YouTube will be in lead within that sector. He also said if there’s another lockdown, e-commerce will still continue to flourish. “Time was more uncertain last year, still the e-commerce industry saw a growth of more than 50% festive orders. This year, we should see same or better results,” said Mahendru. On the other hand, Unmisha Bhatt, Chief Strategy Officer &amp; Director, India and MENA Region at Tonic Worldwide said that brands will explore LinkedIn this year. She said, “Innovative campaigns will be seen by brands on LinkedIn considering the rise in engagement by professionals on LinkedIn. High Reach/Awareness platforms like TV and Outdoor will remain a part of the integrated pie and will see the same demand as earlier. However, the platform which will see the most growth over the previous years is digital since its gained relevance.” Sharing a few other trends which we could see in digital marketing, Bhatt added, “Video commerce and live stream shopping is one of the new trends that we will see coming up soon. And remember teleshopping? We will soon see the rise of that on digital too! Seamless user journey and functionalities will emulate the retail environment to ensure consumers don’t miss the retail experiences. This means, technology-based experiential marketing with AR/VR and Mixed reality to ensure consumer recall, as well as engagement, will see a rise too along with experience commerce which enables sales. Conversation commerce will also pick up in the form of chatbots as it leads to faster responses for the impatient consumer.” Digital adoption accelerated by the pandemic has drastically changed the way audiences consume media. This has also paved the way for content creators, bringing them into the spotlight. Prachi Bali, National Head Client Partnerships &amp; Business Head (North), FoxyMoron (Zoo Media) said, “Besides the usual engagement platforms of FB, IG &amp; YT, regional and nano influencers are seeing a great deal of interest. Also, regional and smaller content/publishing platforms are finding their way into media plans. Brands want to build a stronger consumer connect by making the content work harder, multiplied by language and platform, rather than making stand-alone traditional pieces of content. Consumer-facing technologies that drive engagement such as filters, interactive ads, shoppable videos are the trends we will see brands adopt as they all encourage social commerce. ” While brands and advertisers are extra cautious this year to commit big monies on media after 2020 and will be looking at ROI from their media investments, they still want to make hay while the sun shines. Prasad Shejale, Founder and CEO, Logicserve Digital said, “Advertisers will tend to focus on all the possible mediums and attract more and more audiences. I am positive that they will scale up equally across different mediums now and hence, all the mediums are sure to grow. With such a focus, I foresee even the bottom-funnel channels to grow. Looking at consumer behaviour and preferences over the past few months or years, I feel video channel will witness a huge growth as there is a dire need to break the clutter nowadays. When I say video, it will be video in every way whether it is video on demand or on social media or OTT. Having said that, while we know that the advertisers will try to make the most out of the festive season and explore different formats or platforms, a lot of them are also focusing on the right measurement infrastructure that helps them understand the impact properly and also provides useful insights to plan for future activities.” <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Auto industry, e-commerce and travel to be the big spenders" text="Auto industry, e-commerce and travel to be the big spenders">Auto industry, e-commerce and travel to be the big spenders</cmsannotation> As per the data from Gipsi, (Tonic’s AI and HI research arm), search queries have risen by 3x across categories like online shopping, travel, automobile (specifically SUV’s segment), fashion, and gadgets over 2019. Experts also opined that auto will see a boom because consumers are now avoiding public transport. Other categories that popped up in our discussion were EduTech, E-commerce, OTT and travel. “People have begun travelling, offices are slowly opening up. Traffic is back on the roads and the restaurants are filling up slowly. This year, fashion &amp; accessories, FMCG, Durables, EdTech, FinTech and most of the new e-commerce/online brands should be active. We could see some action from auto sector as well,” said Krishnan. Joshi also shared his optimism about spends from the auto and e-commerce industry. He said, “Automobile, gaming, education, beverages, FMCG, cement, tyres &amp; consumer durables are some of the categories that will re-activate their marketing plans in H2. Given the advertising clutter during the festive period, brands will need to drive awareness and stay top-of-mind throughout the consumer’s purchase and consumption journey.” Apart from these obvious ones, Shejale highlighted that the travel industry, which suffered the most during 2020, has finally started picking up. He said, “Firstly, I am sure travel will revive and has already started picking up. As the travel industry flourishes, the hotel and hospitality will grow too. Apart from these, retail (online as well as offline) will also recuperate and continue to grow.” Trends so far have only indicated that consumer sentiment is improving, which is more likely to continue growing during the ongoing festive season.

Experts are hoping to see the advertising industry generate around Rs 7000 crore, 12-15% higher than last year’s festive season

<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.”

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