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<ul><li>The combined short video platform will have over 300M MAUs and 100M strong creator community.</li><li><keyword id="11984975" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="mx-media" source="Orion">MX Media</keyword> and its shareholders will become strategic shareholders of <keyword id="3358959" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="sharechat" source="Orion">ShareChat</keyword>.</li></ul>MX Media Co. Ltd, the parent company of <keyword id="9555198" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="mx-takatak" source="Orion">MX TakaTak</keyword>, and ShareChat, the parent company of <keyword id="8678883" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="moj" source="Orion">Moj</keyword>, today announced a strategic merger between Moj and MX <keyword id="7638068" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="takatak" source="Orion">TakaTak</keyword>, to create the largest short video platform for Indians, whereby the two platforms will now be controlled by ShareChat. The combined platform will have 100 million creators, over 300 million Monthly Active Users (MAU), and nearly 250 billion monthly video views. Post this transaction, MX Media and its shareholders will become strategic shareholders of ShareChat. Since its launch in July 2020, Moj has emerged as the largest Indian short video app, with over 160 million MAUs and over 50 million creator communities in the 15 Indian languages. The company has been investing heavily in social and live commerce and growing its AI/ML team which is now over 100 people strong and spread across the US, Europe, and India. MX TakaTak was launched in July 2020 and reached 150 million MAUs, across 10 languages. The platform’s deep access to content talent and understanding of the MX Media ecosystem user base has seen this high growth in a short span of time. MX TakaTak will continue to function as a separate platform for now, but the two platforms’ creator base, content supply and recommendation algorithms will be integrated. In the coming months, the experience of users and creators will converge enabling creators from both platforms to reach the most extensive set of audiences in India. This will provide users access to unique features including best-in-class camera creation tools with Snap filters, live commerce, and a vast music library. Commenting on the merger, Ankush Sachdeva, CEO and Cofounder, ShareChat &amp; Moj, said, “We at ShareChat are building India’s largest content ecosystem which has been on an unprecedented growth trajectory. MX TakaTak is a popular platform and this merger further solidifies our position in the short video ecosystem. With this development, we aim to build the largest original content platform on Moj along with the largest community of users across India.” Commenting on the partnership, Karan Bedi, CEO MX Media said, “I am excited to announce the strategic merger of India’s two most popular social media platforms. As India's largest digital entertainment platform, MX has always strived to build superior world class products, and TakaTak is no exception. This combined with Moj’s AI and execution capabilities makes the combined business a truly world class short video platform. MX has created two ‘unicorns’ within one business, unlocking significant value for our shareholders, and will now continue to double down on OTT, with significantly increased financial resources.”

ShareChat and MX Media announce a strategic merger of Moj and MX TakaTak

Mohalla Tech, the parent company of homegrown social media apps <keyword id="8678883" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="moj" source="Orion">Moj</keyword> and <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/advertising/media/article/bharat-users-are-as-affluent-and-digitally-savvy-as-india-users-sharechat-and-groupm-report/articleshow/89154657.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink">ShareChat</a>, is acquiring Times Internet-owned short-video platform <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/india-predicted-to-have-650-million-short-form-video-users-by-2025/articleshow/86792986.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink">MX TakaTak</a> for nearly $600 million (about Rs 4,500 crore), sources said here on Thursday. In 2021, Mohalla Tech cumulatively raised $913 million, at a valuation of $3.7 billion. The acquisition, sources close to the development told IANS, will further bolster <keyword id="3358959" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="sharechat" source="Orion">ShareChat</keyword>'s short-video market share through the platform Moj. When contacted, the companies declined to immediately comment on the development. Moj and ShareChat together have a 340 million-strong user community, while <keyword id="9555198" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="mx-takatak" source="Orion">MX TakaTak</keyword> has nearly 150 million monthly active users (MAUs). Founded in 2015, Mohalla Tech has raised over $1.177 billion across eight fundraising rounds to date. Moj currently has an average user time spent of 34 minutes every day, scoring over 4.5 billion views daily. ShareChat is positioned uniquely with an average user time spent of 31 minutes daily. Since January this year, the company has grown to over 2,000 employees and added several new features as it focuses on building its products to be the leader in the Indian short video and social media space. In December, Mohalla Tech raised $266 million as part of its Series G round. "Both our products (Moj and ShareChat) have been leading the market with the highest monthly active user base, a very active creator set and amazing new partnerships to delight our community. This fresh funding will further strengthen our position," said Ankush Sachdeva, CEO and Co-founder, Moj and ShareChat. After the ban on TikTok and other Chinese short-video making apps, the advertisement revenue from Indian short-form space has been growing at a rapid pace and tripled in just six months. According to a latest report by homegrown consulting firm RedSeer Consulting, short-form content has grown 1.37 times in terms of monthly active user (MAU) and 1.1 times in terms of daily active users from June 2020 when Chinese app TikTok was banned in India. The monthly active users of the short-form segment in the country are expected to grow more than two times to reach 650 million users by 2025, clocking the second spot after television. This significant growth is largely expected to be driven by the new 300 million Internet users that will be added by 2025. "Both Josh and Moj apps have seen a good jump in user and creator net promoter score (NPS) largely driven by users seeing more personalisation, fresher and more filtered content, and creators having access to new tools, increased reach and more collaboration opportunities," said the report.

ShareChat to acquire short video platform MX TakaTak for around ₹4,500 crore

<ul><li>India is a country of many smaller countries and the global social media platforms couldn't cater to the needs of people who were more comfortable conversing in regional languages.</li><li><keyword id="3358959" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="sharechat" source="Orion">ShareChat</keyword> came into existence to fill this gap.</li><li>Since then, the platform has grown its presence and with the recent merger of its short video platform <keyword id="8678883" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="moj" source="Orion">Moj</keyword> with <keyword id="9555198" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="mx-takatak" source="Orion">MX TakaTak</keyword>, it caters to 100 million creators and has over 300 million Monthly Active Users (MAU). </li><li>We speak to <keyword id="290700" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Ajit-Varghese" source="Orion">Ajit Varghese</keyword>, Chief Commercial Officer, ShareChat and Moj about the platforms' journey so far, the advertising solutions its giving to brands and its strategies to woo more creators as well as users onto its platform for its next phase of growth.</li></ul>Back in 2015 when the only social media platforms in India were the global players, Ankush Sachdeva, Bhanu Pratap Singh and Farid Ahsan had identified the need for a player that would cater to the huge population comfortable with conversing in their native languages online. This need gave birth to ShareChat, which currently boasts over 180 million monthly active users, a number that is steadily growing. In 2020, when the Indian government banned popular short-video platform TikTok, ShareChat once again identified the opportunity and launched its short-video platform Moj. In February this year, ShareChat announced a strategic merger with TakaTak, a move aimed at creating the largest short video platform for Indians. At the time of the merger, a release said the combined entity will have 100 million creators, over 300 million Monthly Active Users (MAU), and nearly 250 billion monthly video views. With more and more of India coming online, and the next wave of consumers expected to come in from smaller cities and rural areas, ShareChat aims to become the ‘torchbearer for Bharat’. We recently spoke to Ajit Varghese, Chief Commercial Officer, ShareChat and Moj about the platforms' journey so far, the advertising solutions its giving to brands and its strategies to woo more creators as well as users onto its platform for its next phase of growth. Excerpts: Q) Walk us through ShareChat's journey so far. What kind of growth have you witnessed in the past 2 years? Back in 2015, there was no Indian social media platform for the diverse population of our country, there were only global social media players in India providing content predominantly in English. The content appetite of Indic language internet users was not satiated, they continued to be hungry for content in their native languages, they wanted to discover/share content and express themselves in an ecosystem that they could connect culturally. There was a content vacuum in the language first space and ShareChat was created in order to address that need. ShareChat was the first Indian social media platform to understand the need for Indic language content among the language-first internet users. ShareChat is leading India's multi-lingual social media revolution with 180 million monthly active users and growing. Over the last years, the daily average user time spent on the platform has also increased from 24 minutes to 31 minutes. Q) With the rise of internet penetration and better smartphones has opened up access to Bharat for platforms and brands. What kind of growth have you seen coming in from smaller cities/towns? How are they using your platform to not just express themselves but also turning into influencers who can take brands to these Tier III &amp; IV towns? With growing internet penetration, access to smartphones and the covid imposed lockdown, in the last two years the Indian users and creator community has been embracing social media, to express their creativity from the comforts of their homes while also monetizing their reach and content. Brands are increasingly understanding the potential of Bharat audiences (Internet users who prefer to consume content in Indic languages) and reaching smaller towns with their product propositions. SMBs are utilizing ShareChat’s Self-Serve advertising platform to micro-target and connect with their target audience through personalized multilingual advertisements. ShareChat with its language-first offering has opened the social media landscape to Bharat users. ShareChat’s Audio Chatroom, audio-based live conversation-led social networking or hangout destination, has also given users another avenue to connect with different people, voice their opinions and also monetize through virtual gifting. We have seen a plethora of creators, who belong to different regions of the country, using the platform to express themselves and showcase their talents across popular genres like lip-syncing, comedy, entertainment and more recently in sports, arts, writing, etc. as well. Q) What kind of solutions are you presenting to brands to use your platform effectively to reach out to your target audience? ShareChat, with its growing reach and understanding of the Indic language community of India, is a unique platform with the ability to deliver access coupled with deep engagement to brands and advertisers. Our intention is to support brands in micro-targeting and connecting with relevant audiences across different languages and regions in India. In 2021, we launched <a href="https://nam02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fads.sharechat.com%2F%3Fss_ref%3DPR_Jan2022%26utm_source%3DPR%26utm_medium%3Donline%26utm_campaign%3DPR_Jan2022&amp;data=04%7C01%7Cakanksha.surbhi%40mslgroup.com%7C8e9506137b1b4cb4ddf908d9fdc04ce4%7Cd52c9ea17c2147b182a333a74b1f74b8%7C0%7C0%7C637819824647220345%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000&amp;sdata=eRt2%2FJA6hUyOFKoRbwogk4YAo5WI6Z%2B%2FrBLIq0xZgVY%3D&amp;reserved=0">ShareChat Ads</a> — a self-serving ads platform to enable SMBs to connect with their target audience through personalized multilingual advertisements. So far, over 1000 SMBs have posted highly targeted advertisements on ShareChat and the platform has witnessed a 6X increase in the number of campaigns in less than a year. Our expertise in brand engagement has already developed immense confidence from the marketers’ community and every consumer-focused brand is partnering with us to gain a strategic advantage beyond English-speaking internet audiences, in their native language. With increasing opportunities and demand we have been able to deliver ad solutions in industries like e-commerce, consumer durables, FMCG, telecom, fashion, jewelry, home decor gaming, automotive and many more verticals. We are expanding our partnerships within these sectors and will continue to bolster our advertising efforts in the coming future. Q) How are you creating differentiation, especially in the short format videos segment with your offerings to advertisers? Brands and advertisers have found an effective way to reach their target audiences in a seamless and entertaining way through Moj. <a href="https://nam02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fplay.google.com%2Fstore%2Fapps%2Fdetails%3Fid%3Din.mohalla.video%26hl%3Den_IN%26gl%3DUS&amp;data=04%7C01%7Cakanksha.surbhi%40mslgroup.com%7C8e9506137b1b4cb4ddf908d9fdc04ce4%7Cd52c9ea17c2147b182a333a74b1f74b8%7C0%7C0%7C637819824647220345%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000&amp;sdata=GuT02DpTMcjti82%2BWzuPvJsBcrVLxgEfy5Ef2Rzjaw8%3D&amp;reserved=0">Moj</a> is today India’s number one short video platform with the highest monthly active users. The platform is expanding the ways in which brands, content creators, and consumers can engage with each other while enhancing their social experience on the platform. We have developed various tools that help brands optimize visibility and engagement by reaching out to the right audience for their product/proposition. Brands have opportunities to go viral on Moj by creating high-quality content that hooks viewers’ attention and engages them. Besides space for organic content, Moj also offers brands synergies to run hash-tag challenges, influencer campaigns, leverage features and technology upgrades like the innovative Moj lenses and filters, and partner with content creators to increase their reach amongst their target consumers effectively. The influencer/content creator community that we are seeing today is just the tip of the iceberg. This network is going to grow and get more diversified. The standard marketing/branding practices that we have seen in the last decade have paved the way for the larger change that is about to come. Micro/nano influencers who connect more deeply with consumers, going forward will be a part of each brand’s branding strategy. This is primarily because brands through these influencers’ strong relatability and relationships will be able to leverage a deeper connection with their audiences and reach out to them in their language of choice in a cost-effective manner. Q) What kind of growth has your advertising revenue witnessed? We’ve been able to organically not only scale our platform and attract users but also build our monetization efforts at a fast pace. We have witnessed healthy growth since we opened our platform for brand integrations. Today, ShareChat is leading the social media revolution with brands focusing on regional outreach. Our regional strength in Tier II, III and IV cities, coupled with our ad solutions, is opening new marketing avenues for marketers who want to connect with language first audiences. While we have recently opened Moj for brand integration, we have received immense interest from brands across categories, like FMCG, consumer services, entertainment, beverages, e-commerce, gaming, edu-tech among others. We offer advertisers to run hash-tag challenges, influencer campaigns, leverage features and technology upgrades like the innovative Moj lenses created in collaboration with Snap Inc. and partner with content creators to increase their reach amongst their target consumers effectively. We have announced a slew of collaborations with known platforms like Femina Miss India 2022 and India’s Got Talent to hold virtual auditions and wild card entries on Moj and give our creator community an opportunity to be a part of these renowned talent shows. Last year, we had launched large-scale properties on our platform like Moj Superstar Hunt, Glow up with Moj, Moj Next Punjabi Superstar to name a few. Moj Superstar Hunt in the last season saw 43 billion plus plays and more than 7 lakh creators’ participation, this was led by super judge Remo D’Souza. These campaigns will soon be opened for brand integrations, and we have witnessed a growing interest from brands to collaborate with these properties. Q) How are you also giving opportunities to your creators to make money by creating content on the platform? How many creators do you have on the platform currently, what kind of growth has this number witnessed? ShareChat has a 32+ million creator community and Moj has a 50+ million creator community. The two most important features that we have introduced for our creator community to monetize our virtual gifting and live and video commerce. We have enabled virtual gifting in the ShareChat audio chatroom product that allows our creators to monetize their creative talents via the voice-based chatroom feature. While speaking to their community and showcasing their talent, the ShareChat creator community can monetize by receiving virtual gifts from their audiences. On the short video front, we recently partnered with Flipkart to enable live and video commerce. Besides making e-commerce accessible to millions of first-time users, this collaboration also incentivizes content creators in the Moj ecosystem by enabling new commerce-led revenue streams to deepen the socio-economic impact. Q) India already has a lot of social and short form video platforms. How are you bringing new users onto your platform and ensuring stickiness? Social media and short videos are a booming sector with lot of potential. Growth in these sectors also comes with a few challenges, need for powerful AI and recommendation engine to serve the right content to the right audience; serving, storing and managing content on cloud and a lot of smaller organisations can’t sustain this and most importantly the talent pool needed to make social media and short video investment successful is hard to come by in India. The content recommendation engine of platforms is going to be the driver of who wins this race. So, the focus here is to build platforms that are world class and can deliver content to each and every user according to their interests. We are growing our focus on artificial intelligence extensively and hiring not only in India, but onboarding talent in the UK, US and other geographies. Apart from that we are opening up our platforms to various partnerships and programmes that not only helps creators enhance their content but monetise their reach on the platform as well. Q) Where will the next phase of growth for Moj and ShareChat come from? What kind of target have you set for the platforms? ShareChat has already emerged as the preferred online destination for Bharat with its 180 million monthly active users and even Moj is leading the market with the highest monthly active users amongst Indian short video apps. Our immediate priority is to make the user experience more personalized, elevate content quality by nurturing the creator community and build monetization models that benefit brands, creators, and our user community simultaneously. Q) What kind of potential do the regional markets in India have? How excited are brands to reach out to this market? The Indian digital space is on a high growth trajectory with more than approx 800 mn internet users. Today, we are closer than ever to the reality that 1 billion Indians will be online soon. This growth in internet users is also fueling the growth of Indic language users online. While it may seem that this trend is only visible in rural India, almost 50% of urban active internet users are also Indic language users. Bharat audience is no longer just about being labeled as ‘potential audience’ or ‘untapped potential.’ It is the current growth frontier and can be tapped in many different ways. When creating campaigns, it's critical for brands to consider the target audience's preferences. Many established brands have already started effectively using this opportunity and are working very closely with us and many are joining hands every month. We have seen that there are certain myths around this user in the minds of many marketers which we are trying to bust. In the beginning of this year we released ‘<a href="https://nam02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fads.sharechat.com%2Fresearch-and-insights%2Fbharat-the-neo-india&amp;data=04%7C01%7Cakanksha.surbhi%40mslgroup.com%7C8e9506137b1b4cb4ddf908d9fdc04ce4%7Cd52c9ea17c2147b182a333a74b1f74b8%7C0%7C0%7C637819824647220345%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000&amp;sdata=FzK9QHOHsW9%2FsldqTgXede8LjXBNmEImpOchy3V9P10%3D&amp;reserved=0">Bharat - the Neo India’</a> report to tackle some of these issues and educate brands and marketers about how the Bharat user is affluent and digitally savvy, once the brands understand this then they are excited to come on board. Q) What are the broader challenges for the overall ecosystem? The social media and short video ecosystem has seen a boom. Competition is strong and users have a plethora of options. The only companies that will survive in the segment are those that have built a solid retention engine, which means they have a large percentage of users regularly using the app. Constant innovation and product advancement are and will be the keys to ensuring users and creators remain committed to the apps. Highly nuanced recommendation engines will play a key role in serving a customized content feed to users. Hiring AI talents and building these networks is a prominent challenge that most social media companies are trying to overcome.

We're growing our focus on AI extensively, hiring not only in India, but in the UK, US and other geographies too: Ajit Varghese, ShareChat

<ul><li>Big Boss has launched in its digital avatar on Voot.</li><li>Bigg Boss OTT roped in 8 leading brands as sponsors for the exclusive digital season. After <keyword id="6358977" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="swiggy">Swiggy</keyword> and <keyword id="6416838" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="coindcx">CoinDCX</keyword> joined in as the ‘co-powered by’ sponsors, Viacom18’s Voot roped in Vimal Elaichi, <keyword id="9555198" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="MX-TakaTak">MX Takatak</keyword>, <keyword id="2875740" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Netmeds">Netmeds</keyword>, <keyword id="150626" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="HM">H&amp;M</keyword>, <keyword id="270570" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Durex">Durex</keyword> and Lotus Herbal as sponsors.</li></ul>With screens turned from television to digital, Bigg Boss, in its digital avatar, unleashed a super storm of over-the-top celebration and entertainment with its opening episode. With its launch on Voot with 13 contestants, Bigg Boss OTT roped in 8 leading brands as sponsors for the exclusive digital season. The season premiere episode witnessed viewers tuning in from across India registering the highest numbers of subscriber tune-in for a Bigg Boss opening till date. After Swiggy and CoinDCX joined in as the ‘co-powered by’ sponsors, Viacom18’s Voot roped in Vimal Elaichi, MX Takatak, Netmeds, H&amp;M, Durex and Lotus Herbal as sponsors. Joining as Presenting Sponsor, Vimal Elaichi is recognized as a brand to champion pioneering ideas with a strong youth appeal. Vimal Elaichi will leverage Bigg Boss’ fandom to connect and interact with viewers through highly engaging IPs like Video Vichaar and Extraa Masala giving the brand widespread exposure throughout the reality series. While Video Vichaar will enable viewers to share thoughts and opinions around daily developments within the house, Extraa Masala is a successful content around content IP that traditionally attracts hordes of Asli Fans who can’t keep away from the Bigg Boss phenomena. MX Takatak is a recognized brand in the short video format domain and in capacity as Social Media Partner, MX Takatak will deepen synergies with the show and its audience. MX Takatak will foster and drive growth for the Bigg Boss OTT x Voot community on its platform. As Style Partner, internationally loved fashion brand, H&amp;M will spruce up with style quotient on the show. A host of distinctive partners will seamlessly integrate with the daily storyline thus becoming an essential aspect of the overall storytelling. Additionally, Netmeds joins as Pharmacy Partner, Durex as <keyword id="11846994" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="special-partner">Special Partner</keyword> and Lotus Herbal as Beauty Partner will drive engagement through tasks and activities that both contestants and viewers will actively be involved in. Elaborating on the sponsorships, Gourav Rakshit, Chief Operating Officer, <keyword id="2947361" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Viacom18-Digital-Ventures">Viacom18 Digital Ventures</keyword>, said, “Bigg Boss has grown to become a celebrated proposition for brands to connect and engage with viewers. Given the multi-touchpoint offering, the interest the show generates is unlike any other. The diverse brands that have come onboard as sponsors, some of whom have joined the Bigg Boss family for the first time in this exciting edition, is testimony to popularity of Bigg Boss and the wide appeal of the Voot platform. We are excited to be working closely with them to create an ‘Over The Top experience’ for their audiences as well.” Speaking on associating with India’s largest reality phenomena, spokesperson at Vimal Elaichi said, “We are delighted to come on board as the presenting partner of Bigg Boss OTT- a new, pioneering idea for an OTT platform in India. Vimal has always associated with shows and IPs that have a large mass audience connect; testimony to that are our brand ambassadors Ajay Devgn and Shahrukh Khan! An innovative property like Bigg Boss OTT which is watched and loved by millions, fits in seamlessly with the same vision. We are very confident that this partnership will enjoy tremendous success.” On its premiere association with Voot for Bigg Boss OTT, Janhavi Parikh, Business Head - MX TakaTak said, “With this exciting partnership, we bring reality television to short video as well! Bigg Boss OTT shows the real side of celebrities to its viewers while MX TakaTak offers a great platform and encourages users, creators, digital enthusiasts to showcase their real talent across different genres. The natural content synergies that both platforms drive make it a win-win for us and we believe this will make for a great content fit for our users.” With the entertainment phenomenon’s tremendous popularity and reach, the sponsorships aim to provide brands with an opportunity to engage and collaborate through various touchpoints throughout the digital season. With prominence through ad spots, task integrations, special zones and other interactive and innovative branding opportunities, Bigg Boss OTT is all set to further give impetus to the brands to enhance their visibility and influence consumers.

Voot onboards 8 sponsors for Bigg Boss OTT as it opens its digital-first exclusive season

<ul><li>Even after the record growth witnessed by streaming services in India, the question remains whether these platforms can retain the massive lockdown gains </li><li>With streaming services under pressure to provide new content frequently and producers trying to not lose money in films, web premiers might be another new normal. </li><li>Moreover, a KPMG report suggested that OTT platforms should look at gaming as an extension to their ecosystem offerings. </li></ul>Streaming services are the only bright spot for the millions who are isolating at home during lockdown. With ample leisure time and fewer options, usage of streaming platforms surged. Most of the 35 streaming giants in India — <keyword id="3960758" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Amazon-Prime-Videos">Amazon Prime Videos</keyword>, <keyword id="6245082" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="ZEE5">Zee5</keyword>. Voot, Hungama, AltBalaji, MX Player — witnessed a record growth fueled by quarantine. The Big Boost During the lockdown, there was a 265% increase in OTT traffic since February last week — in spite of the drop from HD to SD, according to Internet Exchange operator DE-CIX. The five services that gained the most are Amazon Prime Videos, Netflix, Youtube, Zee5 and Hotstar. Disney+ — which was launched soon after India locked itself down —<a href="https://techcrunch.com/2020/04/08/disney-has-more-than-50m-subscribers/"> added 8 million users </a>within a week. Whereas, Netflix India — which was earlier losing to the homegrown market — too <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/finance/news/exclusive-app-tracking-data-for-netflix-reveals-the-countries-where-usage-spiked-in-march-and-suggests-strong-viewership-heading-into-q1-earnings/articleshow/75162782.cms">saw at least an 8% growth in Q1FY20 driven</a> by its cheapest mobile online plan at ₹199. Zee5, a homegrown OTT platform, saw 36% growth during the lockdown. Whereas its foreign arm, <keyword id="7124509" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="ZEE5-Global">Zee5 Global</keyword> saw a 60% surge in users across the world including the Middle East and Canada. Alt Balaji, yet another homegrown platform, saw a 60% growth in its subscription. <table style="border-width: initial; border-style: none; width: 468pt; table-layout: fixed;"></colgroup></colgroup><tbody><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">OTT services </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Change in viewership due to Covid-19 </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Netflix India </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">+8% in Q1 </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Zee5 </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">+36% </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Hungama Play </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">+20% </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Eros Now </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">+70-100% </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">MX Player</td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">130% surge on engagement </td></tr></tbody></table> A short-term spike or a long-term gain A<a href="https://rollingstoneindia.com/how-the-coronavirus-is-impacting-audio-and-video-streaming-in-india/"> Nielsen report</a> predicted that lockdown can trigger a 60% rise in content consumption in India. Even after the record growth witnessed by streaming services in India, the question remains whether these platforms can retain the massive gains post lockdown. Hence, when Netflix recently said it added a record 15.8 million paid subscribers globally, it also added that it is treating it as “<a href="https://techcrunch.com/2020/04/21/neflix-q1-earnings/">a short-term spike” and the growth will gradually decline. </a> A KPMG report, however, believes that OTTs are likely to see continued accelerated growth. "While the same levels of consumption may not be achieved once we overcome this pandemic, there is definitely a new and higher normal that is likely to be established when it comes to time spent on OTT platforms," Girish Menon, Partner and Head, Media and Entertainment, KPMG in India told Business Insider. Moreover, Menon believes consumers are likely to develop a habit of consuming video online during lockdown which would later drive subscription growth. However, According to Karan Bedi, MX Player, OTT platforms might witness some immediate dip post lockdown, but the overall base and average time spent would continue the rise. With shooting of new TV series being delayed and movie theatres closed, services with large, legacy libraries and fresh content, have an inherent advantage. “A new normal has been witnessed as consumers adapt to the evolving situation of the pandemic. We feel this pattern will stay as it is in the post-COVID-19 era as well and perhaps there will be some incremental change in the overall user growth,” Aparna Acharekar, programming head of ZEE5 India. Ferzad Palia, who heads Voot Select in India too thinks the same. Rohit Paranjpe who heads SugarBox Networks believes new content will continue to enthuse people. The pressure on OTT services to release new content more frequently may also go up. Also, OTT players too should not be happy just retaining users and will have to engage them more. Apart from films, KPMG in a report suggested OTT platforms look at gaming as an extension to ecosystem offerings. “OTT will look to bring their consumer’s value in other areas: from aggregating other third party content providers who are not competing with them to promoting and pushing other adjacent services, like fitness and food delivery apps, and education platforms,” said Lior Friedman, VP - global partnerships and strategy at Amdocs Media. Directly onto OTT platforms With streaming services under pressure to provide new content frequently and producers trying to not lose money in films products, web premiers might be a new normal. Lakshmi Bomb featuring Akshay Kumar might release on Disney+Hotstar. MUBI is premiering Pablo Larrain’s film ‘Ema’ in India, UK and Ireland on May 2. Whereas, Zee5 is also considering premiering movies directly on its platform in the near future. AB Anni CD will be yet another film to be released directly on Amazon Prime Videos. Akshay Bardapur, the producer of the movie that stars Amitabh Bachchan said, “We didn’t want to keep audiences from watching two megastars. Also, it made sense to recover losses by selling content to the OTT.” But big-budget movies are preferring to hold back. Recently, the makers of Ranvir Singh starrer movie ‘83 said they will release the film in theatres first even <a href="https://mumbaimirror.indiatimes.com/entertainment/bollywood/ranveer-singhs-83-to-not-release-on-ott-platforms-makers-aim-for-theatrical-release/articleshow/75401861.cms">if they had to wait for six or nine months. </a> “While producers of movies that have a reasonable budget may experiment with releasing movies directly on OTT platforms or opt for a pay-per-view model, bigger films are unlikely to be released until later this year or next year,” says Neeraj Roy, founder and CEO of Hungama Digital Media. See also: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/entertainment/news/cinema-halls-may-not-open-in-india-until-june-end/articleshow/75407053.cms">Cinema halls may not open in India until June end</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/entertainment/news/lockdown-watchlist-want-to-binge-watch-a-show-that-lasts-a-week-try-these-long-running-shows-on-netflix-amazon-prime-disney-hotstar-and-others/articleshow/75173116.cms">Lockdown Watchlist: Want to binge-watch a show that lasts a week? Try these long-running shows on Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney+ Hotstar and others</a>

Streaming platforms who are on a new high — are hosting web premiers and might even expand to gaming

<ul><li><keyword id="2778410" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="havas-media-group" source="Orion">Havas Media Group</keyword>'s Mumbai office has reported a growth of 150% in 2020-2021, on the back of 15+ new account wins.</li><li>In total, <keyword id="906445" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="havas-media" source="Orion">Havas Media</keyword> Mumbai has added a total billing of Rs 500+ crore in 2020-2021.</li></ul>Following the strategic restructuring of Havas Media Group India’s senior management a few months ago, the agency’s Mumbai office has reported a growth of 150% in 2020-2021, on the back of 15+ new account wins. This includes <keyword id="508991" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="acc-cement" source="Orion">ACC Cement</keyword>, <keyword id="122370" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="ambuja-cement" source="Orion">Ambuja Cement</keyword>, <keyword id="46909" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="icici-securities" source="Orion">ICICI Securities</keyword>, <keyword id="11954595" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="de-beers-forevermark" source="Orion">De Beers Forevermark</keyword>, Wai Wai, GITAM University, Dr. Reddy’s, OZiva, and several others. In addition, the agency has seen tremendous growth on the back of marquee clients like Tata Motors and TVS Eurogrip and their increased media spends even in 2020. In total, Havas Media Mumbai has added a total billing of Rs 500+ crore in 2020-2021. In the last 15 months, Havas Media bolstered its senior leadership team in Mumbai. <keyword id="2928941" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="uday-mohan" source="Orion">Uday Mohan</keyword> took over as President &amp; Head - North &amp; West India, which includes the Mumbai operations. In addition, Manish Sharma was elevated, as Executive Vice President and Head of the Mumbai operations. To further strengthen the strategy teams, Sanchita Roy was appointed, as Strategy Head of Havas Media Group India. <keyword id="1193084" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="rana-barua" source="Orion">Rana Barua</keyword>, Group CEO, Havas Group India, said, “Despite the market challenges, in the last 15 months we stuck to our task, defined our vision and kept investing in both our talent and product. In 2020, Havas Media Group India has garnered a growth rate of 35% (RECMA June 2020) - the highest among all media agency networks in India. From the group perspective, I am delighted as the overall results are a testimony of the leadership of Mohit, Uday, Venkat and the entire Havas Media team, which has been working relentlessly on both existing clients and also winning many new ones.” Mohit Joshi, Chief Executive Officer, Havas Media Group India, further added, “Our North operations have always been extremely strong, and now it&amp; heartening to see the same being replicated in other markets. We have seen both organic growth and won some fabulous new client wins in the West in the last 15 months resulting in an unprecedented growth. The wide range of new businesses that we have added in our portfolio across industries and sectors demonstrates our talent and prowess as a media conglomerate." Uday Mohan, President &amp; Head - North &amp; West India, who has led this unprecedented resurgence story of Havas Media in the West, said, “We are firmly aligned to the network’s global philosophy of creating Meaningful Media and Brands. Havas Media Group is growing the business on 4 pillars - product, people, pitches, and partnerships. Built on the Media Experience [Mx] operating structure, each phase of the Mx process is powered by Converged, an identity–based planning platform, which places the audience including data, convergence, automation and AI, strategy, e-comm and marketplace, and so on, at the heart of the media planning process and capitalizes on media that matters.”

Havas' Mumbai office reports a growth of 150% in 2020-2021, adds new businesses worth over Rs 500 crore

<ul><li>Advertising and Media Insider introduces you to its latest property, The Influencer Adda, where we speak to social media stars who have made it big -- about their journey.</li><li>In our first episode, digital influencer <keyword id="8944292" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="saloni-gaur">Saloni Gaur</keyword> gets candid about her experience of working on her first TVC and Web Series with Sony LIV, making Indian middle-class parents understand the power of social media, her all-time favourite jingle and much more! </li></ul>Saloni Gaur aka Nazma Aapi aka Kangana Runout is a contemporary Indian comedian and mimicry artist, who has become an internet sensation, thanks to the relatable content she puts up. She has created 11 different characters who offer a fearless point-of-view on social and political issues even in volatile climes. Part of an industry that is highly misogynistic and sexist, she is changing the landscape, one funny video at a time. Saloni recently landed a show with Sony Liv, touched 535k followers on Instagram and worked on her first TVC with Paytm. In the past, she has worked with brands like Amazon Prime, Doritos India, MX Player, upGrad, to name a few. In an exclusive interview with Advertising and Media Insider, digital influencer Saloni Gaur got candid about her experience of working on her first TVC and Web Series with Sony LIV, making Indian middle-class parents understand the power of social media, the boycott culture, her all-time favourite jingle and much more! <div type="Video" msid="79450578" hostid="261" title="Here's the story behind social media star Saloni Gaur's journey" dataSource="BUSINESSINSIDER" thumbUrl="https://denmark.timesinternet.in/cmslite/api/app/images.jpg?msid=79450578"></div> On her way from aiming to become a banker to becoming a social media influencer Saloni discovered the world of social media because she was bored and had a tough time making new friends in her college. “This was the first time I moved away from my parents and it was tough for me to make new friends in college and I was getting really bored. I got my first smartphone and learnt about all these social media apps. I had no clue that Instagram has videos as well and I thought why was I wasting my jokes on my friends, now I can make a video to make others laugh. We had one TV in our hostel and kids would watch Bigg Boss there, so I thought I should start something of my own, for myself,” recounts Gaur. In 2018, Saloni mustered courage to make her account public and around this time last year, one of her videos went viral and she tasted the sweet fruit of social media fame. And with it, Saloni realised that this is what she always wanted to do because 'her passion started paying her'. However, she did not really have a plan. She did what her instincts told her to and followed her passion. She would make content around everything from her personal experience while taking a metro and speaking to neighborhood aunties to commenting on the status quo. Nazma Aapi was her first character that had a proper background. She gave her an identity, thought of what her husband and kids would be like, and where does she live. <div type="javascript" title="Instagram" contenttype="Video"><cdata><![CDATA[ ]]></cdata></div> Even Saloni’s first viral did not have a script -- she just poured her heart into the video. She was in a poor network area and couldn’t even add a caption. It was on a holiday trip with her family in Benaras that she got a call from her friend, “We have started getting your videos on WhatsApp.” “It is around this time that Delhi faces pollution issues. I was in my hostel, I opened my door and saw nothing -- it was all hazy. I thought a lot of people who have breathing issues like me, would relate to my video. I didn’t even clean my front camera, which worked to my benefit and it felt like I was in a polluted area. I also received my video on hostel WhatsApp group. So when you start receiving your own videos on WhatsApp, that’s when you realise that you have gone viral,” recalls Saloni. That was also the first video she had uploaded on Twitter. Before that, she wasn’t very regular with her Tweets. Some famous person posted her video asking about her, which served as another indication that she had arrived. Saloni uploaded videos on social media to escape from her mundane college life. She wanted to be a banker who does stand-up comedy on the weekends. After the lockdown, as she had more time to spare, she started posting videos more frequently. Saloni’s mother, like many other middle-class Indian women, wanted to at least see one of her kids become a banker. After Saloni’s first video went viral, she became her biggest cheerleader. She downloaded Instagram and Facebook to track her videos and read the comments to understand the pulse of the market. “My mother calls me to tell me that this person called you fat on social media today,” laughs Saloni as she speaks fondly of her mother. Recently, Saloni added another feather to her cap by starring in her own web series with Sony Liv. She was in college when she got an email from Sony Liv and she assumed it was just for a shout out deal. “We were on a Zoom call with Sony Liv’s team and my internet connection was so bad that I couldn’t see or hear them. After the call, I asked my brother, what were they talking about? He told me that they are offering you your own show. This year has been full of surprises, I haven’t planned anything about my future yet, ” tells Saloni. <div type="javascript" title="Instagram" contenttype="Video"><cdata><![CDATA[ ]]></cdata></div> This year has also taught Saloni to appreciate little things in life and gave her a privilege check. “I saw our migrants walking back miles to their homes and I realised that I was cribbing too much about my problems. I wasn’t demanding, but I complained a lot. This lockdown made me realise that what I have right now is more than enough.” Saloni works for brands that she truly resonates with and enters into a partnership only if she would use the brand herself. On whether budding content creators should be picky about their brand deals, she said, “Every creator has his/her preferences. A lot of people said no to endorsing Fair &amp; Lovely, which is now ‘Glow &amp; Lovely’ but there are celebrities who are okay with associating with that brand. But if you want to create a good image, you want to survive in the long-run and you really care for people, you will have to be wary about choosing the right brand and making sure you endorse what you relate with. I was careful about this. I only work with brands who align with my values.” Saloni has maintained a fresh, neutral voice on her social media. She offers an honest opinion on the status quo, whether it be the controversial Citizenship Amendment Act to U.S. Politics, she is fearless. A few of the brands who have reached out to Saloni in the past, have told her to stay away from politics. And Saloni doesn’t blame them. “I do what I like for my content pipeline, so it is not a problem for me if they deny to comment on a political issue. Twitterati is quick to jump on a boycott trend today and I think it is right that they stay away. It is not like they stay away from creators who have a political opinion, but they just give a guideline to follow so that they don’t become a part of the boycott trend. All of the brands I have associated with have been very open to experiment with news ideas as well,” says Saloni. Talking about the state of advertisements today and the brandverse, Saloni said, “Brands shouldn’t take their consumer for a fool. They should change that attitude. For example, take Fair &amp; Lovely again, they thought it would be okay to change the name. Maybe brands need to replace their CEOs because they are not really in the right frame of mind because they think consumers wouldn’t notice if you change the brand name.” It took Saloni Gaur three years to become a star on social media. She was patient, confident and trusted her instincts to reach where she is and never worried about how she looked or where she was. She has learnt how to be happy with little achievements and not worry too much about setbacks. So, her advice to budding content creators is to stay real. She says, “A lot of the creators worry about production quality from the beginning. I think they should just be patient and not compromise on their content quality. I had a weird phone but all I ever worried about before uploading videos was whether it would make people laugh. If I am creating a one-minute video, every line should be a joke. If people are laughing, it doesn’t matter which phone you have used to shoot your video or what you are wearing. Don’t plan too much, just go with the flow and be patient. Do it for fun!”

From studying to become a banker to now having her own OTT show, here's social media star Saloni Gaur's journey

<ul><li>With the lockdown extended to May 3, how is the <keyword id="9056838" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="ott-industry">OTT industry</keyword>, that has seen a surge in users and time spent on the platforms, coping with this new normal.</li><li>The panel will touch upon the strategies that the OTT platforms are employing to build consumer stickiness, and how they are ensuring their content libraries are able to keep people entertained. </li><li><keyword id="2003969" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Abhishek-Joshi">Abhishek Joshi</keyword>, Head of Marketing and Business Partnerships, MX Player, Divya Dixit, SVP, Marketing, Analytics &amp; Direct Revenue, <keyword id="4241922" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="ALTBalaji">ALTBalaji</keyword>, <keyword id="5153358" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Issac-John">Issac John</keyword>, Business Head – Digital (South Asia), Discovery and <keyword id="32440" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="rahul-mishra">Rahul Mishra</keyword>, Head Marketing and Communications, <keyword id="203890" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Shemaroo-Entertainment">Shemaroo Entertainment</keyword> will be a part of the panel.</li></ul>With the national lockdown extended by another 19 days, we are going to be stuck at our homes till May 3. In the first week of the lockdown, data from BARC-Nielsen had revealed that people have started spending more time online, and begun consuming more content on OTT platforms. In our latest series of panel discussions around how the Covid-19 lockdown is impacting the industry and businesses, we are hosting a chat around the opportunities and challenges for the OTT ecosystem in India. As the lockdown brings a silver lining with it, we want to ask a few pertinent questions. Will the industry be able to keep up with this growth once the lockdown is called off? Will the platforms be able to bring about a behavioral change among consumers? How are advertisers looking at the platforms and will they increase their spends if more consumers move to the medium? The panel moderated by Samarpita Banerjee, Deputy Editor, Ad &amp; Media Insider (moderator) will see Abhishek Joshi, Head of Marketing and Business Partnerships, MX Player, Divya Dixit, SVP, Marketing, Analytics &amp; Direct Revenue, ALTBalaji, Issac John, Business Head – Digital (South Asia), Discovery and Rahul Mishra, Head Marketing and Communications, Shemaroo Entertainment join the discussion. Join us on our Facebook and Twitter pages for an insightful discussion at 4:00 pm today.

Join our panel discussion on the impact of the Covid-19 lockdown on the OTT industry

The upcoming festive season is one of the busiest times for any marketer and planner in India. It will be a festive season drastically different from previous years, and any marketing campaign will have to stand out to work -- particularly if marketers want to reach and engage with Gen Zs and millennials. And here is where <keyword id="685487" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="spotify" source="Orion">Spotify</keyword> can make all the difference. Here’s a quick overview of why marketers should consider talking to their audience on Spotify, especially now. All these details and possibilities are also just an email away at spotify-advertising-india@spotify.com. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Spotify: The ‘new normal’ in media" comment="subhead" text="Spotify: The ‘new normal’ in media">Spotify: The ‘new normal’ in media</cmsannotation> On average, the Indian listener spends 2.5 hours per day on audio and 80% of this time, they can’t be reached through visual media1. eMarketer reports that streaming music was the #1 activity that people adopted during the pandemic. And with connected devices adoption booming, the portability of audio (car, watch, Smart TV, game console, home speakers) means that marketers have ways to reach their audience in key screenless moments when they otherwise can’t. As the world’s largest streaming service, Spotify sits at the centre of culture thanks to its ever-growing music catalogue, and a slate of owned and exclusive podcast content. The more our listeners stream, the more insights we derive from their listening behavior – and this powers what we call our Streaming Intelligence. Streaming intelligence helps brands make their communication more relevant, engaging, and meaningful. For instance, 75% of Spotify listeners say they remember ads more when the ads recognize their moment or setting2. Furthermore, this sensory combination extends your creative options, giving you the best of both worlds. Spotify data shows that running both video and audio increases ad recall by 90% and results in a 2.2x increase in brand awareness3. This means that a plan which includes only display or video advertising is missing out on valuable time and engagement with its intended audience. Spotify fans are creating and curating playlists for every mood, and soundtracking every moment of their lives. Spotify can help brands reach consumers when they are unavailable for other forms of advertising. Now, that’s music to every marketer’s ears. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Comfort in the time of uncertainty" comment="subhead" text="Comfort in the time of uncertainty">Comfort in the time of uncertainty</cmsannotation> One reason this year’s festive season will be unlike any other is emerging data that shows that listeners are looking to reset their lives. Sample this: after delaying purchases in 2020, 1 in 3 Spotify users are looking at large, big-ticket purchases in a clear case of revenge shopping4. And this is a user base that is likely to spend 15% more on what they want than any other cohort4. With music emerging as the warm blanket of comfort in these unsettling and uncertain times, it’s little wonder users are turning to Spotify for festive content. Daily festive streams saw an increase of 63%, and occasion and activity based streams grew 155%5. It’s going to be the same this year, perhaps even more so. With music being an integral part of the celebrations, and bringing friends and family together on Spotify, it’s one platform that marketers need to plug into, ASAP. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Turn on, tune in" comment="subhead" text="Turn on, tune in">Turn on, tune in</cmsannotation> Spotify lets brands engage with their audience in moments that truly matter. This festive season, the key moments will be Shopping, Nostalgia, Party, and Cooking/Dining with family. As friends and families start to come together after more than a year of physical distancing, familiar festive customs and traditions will return but in a way that’s unique. Listeners are in the mood for memories as much as living in the moment with activities such as festive cooking. A massive 441% increase in user-generated cooking/dinner playlists bears this out while a growth of 290% for nostalgia streams and 590% for home (and homesick) playlists shows that listeners are turning to music to connect with memories of good times past6. It is in moments like this – often in times when they are inaccessible to other forms of media – that brands can truly tune in to their consumers and engage with them in ways that are only possible on Spotify. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="A never-ending stream of ideas for brands" comment="subhead" text="A never-ending stream of ideas for brands">A never-ending stream of ideas for brands</cmsannotation> Spotify offers limitless possibilities for brands when it comes to connecting with their audiences. Want to sponsor the most-streamed festive playlists? Sure. Want to deliver real-time audio ads while your targeted audience is listening to specific moods? You got it. Want to turn your brand profile into a cookbook with every special recipe having its own unique playlist? Want to create a special campaign with a unique digital experience that will truly drive your brand’s message home? Done! Co-branded digital experiences around festive or shopping wishlists, multiple branded playlists crafted keeping specific consumer personas and/or festive moods, creative audio to complement a brand’s in-store experience - the list of possibilities goes on and on. So if you’re looking to add a sparkle to your media plan this festive season, look to Spotify. Write into spotify-advertising-india@spotify.com and let the festivities begin. Click <a href="https://festiveadvertising.byspotify.com/">here</a> to download Diwali ad solutions packages from Spotify Advertising. SOURCES: 1 - Spotify First Party Data, global, based on daily content hours / daily active users, free users multiplatform, May 2019 2 - Key Moments Survey, Spotify Users A15-40, US, UK, DE, IT, SP, MX, BR, AU, October 2019 3 - Nielsen Brand Effect on Spotify, March 2020 4 - GWI, IN, Wave 5 - Outbreak Report 2021 5 - Spotify Internal Data, India, Diwali Q4. Sept Vs Oct vs Nov-Dec 2020 6 - Source: Spotify Internal Analytics, 1st October - 28th February 2021 Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post in partnership with Spotify SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/realme-ui-3-0-with-android-12-to-launch-on-october-13-these-phones-will-get-it-first/articleshow/86774766.cms">Realme UI 3.0 with Android 12 to launch on October 13 – these phones will get it first</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/enterprise/news/tcs-earnings-may-be-excite-the-street-thanks-to-the-14-new-deals-in-last-three-months/articleshow/86773292.cms">TCS earnings may be excite the street thanks to the 14 new deals in last three months</a>

This festive season, Spotify can be a game-changer for brands with its Streaming Intelligence

A year ago, Times Bridge, the global investments and partnerships arm of The Times Group and Smule, the world’s leading social network for music announced a strategic partnership in India. And, Smule had a good year in India. “We have developed a deeply integrated relationship in India over this period, giving Smule a decisive edge in scaling up its operations in the country. By effectively leveraging the network of Times Group’s media assets and facilitating long-lasting partnerships, we’ve helped Smule vastly increase its exposure to India’s diverse digital music landscape,” said Smule. Today, India is Smule’s third largest market in the world. And Indians make up 20% of its active users who engage with the app for an average of 57 minutes every day. A range of high-octane collaborations with the country's best music properties, movies and labels helped achieve this. Smule provides unique engagement opportunities to immerse in India’s multi-lingual music culture by leveraging best in-house brands such as Radio Mirchi, Gaana and MX Player. Bollywood collaboration Smule has also inked big ticket movie collaborations with studios like Fox Star &amp; <keyword id="62161" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Dharma-Productions">Dharma Productions</keyword>. This has ensured that Smule's recall among music aficionados remains high. Last year, Smule formed a brand association with 'Student of the Year 2' for a Bollywood singing contest where music enthusiasts won a chance to fly to and perform in the US with <keyword id="15009" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Neha-Kakkar">Neha Kakkar</keyword> and <keyword id="6574" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Sonu-Nigam">Sonu Nigam</keyword>. It also rolled out the country’s biggest talent hunt though partners like <keyword id="1701" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="20" keywordseo="Indian-Idol">Indian Idol</keyword> and Surya Super Singer. The Smule Mirchi Cover Star IP, now in its second edition, had over 35,000 participants in Season 1. A partnership between Smule and Apple for the latter’s premium reseller, Aptronix’s retail store launch in India included a Live event for the Smule community. It had live performances by music composer-singer, Salim Merchant and a live duet with fans led by singer <keyword id="2571326" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Nikhita-Gandhi">Nikhita Gandhi</keyword>. One of the reasons why Smule has become so popular in India so quickly is because the app is home to an ever expanding community of users and artists. “We’ve been proactive in on-boarding top artists - from regional pop-icons like Maninder Butter to gen-next rapper Naezy, we onboarded a string of new artists on Smule over the past 12 months. Shahid Mallya of ' Ikk Kudi' fame made his debut on the network &amp; Darshan Rawal, one of the most followed Bollywood artists on the network came back with 5 monsoon-special song releases. We’ve made it a point to remain on the <keyword id="47552" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="radar">radar</keyword> of our audience by curating cultural moments on key calendar dates and by running influencer campaigns on social media to ensure high visibility,” said Smule.

A year in India, Smule is getting almost twice  the engagement than TikTok

Music has been instrumental in coping with our new routines. The soothing voice of <keyword id="146060" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Arijit">Arijit</keyword>, a peppy number by <keyword id="10474637" type="AGENCY" weightage="20" keywordseo="ap-dhillon">AP Dhillon</keyword>, or a calming podcast by Neelesh Misra has helped listeners cope with many a difficult day. Moments with audio follow the listener through the day and across devices, creating different listening experiences. Whether it's while doing daily chores such as cooking, working out, or spending time with family, the versatility of audio makes it engaging and personal. Audio advertising allows your brand to create a personal connection with consumers in moments when other mediums cannot. On an average, the Indian listener spends 2.5 hours per day on audio, and 80% of this time, they can’t be reached through visual media1. So with only a display or a video ad you are missing out on valuable time with your audience. <div type="image" title="Spotify listeners" msid="84965364" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Spotify listeners&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Ads that match the moment, make an impact" comment="subhead" text="Ads that match the moment, make an impact">Ads that match the moment, make an impact</cmsannotation> With <keyword id="685487" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Spotify">Spotify</keyword>, you can be sure that your message will get noticed: we deliver your ads at the right moment when the listeners are most receptive — in a no swipe, no scroll environment. A deep understanding of our listeners and a constant connection with them throughout their day can help create and deliver messages that enhance rather than interrupt the moment. 75% of Spotify listeners say they remember ads more when the ads recognize their moment or setting2. Spotify helps brands reach consumers in the right moment, and the results are - 2.7x higher awareness and 5.3x higher intent than campaigns with basic demographic targeting2. <div type="image" title="Ad recall better when it matches the moment" msid="84965399" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Ad recall better when it matches the moment&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Striking the right chord" comment="subhead" text="Striking the right chord">Striking the right chord</cmsannotation> Multi-device listeners in India stream music for 2.5 hours per day1. These are precious screenless moments on screenless devices such as home speakers, cars, gaming consoles, and smart TVs. According to a survey by Spotify, for 56% of <keyword id="4550079" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="GenZ">GenZ</keyword> these screenless moments offer an escape from the world of visual overload4. With over 4 billion playlists on Spotify, there are endless opportunities to know what your audience is listening to and you can match your creative to that vibe. At Spotify, we’re constantly learning about how people listen in real-time through our streaming intelligence — first-party, contextual data that reveal moods, mindsets, habits, and tastes at the moment. Audio brings moment marketing to life for a mother in Mumbai when she listens to focus playlists in the afternoon while working from home, fitness playlists when she is working out, and sleep playlists when she’s putting her kids to bed. Audio allows you to go well beyond primary data related to age, gender, location, and device type and really own a moment Playlist keywords give us clues to the listeners’ context in the moment they’re listening: their setting and their current genre preference. Campaigns that include playlist targeting drive 2.1x higher intent than campaigns that don’t3. <div type="image" title="Building a connect with your brand and listeners" msid="84965487" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Building a connect with your brand and listeners&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Creating the right sensory mix" comment="subhead" text="Creating the right sensory mix">Creating the right sensory mix</cmsannotation> Multi-format campaigns (<keyword id="9500690" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="audio-video">audio &amp; video</keyword>) showed a 1.8x increase in ad recall than video ads alone5. From playful statics and creative videos during screen time to immersive audio as the consumer moves to non-screen devices, multimedia campaigns ensure that your brand complements the consumer’s device journey. On Spotify, the sound-on environment lets you tell stories with both audio and visual elements — and you can be confident they’re being seen and heard. We’ve seen that running both video and audio increases ad recall by 90% and results in a 2.2x increase in brand awareness5. This sensory combination extends your creative options, giving you the best of both. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Capturing the imagination of the listener" comment="subhead" text="Capturing the imagination of the listener">Capturing the imagination of the listener</cmsannotation> Our brains process information through audio 22x faster than through visualizations6. With audio, there’s no limit to storytelling — it can communicate emotions, capture moods in seconds, engaging listeners to fill in gaps with their imagination. Here are some ideas for an audio creative on Spotify: ● Provide an elevated sensory experience with a full sonic palette - ASMR, 3D audio, immersive effects, entertaining narration, and great music - to tell memorable stories. ● Explore sequential messaging, telling a story from one ad to the next. ● Use your audio identity, an audio signature, or jingle! The familiarity offers an impactful way to enhance the listener’s sonic environment and effectively get their attention. And all of this can be done in a personal, one-to-one manner with no clutter, audio is disruptive without disturbing. We spend a large part of our day listening. Get your brand heard in the moment that makes the most impact. Whether you're taking the first steps in exploring the power of audio on Spotify or looking to connect with an audience that is difficult to reach otherwise, now's the time to act. Ready to get your message heard? Write to us at <a target="_blank" class="c-link" href="mailto:spotify-advertising-india@spotify.com">spotify-advertising-india@spotify.com</a> to get in touch with our client support team.1- IFPI Digital Music Report 2019 2 - Spotify Nielsen Brand Effect Studies, 2018 3- Spotify First Party Data, global, based on daily content hours / daily active users, free users multiplatform, May 2019 4 - Spotify Culture Next trend survey among 4,000 respondents 15-37 globally [U.S., MX, BR, FR, DE, U.K., PH, AU], February 2019) 5 - Data Source- Nielsen Brand Effect on Spotify, March 2020 6- Source - Petra Vetter, Fraser W. Smith, Lars Muckli. Decoding Sound and Imagery Content in Early Visual Cortex. Current Biology, 2014 Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post in partnership with Spotify SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/apps/news/microsoft-could-expand-support-for-the-apps-feature-of-the-your-phone-app-to-the-galaxy-a52/articleshow/84965781.cms">Microsoft could be expanding the ‘Apps’ feature of the Your Phone app to more apps</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/zomato-indigo-paints-bectors-food-ujjivan-small-finance-bank-and-other-hot-stocks-that-have-lost-steam-since-listing/articleshow/84964352.cms">Don’t subscribe for an IPO just because it saw great interest from institutional investors ⁠— Indigo Paints, Mrs Bectors Food, and Ujjivan are examples to look at</a>

The power of audio ads — tap into the right moment and make an impact

<ul><li>Global advertising technology major, The Trade Desk on Wednesday announced the launch of operations in India and said it has appointed Tejinder Gill as the Country General Manager.</li><li>The platform aims to help digital marketers unleash the full potential of the open internet.</li><li>We catch up with Tejinder Gill, General Manager, The Trade Desk, India to find out more about his role at his new job, difference between walled gardens and open internet, finding the right platform in a fragmented market and goals for this year</li></ul>Due to the global pandemic, many businesses have altered their marketing strategies and started focusing more on digital advertising. Content consumption, especially, has grown multifold in India as corporate employees continue to work from home. Marketers are constantly on the lookout for new avenues and Global AdTech platform The Trade Desk has entered this ripe market while the iron is hot. According to Statista, the digital advertising industry across India spent 38% on programmatic purchases in 2020. Overall, the projections indicate that the industry would increasingly change to programmatic media buying over the next few years, with a market share of almost 42% by 2022. With cloud-based, data-driven platform The Trade Desk, marketers will now have the option of exploring the open internet outside of the known social media and search platforms that most people are familiar with. Open internet includes targeted display, video, Connected TV (CTV), OTT, online news platforms, audio, native, and social ads across every device. Global Web Index’s latest report revealed that Indians, on average, are spending as many as eight hours a day online, 70% of which is spent on the open internet, which is a huge opportunity for marketers. Open internet has even surpassed social media’s growth trajectory in the last year. We caught up with Tejinder Gill, General Manager, The Trade Desk, India who recently joined the company from Truecaller, to find out why open internet is an important marketplace, trends we can expect in digital advertising, how to find the perfect media mix in a highly fragmented market and goals for this year. Excerpts: <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Q. Why is it important for brands to explore the open internet in today's market?" text="Q. Why is it important for brands to explore the open internet in today's market?">Q. Why is it important for brands to explore the open internet in today's market?</cmsannotation> Even though Indian consumers are spending 70 percent of their time on the open internet, almost 80 percent of India’s digital ad revenue still goes to the big tech platforms, which sit outside the open internet. In these economically stressed times, brands and marketers are under pressure from their CFOs to prove the ROI of every advertising dollar. It is thus essential for them to leverage the fast-growing opportunities offered by the thriving open internet and reap the benefits of greater agility and flexibility needed in navigating today’s volatile environment. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Q. Almost 80% of India’s digital ad revenue still goes to the big tech platforms which sit outside the open internet. What is stopping marketers from exploring these platforms?" text="Q. Almost 80% of India’s digital ad revenue still goes to the big tech platforms which sit outside the open internet. What is stopping marketers from exploring these platforms?">Q. Almost 80% of India’s digital ad revenue still goes to the big tech platforms which sit outside the open internet. What is stopping marketers from exploring these platforms?</cmsannotation> Brands and marketers are drawn to big tech platforms because of their dominant position and early mover advantage. We call them Walled Gardens because they keep their technology, information, and user data to itself, with no intention of sharing it. Brands and marketers don’t get much say in what content they support, and very little feedback on how their ads performed. But they go there because they have to. However, Indian marketers are now looking for credible alternatives – those that offer them greater transparency and control. As a result, they are embracing data-driven advertising on platforms such as The Trade Desk more than ever. Ironically, this economic crisis has helped focus advertiser attention on the power of what we do as every dollar they spend needs to work harder. We are here to bring the much-needed data-driven decisioning and transparency to India’s digital advertising ecosystem, offering marketers a credible choice where they can tap into the immense opportunities of the open internet. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Q. What are some of the formats of advertising that The Trade Desk would offer? How big is your CTV inventory in India currently?" text="Q. What are some of the formats of advertising that The Trade Desk would offer? How big is your CTV inventory in India currently?">Q. What are some of the formats of advertising that The Trade Desk would offer? How big is your CTV inventory in India currently?</cmsannotation> With The Trade Desk’s data-driven capabilities, marketers can access a marketplace of premium advertising inventory across a wide range of websites, apps, podcasts and streaming OTT platforms. Last year, CTV/OTT was the strongest growth channel for the global ad market and it was also the fastest growing on our platform globally. As a global leader in CTV/OTT, The Trade Desk is the only platform uniquely positioned to offer advertisers the ability to buy from all OTT platforms. We can help brands and marketers get holistic visibility across the user journey by unifying their buys across multiple OTT providers, leverage advanced targeting capabilities and help retarget users across devices/channels along with a universal frequency control across platforms. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Q. What is fuelling the open internet growth in India? How would you help expand its growth further in the country?" text="Q. What is fuelling the open internet growth in India? How would you help expand its growth further in the country?">Q. What is fuelling the open internet growth in India? How would you help expand its growth further in the country?</cmsannotation> Over the last few years, rapid digitization of the media industry has provided a paradigm shift in the way Indians consume content online. In particular, with more people spending more time at home in the last 18 months, content consumption on the open internet has exploded. Today, India’s marketers are operating in times of uncertainty and volatility. They are seeking agility and flexibility, and the ability to understand what’s working, in different markets, in real time, and this can be made possible only with data-driven strategies. The Trade Desk is here to help India’s marketers capture these fast-growing opportunities on the open internet. Through its industry-leading cloud-based platform, marketers can access a marketplace of premium ad inventory on the open internet and reach relevant audiences across different devices (including computers, mobile devices, tablets and connected TV), and engage with them meaningfully along their entire digital journey. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Q. What kind of response have you seen from brands and agencies in India so far?" text="Q. What kind of response have you seen from brands and agencies in India so far?">Q. What kind of response have you seen from brands and agencies in India so far?</cmsannotation> Brands and agencies are welcoming us with open arms as they are looking for a strategic partner who is agile, can operate across platforms and offers them valuable options beyond the walled gardens. We also have relationships with the world’s largest media agencies and all five of them have signed up with us here in India. We have extensive partnerships with India’s leading publishers, data providers and industry players. Aside from leading publishers, we have also paved extensive inroads when it comes to OTT offerings with partners including Hotstar, Zee5, MX Player and Sony Liv. Some of our data partners include Zapr and Lifesight amongst others. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Q. The internet is so fragmented today. There are many platforms that buyers are looking to invest in, how do you suggest that they get the best bang for their buck?" text="Q. The internet is so fragmented today. There are many platforms that buyers are looking to invest in, how do you suggest that they get the best bang for their buck?">Q. The internet is so fragmented today. There are many platforms that buyers are looking to invest in, how do you suggest that they get the best bang for their buck?</cmsannotation> Because media is so fragmented, programmatic advertising offers the best alternative to reach relevant audiences across different devices (including computers, mobile devices, tablets and connected TV), and engage with them meaningfully along their entire digital journey. Over the last year, we’ve seen brands in India and around the world embracing programmatic advertising on platforms such as ours more aggressively than before. The rise of e-commerce has also led to the evolution of brands adopting programmatic, asking for a mix of brand and performance led digital marketing – radically different from the pre-Covid-19 era. As more marketers experience the power of data, they want to embrace it more fully across advertising channels. Through The Trade Desk, they can measure and compare the performance of ad spots across the digital advertising spectrum, whether it’s streaming TV, audio, web, podcasts, etc., and report ROI in granular terms back to the CFO. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Q. The future of digital advertising is cookie-less. How are you helping your clients prepare for that?" text="Q. The future of digital advertising is cookie-less. How are you helping your clients prepare for that?">Q. The future of digital advertising is cookie-less. How are you helping your clients prepare for that?</cmsannotation> The end of cookies is great news for the open internet. This is the time for the industry to create a new and better alternative to cookies - one that centers on consumer privacy and control. The Trade Desk has designed a solution from the consumer’s perspective that replaces cookies, upgrades privacy and control for consumers, while preserving the value of relevant advertising for advertisers and publishers. Unified ID 2.0 is a new industry-wide approach to internet identity that is an upgraded alternative to third-party cookies. Importantly, Unified ID 2.0 operates across advertising channels including mobile, audio, browsers, OTT/TV apps and devices with a single ID. This is critical as marketers and publishers look to understand their audience across platforms, while creating a better standard that gives consumers greater transparency and control. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Q. Tejinder, now that The Trade Desk is officially launching in India, what would be some of your focus areas?" text="Q. Tejinder, now that The Trade Desk is officially launching in India, what would be some of your focus areas?">Q. Tejinder, now that The Trade Desk is officially launching in India, what would be some of your focus areas?</cmsannotation> As General Manager of The Trade Desk, India, I will be responsible for leading the India Operations with a focus on building monetization strategies, monitoring country growth and implementing new initiatives. In addition to executing The Trade Desk’s vision, I will be working to foster teams and building the culture from the ground up in India. In addition to this, I will also be responsible for strengthening The Trade Desk’s global client and partner relations, shaping India’s product strategy and driving effective engagement across the industry. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Q. You've expanded a platform's presence in another country during a global pandemic. What kind of challenges did you face in this process? What is your vision for The Trade Desk in India? Where do you want to see it by the end of this year?" text="Q. You've expanded a platform's presence in another country during a global pandemic. What kind of challenges did you face in this process? What is your vision for The Trade Desk in India? Where do you want to see it by the end of this year?">Q. You've expanded a platform's presence in another country during a global pandemic. What kind of challenges did you face in this process? What is your vision for The Trade Desk in India? Where do you want to see it by the end of this year?</cmsannotation> We have always built our business based on the core principles of objectivity and transparency, and it’s that trust we have with advertisers – to always do what’s right for the industry, even if not always in our direct immediate interest – that has seen us continue to grow. With our launch in India, we are fully committed to the business, and while the on-ground situation is fluid, we are focusing on building awareness and early adoption. Our long-term vision is to create a scalable open platform of choice for digital marketers. The focus is to educate the market about the fast-growing opportunities on the open internet which includes channels like OTT/CTV, audio streaming and online press. The success for us by the end of year is to build a solid team on the ground to serve our customers, build a transparent ecosystem across agencies, partners and advertisers, and help marketers take data-driven decisions to better business outcomes. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Q. What are some of the trends that you are expecting to see in programmatic advertising this year? What is the future of programmatic advertising?" text="Q. What are some of the trends that you are expecting to see in programmatic advertising this year? What is the future of programmatic advertising?">Q. What are some of the trends that you are expecting to see in programmatic advertising this year? What is the future of programmatic advertising?</cmsannotation> Now more than ever, marketers are being more deliberate and data-driven with every advertising dollar, and as a result, they are gravitating to the advertising opportunities on the open internet. Programmatic, therefore, becomes all the more important in streamlining the ad buying process, serving more relevant ads, and delivering greater return on spends. Programmatic spending has witnessed a rise from 26% in 2018 to 39% in 2020. While overall programmatic spending stood at Rs 3,014 crore in 2018, it quickly rose to Rs 6,610 crore in 2020. Studies also indicate that the industry would increasingly change to programmatic media buying over the next few years, with a market share of almost 74% by 2022. Programmatic media buying gives advertisers increased flexibility and more control over their creatives and optimization capacities. The ultimate result is a more scalable way of serving ads that people are more likely to click. The next wave of programmatic advertising will be towards decisioning rather than fixed price buying.

The Trade Desk has designed a solution that replaces cookies, upgrades privacy while preserving the value of relevant advertising for advertisers and publishers: Tejinder Gill of The Trade Desk

<ul><li>In recent times, many brands have started recognising how humour sells and joining the bandwagon of <keyword id="8716263" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="meme-marketing">meme marketing</keyword> to reach out to Millennials and Gen Z. </li><li>We reached out to <keyword id="10320934" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="kyle-fernandes">Kyle Fernandes</keyword> CEO &amp; Co- Founder, <keyword id="10320850" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="meme-chat">Meme Chat</keyword>, a platform that owns 250 meme pages and has the potential to make a meme go viral. </li><li>Fernandes told us about the platform's plan to target Boomers, what sells in the meme market and how meme marketing benefits your brand.</li></ul>The pandemic this year has made consumers frugal and anxious. Many of them continue to work from home and battle with the anxiety of living in uncertain times. Mounting uncertainty, unending work pressure and the physical stress of sitting in one position for hours, have led to changes in our lifestyle and sleep patterns, which has added to the stress. As a result, consumers have started watching more sit-coms and spending more time with their families to keep them distracted from gloomy reality. They are also looking for comic relief on social media. In August, Yashraj Mukhate’s Rasoda rap had taken the internet by storm and instantly resulted into a meme fest. Many brands have started recognising how humour sells and are joining the bandwagon of meme marketing to reach out to Millennials and Gen Z. Meme Chat, an User Generated Content and networking app, has also seen its sales increase after COVID. Founded in 2019, the app currently has a user base of 700K+ with a monthly active user base of 130K+ and is aiming to hit million users in the coming time. Some recent and <keyword id="10320933" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="popular-viral-meme-trends">popular viral meme trends</keyword> like Biggini Shoot, Rasode mein kaun tha, Kamlesh, Deepak Kalal, JCB and Mature Guy, and the Lagan Pal (Paragliding Guy) trends were started by Meme Chat. Recently, it also partnered with OTT platforms like Hotstar, ALT Balaji, MX Player, Zee5, Amazon Prime, OnePlus, GetMega, Dream11, among others. One of the brains behind this app, Kyle Fernandes, started his entrepreneurial journey when he was only 15-year-old and got suspended from his school one day. He started a meme page called ‘Sh*t Indians Say’(SIS) with Taaran Chanana, which was later renamed and expanded into the social media platform we know today as Meme Chat. The founders, both 22, started growing their network by launching more meme pages such as Baba Chu, Terribly Dank Tales, Sarcasm hub. Today, they own 250 meme pages and if all added together, provide a reach of 300 million. “After our distribution channel became very strong and we had enough users who loved creating memes, we realised that brands are interested in paying for that content. Not that much, but they were paying. That’s when we realised that there’s a gap in the market for this kind of app. And that’s how Meme Chat came into being, where we value content creators by incentivizing them with monetary benefits and they make memes for brands. So it is actually a user recommendation,” shares Fernandes. “Almost every meme you see on the internet”, said Fernandes, is amplified through us. If you can think of a meme trend, it is probably because we have made it.” On International Men’s Day, 700,000 people posted memes on Twitter, indicating how demand for memes is growing in our country. Understanding the art of meme making Everyday, a team of 15 content moderators on Meme Chat goes through 30,000 memes and only around 4,000 of them make it to the main category. Memer is also becoming a serious and more recognised job role. Last year, Instagram had posted a job position for a memer. Instagram's Head of News and Publishing Partnerships, Lila King, said any contender for the job will have to be ‘a unicorn’ who is ‘equally fluent in the language of memes and the business of digital publishing.’ So, while hiring a memer, what should a brand look for? Fernandes answers, “If they can take your brand and really resonate with the millennial generation, that would be a perfect fit. For a millennial to share their content piece, they should be able to resonate themselves with the product offering. They should be in-sync with the trends that develop. You need to have that kind of spunk and absurdity.” Meme Chat is also trying to figure out how to cater to Boomers, who have a higher spending capacity than Millennials and WhatsApp forwards are their favourites. Elaborating on this challenging task Meme Chat has taken upon, Fernandes said, “Educating them about meme trends is a big task at hand. We have to do it in a way that is so well segregated because the current Gen Z and Millennial audience is going to leave if it is not. So, for this, we have to go into the normie direction. Basically, they watch news and read the news regularly. We have to give them content based on what they know and what they talk about.” Can you make a meme go viral? Many marketers have come to Meme Chat with one demand, “Kuch viral bana do” and Fernandes has happily agreed to deliver on this abrupt brief. Explaining the modus operandi behind it, he said, “Memes make things super viral and can take things way out of proportion. If a user goes through his/her social media feed, they see a weird trend someone has posted that they have no knowledge of. They choose to ignore it the first time, they scroll and see a few more people have shared it. You have the user hooked here, they are inquisitive to understand what is happening. What any Gen Z or Millennial will do next is share it even though they have no idea what it is about because they want to look ‘cool.’ That’s the thing -- people wanna look cool on social media! Nobody really knows the reason why it is trending, they just wanna jump on the bandwagon. The reason we are able to do this is because we control major meme pages in our country.” However, he does have one complaint about marketer who comes with an abrupt brief. “You should just leave us with our own devices -- you should not put too many restrictions over us if you want to make a piece of content go viral because we know what works. They think it is wacky so it won’t work but we have been in this entire ecosystem for a while now, so we know it will work. Brands have too many guidelines right now. Users are going to be brutally honest about their brand while making a meme, putting their heart into it -- expressing how they feel. That’s something a marketer should realise,” said Fernandes. Vision for the app After a recent successful fundraising round, Meme Chat is aiming to explore newer target groups, polish its video meme content quality and make its app more accessible for creators. “We are adding a lot more tools like AI and Machine Learning to make the process of making a meme easier. It should be with a click of a few buttons that memes get created, that is what we are aiming for. To empower a creator and get more creators to join your platform, you have to make the creating process very easy -- that’s what TikTok has done very well. To know how can meme marketing benefit your brand and if marketers consider it as a serious monetisation avenue, watch the video below: <div type="Video" msid="79373600" hostid="261" title="How can marketers benefit from meme marketing" dataSource="BUSINESSINSIDER" thumbUrl="https://denmark.timesinternet.in/cmslite/api/app/images.jpg?msid=79373600"></div>

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ShareChat and MX Media announce a strategic merger of Moj and MX TakaTak

BI India Partner

ShareChat to acquire short video platform MX TakaTak for around ₹4,500 crore

IANS

We're growing our focus on AI extensively, hiring not only in India, but in the UK, US and other geographies too: Ajit Varghese, ShareChat

Samarpita Banerjee

Voot onboards 8 sponsors for Bigg Boss OTT as it opens its digital-first exclusive season

BI India Partner

Streaming platforms who are on a new high — are hosting web premiers and might even expand to gaming

Preeti Soni

Havas' Mumbai office reports a growth of 150% in 2020-2021, adds new businesses worth over Rs 500 crore

BI India Partner

From studying to become a banker to now having her own OTT show, here's social media star Saloni Gaur's journey

Karuna Sharma

Join our panel discussion on the impact of the Covid-19 lockdown on the OTT industry

BI India Partner

This festive season, Spotify can be a game-changer for brands with its Streaming Intelligence

Insider Studios

A year in India, Smule is getting almost twice the engagement than TikTok

BI India Partner

The power of audio ads — tap into the right moment and make an impact

Insider Studios

The Trade Desk has designed a solution that replaces cookies, upgrades privacy while preserving the value of relevant advertising for advertisers and publishers: Tejinder Gill of The Trade Desk

Karuna Sharma

Can a brand make its meme viral? Here’s what Meme Chat’s Founder has to say

Karuna Sharma

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