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<ul><li>WATConsult’s research division – Recogn, unveils the 3rd report of WATInsights - Digital commerce series.</li><li>146 million <keyword id="9674678" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="video-commerce" source="Orion">video commerce</keyword> shoppers in India who have purchased and transacted on <keyword id="21654" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="video" source="Orion">video</keyword> commerce platforms.</li></ul>WATConsult, an Isobar Company and the globally awarded hybrid digital agency from dentsu India, has released ‘Digital Commerce in India - Video Commerce’, the 3rd report of WATInsights - Digital commerce series. The report by Recogn, WATConsult’s research division, shares insights on the scope of the futuristic channel of advertising and captures consumer sentiments towards using this platform for shopping. Today, India has one of the highest per capita consumptions of Internet data, heavily skewed towards video content consumption. This, along with the rapid growth of the Indian e-commerce market, has given rise to a new format called video commerce. Currently, there are around 146 million video commerce shoppers in India who have purchased &amp; transacted on video commerce platforms. The total is nearly 49% of all e-commerce users in India, today. The number of video commerce shoppers is expected to reach 216 million by the end of 2022, growing at a rate of 47%. Thus, the format has immense potential for brands to connect directly with their consumers. As per the report, when it comes to the video content format, most customers prefer explainer content videos followed by customer testimonials &amp; product demonstrations. While product videos add a different dimension to the online shopping experience, video content with a duration of 15 seconds to a minute can make users stay longer on the platform. Also, if they like the videos, they share them with their circle of friends and family, further increasing the reach of the content. Live streaming commerce in India is gaining traction and it can help brands, retailers, and marketplaces to accelerate conversion, improve the brand appeal &amp; create differentiation. More than half of the customers state their affinity towards shopping online during live streaming on social media and shopping apps. Commenting on the latest issue of WATInsights- Digital Commerce in India- Video commerce, Heeru Dingra, CEO, Isobar India group said, “Video commerce has become popular with more Indians moving online and discovering new ways of shopping through video platforms. When it comes to buying products, customers are interested and want to see what they are getting. It offers businesses and marketers a higher rate of conversion and is the most powerful instrument in today’s age. There is a huge opportunity to capture the video-based social commerce market, especially live-stream-based e-commerce while the market matures. Consumers today are frequently looking out to streamline and enhance their experience, they prefer instantaneous results. Brands can use this format to streamline their sales. I believe this latest issue of WATInsights will be an invaluable resource for anyone who intends to demystify <keyword id="13192684" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="video-commerce-in-india" source="Orion">video commerce in India</keyword>.” Sahil Shah, Managing Partner, WATConsult added, “The world has moved towards dynamic content and is driving commerce through video. This is the next big leap! I think the true power of video led marketing on digital will come into play when it can have a direct impact on the bottom-funnel metrics as well. On top of that, if one can get creative with the many formats available then it is the ultimate icing on the cake. This fantastic report made by our research division will give you a lot of data backed learnings &amp; insights to activate the next phase of growth for your brand’s commerce through the use of video. I hope everyone enjoys reading the report as much as we did, making it.” For the record, WATInsights are periodically published reports based on primary research conducted by Recogn, the agency’s research division that provides consumer and business insights to its audience. WATInsights delve into the different aspects of the digital industry, consumer behaviour and more. Additionally, the research also covers some relevant topics like Instagram in India – users’ perspective, voice technology in India and the usage of the internet in the local language. WATConsult’s research vertical, Recogn, in the past, has published many detailed and comprehensive pieces of research such as ‘Digital Diverse and Multilingual India’, ‘Voice Technology in India: Now &amp; Future’ and ‘Instagram in India’, to name a few.

Number of video commerce shoppers is expected to reach 216 million by the end of 2022, growing at a rate of 47%: WATInsights

<ul><li>WATConsult has launched a new report titled, '<keyword id="12006804" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Effectiveness-of-Email-Marketing" source="Orion">Effectiveness of Email Marketing</keyword>.’</li><li>Our study reveals that 22% of customers expect brands to send marketing emails every fortnight.</li></ul>WATConsult, the globally awarded hybrid digital agency from the house of dentsu India, has released its latest issue of<a href="https://www.watconsult.com/watpapers-effectiveness-of-email-marketing/" data-type="tilCustomLink"> WATPapers</a>. Titled ‘Effectiveness of <keyword id="2443892" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="email-marketing" source="Orion">Email Marketing</keyword>’, the report speaks about the importance of tools in a marketing strategy, its effect on purchase decisions, and a consumer’s in-depth perspective towards marketing emails. Email marketing has been one of the most traditional yet effective marketing channels. Marketing efforts can fetch great opportunities, however, there must be an understanding of the frequency of sending promotional emails and testing the content beforehand. Our study reveals that 22% of customers expect brands to send marketing emails every fortnight. Presently, while the customers in the age group of 18 to 24 years have been receiving promotional emails multiple times a week, customers in the age group of 46 and above have been receiving them every fortnight. From an industry standpoint, customers believe that they receive way more promotional emails than expected from categories such as entertainment, finance, insurance, retail and e-commerce. Nevertheless, categories like travel &amp; tourism, education and banking exercise the right frequency of once a week, once a fortnight and monthly, respectively. The report further demonstrates that majority of consumers sign up for promotional emails to get exclusive news and updates. They also seek access to the first look of fresh content via those emails. These are followed by reasons like getting more information about a product or service and participating in contests &amp; sweepstakes. In order to avoid customers from getting annoyed, it is critical for marketers to study the essential components of promotional emails. Results suggest that young customers in the age group of 18 to 24 years notice the subject line before opening a promotional email, whereas, customers in the age group of 46 to 54 years observe the content preview. Additionally, to prevent customers from unsubscribing from the email list and to enhance customer relationships, marketers must indulge in personalised emails, based on browsing behaviour. Commenting on the latest issue of <keyword id="9895828" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="watpapers" source="Orion">WATPapers</keyword>, <keyword id="2705388" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="heeru-dingra" source="Orion">Heeru Dingra</keyword>, CEO, WATConsult said, “Email marketing continues to be one of the most effective and low-cost ways for small to mid-size businesses to convert prospects into customers. This channel has kept up with the times. Hence, although brands are migrating towards omnichannel marketing, email is still the central focus. Advancements in technology have made marketing automation a possibility and have improved many aspects of email planning and management. As per the report, 22% of customers say that these emails are extremely helpful in a purchase decision. I believe, this latest issue of WATPapers will be an invaluable resource for anyone who intends to demystify email marketing.” WATPapers are monthly published short reports based on the primary research conducted by Recogn, the agency’s research division that provides consumer and business insights to its audience. WATPapers delve into the different aspects of the digital industry, consumer behaviour and more. Additionally, the research also covers some relevant topics like the adoption of ‘Work from Home’ by Indians, changes in consumer spends during COVID-19 and the switch to online education during the pandemic. WATConsult’s research vertical, Recogn, in the past, has published many detailed and comprehensive pieces of research such as ‘Digital Diverse and Multilingual India’, ‘Voice Technology in India: Now &amp; Future’ and ‘Instagram in India’, to name a few.

22% of customers expect brands to send marketing emails every fortnight: WATConsult Report

<ul><li><keyword id="4486567" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="watinsights" source="Orion">WATInsights</keyword> are periodically published reports based on primary research conducted by Recogn, the agency’s research division that provides consumer and business insights to its audience.</li><li>This time, WATInsights looks at <keyword id="1664180" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="digital-commerce" source="Orion">Digital Commerce</keyword>.</li></ul><keyword id="735366" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="watconsult" source="Orion">WATConsult</keyword>, an Isobar Company and hybrid digital agency from the house of dentsu India, has released ‘Digital Commerce in India - <keyword id="623994" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="social-commerce" source="Orion">Social Commerce</keyword>’, the 2nd report of WATInsights – Digital commerce series. The report by Recogn, WATConsult’s research division that provides consumer and business insights, explores the consumer sentiments and attitude towards using <keyword id="6354632" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="social-media" source="Orion">social media</keyword> platforms for shopping. Currently, there are 157 million social commerce shoppers, which is 53% of the total shoppers in India. This number is expected to grow at a rate of 45% to reach around 228 million by the end of 2022. The combination of social media with digital commerce is seeing huge growth considering the benefit it brings to customers as well as businesses. For businesses, it brings cost-effectiveness and reach through digital marketing, as it connects them directly to their customers. At the same time, the recommendations and comments help customers make a buying decision. This ensures that products are offered at affordable prices with an ability to shop on the platform itself rather than switching to other <keyword id="35621" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="e-commerce" source="Orion">e-commerce</keyword> apps or websites. As per the report, most consumers use social media apps like YouTube, WhatsApp, Facebook and Instagram to shop online. Apart from YouTube, the younger customers prefer to shop on Instagram and Facebook, while the older customers prefer to shop on Facebook and WhatsApp. Social commerce users are very likely to make online purchases from ShareChat in the future. A large majority of these customers are thrilled with the concept of browsing through social media platforms and shopping at the same time, however, the shopping behaviour varies between males and females. Most male shoppers scroll through social media without any intention of making a purchase and if they end up making one, it's because the marketing campaign initiated by the brand has played a vital role in influencing the buyer. On the other hand, female shoppers specifically search for their preferable brand on the app to either know more about the product/service or to validate their final choice. Social commerce is becoming popular as more and more Indian customers are moving online and discovering newer ways of shopping. Moreover, it includes a range of immersive shopping experiences, wherein consumers can buy customised products/services without switching apps. Commenting on the latest issue of WATInsights- Digital Commerce in India- Social commerce, <keyword id="2705388" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="heeru-dingra" source="Orion">Heeru Dingra</keyword>, CEO, Isobar India group said, “Social Media and E-Commerce are paving strong inroads in the regular Indian Internet users’ daily routine. Since the shopping environment on social media has ripened, there is huge potential to drive sales through these platforms. Hence, the need for an optimised system revolving around building customer trust and creating seamless experiences is critical. With the customer being at the core of these platforms, focusing on rich customer feedback in the form of comments, opinions, reviews, etc. will help brands cater to their audience effectively and improve their brand consideration and loyalty. This issue of WATInsights reports the pulse of today’s shoppers and serves as an invaluable resource for anyone who intends to demystify social commerce in India.” Sahil Shah, Managing Partner, WATConsult added, “Shopping was, is &amp; will always be social. Platforms, behaviour and mediums will keep evolving while more and more people will go online to shop. This report gives a deep view into what the current consumer behaviour is and highlights that social media in paid, owned and earned terms does get the maximum contribution across the funnel; especially where it matters the most, e-commerce.” WATConsult’s research vertical, Recogn, in the past, has published many detailed and comprehensive pieces of research such as ‘Digital Diverse and Multilingual India’, ‘Voice Technology in India: Now &amp; Future’ and ‘Instagram in India’, to name a few.

53% of online shoppers favour Social Commerce owing to its affordability, transparency, and convenience: WATInsights

<ul><li><keyword id="1278159" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="nadir-kanthawala" source="Orion">Nadir Kanthawala</keyword>, AVP New Business (North &amp; West), <keyword id="735366" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="watconsult" source="Orion">WATConsult</keyword> writes about the increase in audio consumption and how brands can capitalise on it. </li><li>He shares various ways of incorporating audio marketing in digital strategy.</li></ul>After having spent over a decade in video production, I made the uncharacteristic shift to digital marketing with WATConsult. Many things were learnt and unlearnt, over the due course I realized the importance of embracing new mediums to create interesting content. Having been a producer, with the resurgence of audio-only content, I naturally gravitated towards it. Then again not just any audio, but specifically - Long Form Audio Content (LFAC). Two years ago, I started working on a parenting podcast called ‘Pops in a Pod,’ along with a friend and fellow dad. Although at a nascent stage, thanks to the lockdown, it has ushered in a whole new wave of LFAC dissemination that we cannot ignore. LFAC is here to stay, and brands need to lend their ears. After producing 90 episodes, here’s how we realized the sheer power of this medium and the potential it holds for brands to increase their reach. New format <keyword id="11930368" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="podcasting-in-India" source="Orion">Podcasting in India</keyword> is nearly five years old and according to KPMG’s Media and Entertainment Report 2020, India is the third largest consumer of podcasts (after the US and China), with 57.6 million monthly listeners. This number is only going to increase. We are also witnessing a rise in audio-only social platforms like Clubhouse, Greenroom, Twitter Spaces and Facebook’s soon to be launched Live Audio Rooms. Brands need to build their associations with creators and now than later. Production ease When we think of dynamic content, our minds automatically steer towards video content. It’s high time we consider audio as dynamic content too. Compared to video, it’s cheaper, faster and easier to produce and in return you don’t get a 30 or a 60 second video output; but an in-depth conversation on a given subject at a minimum average length of 30 minutes. With platforms like Clubhouse and Greenroom it’s even easier since there is no elaborate setup required. Longer engagement Whether it’s likes, shares, comments, or average watch time, they pale in front of LFAC, especially podcasts. According to industry experts, podcasts can deliver anywhere between 16-18 minutes of average listen time, depending on the topic of conversation. In the last one year, we at WATConsult have also produced two branded podcasts for SAP and India First Insurance to educate both their internal and external audiences about their products and services. New niches, newer audiences Long form audio content is opening doors to genres in India like heavy metal music, parenting from a dad’s perspective, LGBTQIA+ communities, national policies, even multi-format news. And because of this, brands can look forward to interacting with new set of audiences, especially the youth. As per Spotify Culture Next Report 2021, 83% of millennials and 70% of gen Zs in India believe that streaming platforms at-large, including audio, have significantly shaped how they discover and connect with broader culture. Language no barrier 1100% year-on-year growth in Hindi podcasts on Anchor as reported in Spotify-YouGov report. This is further validated by industry experts, representing various platforms, who are betting on regional languages viz. Hindi, Punjabi, Tamil, Marathi and Bengali. Considering the ease at which audio can be distributed, the potential penetration to many more corners of India is now within reach either through podcasts or audio social apps. Convenience Audio listening is a ‘phone-down’ experience. What this means you could be working, working out, driving, walking, crunching numbers, domestic work or even taking a shower but you would always been plugged in and listening to your favourite LFAC without looking at your phone again. More engagement, less distraction. Seamless advertising According to Spotify Culture Next Report 2021, 69% of Indian millennials said they like audio advertising because they can use their imagination to picture everything in their head. Advertising in long form audio content is not just seamless but the chances of retention are much higher, especially if mentioned by the hosts themselves. Spotify-YouGov Survey reports, 18-24 formed the largest audience of those who listened to a podcast for the first time on Spotify in 2020. If that’s not a good enough reason for brands to jump on the long form audio bandwagon, then I don’t know what is. Its time brands include long form audio content as part of their marketing plan. The possibility of delivering differentiated content is endless, the question is, how long will they take to make the first step.

Turn up the volume: Brands, are you listening closely to the audio trends?

<ul><li>The COVID-19 outbreak and nationwide lockdown has impacted many sectors and economic activities. </li><li>The lockdown led to people spending more time on <keyword id="6422069" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="online-gaming">online gaming</keyword>. </li><li>More people are finding it to be an exciting alternative for entertainment.</li></ul><keyword id="735366" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="WATConsult">WATConsult</keyword>’s latest report analyses how the COVID-19 outbreak and nationwide lockdown impacted the online gaming sector. The lockdown has led to people spending more time on online gaming. More people are finding it to be an exciting alternative for entertainment. Everyone, right from office commuters to students, is playing online games and it is becoming one of India’s favourite activities to spend their leisure time. Majority of gamers prefer to game on mobile phones. The pandemic has resulted in people playing online games more frequently. There is an increase in time spent on gaming during the lockdown compared to pre-lockdown. The future of online gaming will continue to see more growth since the time spent on gaming will increase. The scope for growth in the industry is massive because of the deeper internet penetration and mobile gaming. 70% of gamers feel that the time they spend gaming online has increased and changed as compared to the pre-lockdown period. Likewise, 68% observe that this surge has been particularly initiated under the influence of an increase in more disposal time at hand. Now, although this rise in online gaming has impacted the crucial day-to-day routine for many people, it has also proven beneficial in several ways. Considering the isolated conditions that the lockdown has forced upon all, more than half of the gamers reiterate that gaming provides relief and helps them feel positive and at other times, less depressed. Commenting on the latest issue of <keyword id="9895828" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="watpapers">WATPapers</keyword>, <keyword id="2705388" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Heeru-Dingra">Heeru Dingra</keyword>, CEO, WATConsult said, “Content consumption patterns are in a constant state of evolution, moving in tandem with rapidly changing scenarios. Thus, to identify and understand the same, WATPapers was brought to life. To be released every month, these reports will decode current and on-going trends, providing some comprehensive insights. Just like our periodically published reports under Recogn, these too will be an invaluable resource for marketers, helping them demystify the ever-permutating <keyword id="139079" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Consumer-behaviour">consumer behaviour</keyword>.” She further added, “Undoubtedly, the pandemic has made almost all industries witness changes and the same stands true when it comes to Online Gaming. People have suddenly found themselves in a unique position of having extra time on their hands, which has led to an increase in online gaming. But there are several other nuanced factors that come into play. The report aims to decipher these very factors in order to provide useful insights.” <a href="https://www.watconsult.com/watpapers/online-gaming/" data-type="tilCustomLink">WATPapers </a>are monthly published short reports based on the primary research conducted by Recogn, the agency’s research division that provides consumer and business insights to the audience. It will be delving into the different aspects of the digital industry, consumer behaviour and more. Additionally, it also covers some relevant topics like Adoption of ‘Work from Home’ by Indians and Future of Education in India: Online Learning &amp; Home Schooling.

How user behaviour in online gaming sector has changed due to COVID-19

<ul><li><keyword id="735366" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="WATConsult">WATConsult</keyword>'s latest report on ‘<keyword id="50691" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Digital">Digital</keyword>, <keyword id="9614654" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="diverse-multilingual-india">Diverse &amp; Multilingual India</keyword>’ maps digital content consumption patterns of Indian users across local and <keyword id="144726" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="regional-languages">regional languages</keyword>.</li><li>The report claims that by December 2020, WATConsult estimates that close to 70% of all internet users will access the internet in their local languages.</li><li>It also reveals that around 43% of housewives feel that there are limited options to choose the language on online shopping websites.</li></ul> WATConsult, under its market research division –Recogn, has unveiled its latest report on ‘Digital, Diverse &amp; Multilingual India’. The report maps digital content consumption patterns of Indian users across local and regional languages. It also shares an in-depth analysis of the users’ preferences inside the Indian demography. Over the past few years, internet usage behaviour has changed tremendously with more users accessing the internet in their respective languages. Also, whilst most Indians are well-versed in at least two languages, it is observed that they are more comfortable accessing information in their local dialects. Consequently, a variety of digital solutions along with mobile and internet applications have recently been introduced in several local languages to cater to such consumer demands. This report, therefore, brings afore the digital content consumption patterns of these users across categories such as music, video streaming and short-and-long-format content, amongst others. For deeper understanding of the audience, the report has further segmented them into categories like functional users, casual users, students, etc. Below are the key findings of the report: <ul><li>By December 2020, WATConsult estimates that close to 70% of all internet users will access the internet in their local languages.</li><li>A majority of Indians prefer watching content around Food, Entertainment and Education in their local language.</li><li>Video content on Technology, Gadgets, Fashion and Sports are preferred to be consumed in English.</li><li>57% of the audiences watch online videos several times a day. <keyword id="10879" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="YouTube">YouTube</keyword> is the most used application to watch and consume online video content, followed by <keyword id="2739840" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Hotstar">Hotstar</keyword> and JioTV.</li><li>There has been a great transition in the music streaming market with the advent of global players like Spotify, YouTube Music, and others. The audiences prefer listening to music in their local or regional languages because it builds an emotional connect.</li><li>While browsing on social media platforms, more than one-fourth of the users like to consume content related to memes, videos, images, etc. in their local language.</li><li>More than one-fourth of the users feel that the search results in their local language are inaccurate.</li><li>43% of the housewives feel that there are limited options to choose the language on online shopping websites. Lack of this local language feature does not result in suitable experience that the customer is looking for.</li></ul>Speaking on the report, <keyword id="2705388" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Heeru-Dingra">Heeru Dingra</keyword>, CEO, WATConsult said, “The report brings across a plethora of interesting data that can be further useful for stalwarts across industries. Since India is a diverse country with multiple languages and dialects, we believe that it is extremely important to approach consumers in the languages they prefer. While it is a mammoth challenge to process and train all the data for so many different languages, the insights presented in the report would benefit marketers significantly in chalking their way ahead.”

By December 2020, close to 70% of all internet users will access the internet in their local languages: WATConsult

<ul><li>The pandemic has made consumers painfully sensitive about the importance of health and immunity. </li><li>Kantar's report says that there's a more focused approach to individual health requirements, an increasing appreciation of the traditional diets and a growing interest in the functional benefits of our familiar kitchen ingredients are triggering conscious food choices.</li></ul>The last year has shown our immense capacity for adjustments and unhesitant flexibility in learning to coexist with the virus. From holding back spends to returning to shopping malls and airports with gusto, Indian consumers have adapted to the ebbs and tides of the pandemic. Preparing for exigencies went hand in hand with recalibrating needs and striving to build a fuller life. We are living in strange times and are yet to get completely accustomed to the new way of living. Nevertheless, there is a continuous effort to do more and be more with the spirit of ‘Carpe Diem’ whenever possible. Along with the conscious focus on care and safety, there is a constant lookout for pockets of enjoyment and social joy. Locked in their homes and under restrictions, Indian consumers have also had a year of epiphany. They have realised the value of self-care, mindful living and are now seeking a more sustainable lifestyle. Some old habits have been replaced entirely, others adjusted, and the changes are here to stay. Our 2022 Annual Trends are borne out of the insights we generate at Kantar, based on our conversations with consumers across the country, and help guide you through a period of recovery and innovation. Kantar brings you 10 themes that define how consumers are preparing themselves for 2022. <ol><li>Going small to live big</li></ol>In earlier times, the big city fuelled dreams and aspirations of the youth and beckoned with the promise to ‘make it big’. The same city now seems stifling with matchbox homes, chaotic traffic, hectic schedules and cluttered living. The urban trapped millennials have been looking for breathers in their busy corporate lifestyles, often finding respite in trips along unchartered tracks. The lockdown and the opportunity of working from home has allowed them to consider an alternate to the city humdrum. As companies chose remote working as ‘business as usual’, the service sector employees chose to move ‘back home’ to smaller towns. What might have started as a prudent decision to save high rent expenses eventually seems to have translated into a more longer-term lifestyle adjustment. There is a conscious effort to recalibrate needs and wants as *59% believe that the pandemic helped them be more appreciative of what they already have. Many are stepping away from the tiring race to success and charting their own path for professional fulfilment, often trading off a heavier pay cheque for a fuller life. Much of the infrastructural development in India has been metro centric. The current trend offers a unique opportunity to reimagine our cities, our infrastructure, and mobility. Brands, on the other hand need to reinforce supply chains to avoid losing customers due to last mile connectivity gaps. (*Source: NICS 2021) 2. Seeking assurance in ‘ghar jaisa’ khana The pandemic has made consumers painfully sensitive about the importance of health and immunity. A more focused approach to individual health requirements, an increasing appreciation of the traditional diets and a growing interest in the functional benefits of our familiar kitchen ingredients are triggering conscious food choices. Consumers are seeking comfort in familiarity, especially in the times of turbulence. They are more mindful of what they eat and are willing to make an effort to table fresher meals, *72% prefer fresh home cooked food than the packaged with the fear of preservatives. If the meals are not from their own kitchen, they would prefer it from someone else’s to be assured of the hygiene and quality of ingredients, thus making home chefs a rage. ‘Bahar ka khana’ is not yet worry-free as *44% do not feel safe ordering food online these days. At the same time there is a growing awareness about mindful eating rituals such as slow eating, appreciation of what’s on the plate and a deeper consciousness of the emotional connect with food. With increasing importance to freshly cooked meals, consumers would be open to kitchen solutions in terms of ingredients or appliances that make ‘home-made’ easier. Additionally, the affinity towards ‘home like food’ will also guide what the food industry will offer in terms of offerings on restaurant menus. (*Source: NICS 2021) 3. Proactive upskilling According to the World Economic Forum, while the rapid evolution of machines in the workplace will displace 75 million jobs by 2022, it will also create 133 million new roles. As companies have been on their accelerated journey of digital transformation, the moot question has been whether the Indian workforce is ready for this change. Constant learning has become an imperative for workers to adapt to changing times and stay relevant. Through this volatility, upskilling has become the new insurance cover in the job market, ensuring stability in an unpredictable workplace disrupted by technology. Proactive self-learning through online courses has become the new norm for working professionals trying to stay employable as well as students gearing up to join the work force. *65% of learners upskilled to strengthen career prospects and *33% of learners were senior-level professionals. As both freshers and experienced employees become more conscious of the skill gap and lean in to bridge it, enrolments into online courses continue to exponentially grow. Proactive and consistent training and development led by employers will be increasingly critical, not only to keep the workforce equipped for the changing workplace, but also to ensure that employees are engaged and invested in the evolving business imperatives of the organisation. (*Source: Simplilearn’s State of Upskilling in 2021) 4. Exercising autonomy through gig work The Indian freelance job market gained rapid acceleration with the pandemic induced job instability. However, what started as a necessity, is now a carefully considered choice for many. The comfort of flexible work schedules, coupled with an apathy for the corporate workstyle has been holding freelancers from going back to full-time employment. On the other hand, the Great Resignation of the west is showing signs in India too. ***62% of India’s workforce has the intention of switching jobs this year, compared to an average of ***41% globally. Most gig workers value the potential for higher earnings and flexible timings in their choice of work and are happy to trade off a steady income and job stability in the bargain. Women looking for employment after a sabbatical have found freelancing to be the much-needed bridge to join back the workforce. The nature of freelance work has also evolved and gig working is not limited to factory or support function jobs. **70% of the Indian freelancers on their platform were working in core management functions. With 15 million freelancers, India is already the second largest gig market in the world. In the long term, the Indian gig economy has the potential to service up to *90 million jobs in India’s non-farm economy. India Inc. should make the most of this opportunity to absorb diverse work force and let them contribute professionally while taking care of their personal comfort. (*Source: BSG Report; Unlocking the Potential of the Gig Economy in India 2021 **Source: Flexingit Survey, 2021 ***Source: Microsoft’s 2021 Work Trend Index) 5. Shrinking personal space with remote work Working from home had started with the promise of more comfort with workdays without travel and meetings without formals. Very soon this advantage was turned on its head as lines between work and personal life started blurring. Work expected you to be always on call and home assumed you were never away. Though remote work was expected to improve employee productivity, there is mounting evidence of increased burnout. **1 in 3 professionals in India feel burnt out due to increased workload and unmanageable stress. Professionals are seeking their personal space that has been squeezed between the responsibilities of home and work and they are looking forward to coming back to their workplace. *57% feel that commuting to their place of work would be a welcome relief after months of working from home. Corporate India has already taken cognizance of this situation and there have been measures to ease life in these times for employees. While focus has been on making work from home more convenient through virtual workplaces, organisations will also need to start rethinking their entire work models, culture, and values to ensure better mental health amongst the workforce. Employees are also learning to draw a line between personal and professional while operating from the same physical space. *Source: NICS 2021 **Source: Future of Work Perception Study by LinkedIn, 2021) 6. Yearning to get away from home Tired of being cooped up in their homes with social distancing norms, travel restrictions, people have been aching to step out of their homes. With the easing of mobility restrictions, restaurants are witnessing rising footfalls as Indian consumers making frequent visits to their favourite restaurants. Not only are consumers keen to experience a refreshing restaurant ambience rather than ordering in, the average order values have increased by *20%. Work from home restrictive lifestyles have also allowed some more disposable income which consumers are glad to spend outdoors as evident in luxury dining increasing by as much as *120%. Lockdown fatigue had resulted in strong pent-up demand which is fuelling unique trends of ‘getting away from home’. Travellers have started to rekindle their travel plans through weekend getaways and similar convenient means to escape from the challenging life of work-from-home stifling schedules. Considering the renewed emphasis on personal control over cleanliness and hygiene, travelers are looking for nearby locations for road trips. Staycations are also an emerging trend where people are checking into at luxurious hotels to rejuvenate themselves with a pampered weekend. With varying rules of social distancing as we witness new waves of the pandemic, consumers will learn to switch on and switch off their social lives but would always yearn to step out. As consumers continue to seek respite from house arrest yet again, by planning for getaways, dropping into restaurants for a meal or even choosing to work from coffee shops, the reassurance of sanitation and hygiene-related measures such us fully vaccinated staff would ensure that they keep coming back. (*Source: Report by Dineout) 7. Instagram is the new store Fuelled by India’s fast growing smartphone penetration and inexpensive data, social media access and engagement has been steadily growing. As the pandemic further accelerated the growth of the e-commerce, social commerce has emerged as a favoured means of online shopping. Making a purchase on social media has brought back the element of the shopping experience that shoppers miss in the online store environment. Discussions, direct messaging and video sharing features make social commerce closer to shopping in person. Consequently, social chatter is fast becoming an active driver of brand choice; while advertising manages to influence *38% towards a brand, *41% tend to be swayed by comments or reviews posted on social media. Riding on social word-of-mouth, today there are social commerce shoppers, account for **53% of total online shoppers in India. Stepping ahead of dynamic customer engagement, social commerce has proved to be an effective and affordable channel for smaller businesses. This channel has also presented a cost-effective alternative for larger businesses and brands reeling under the pressure of mounting <a href="https://www.ey.com/en_in/consulting/customer-engagement">customer acquisition</a> costs and struggling to protect these precious customers from competitors wooing them endlessly with deep discounts. *Source: NICS 2021 **Source: Report by WATConsult, Isobar) 8. Beauty goes beyond skin deep The pandemic brought hand hygiene to the forefront where consumers reacted out of fear without having the time or opportunity to make well thought through choices. The scenario however is vastly different today with consumers making well researched choices in personal care and are realising its significance of self-care more than ever. With virtual workplaces and limited social engagement, there is no mad rush to show up looking one’s best and people are moving towards a more sustainable self-care practice grounded in nature, health and wellness. There is an increasing positive disposition towards slowing down through daily self-care rituals. A stark contrast to the fast-paced world of the beauty industry that sells us quick fixes, cover ups and immediate results. Consumers have become extremely conscious about taking care of their bodies, and not just for the purpose of looking good. Fewer people are insisting on stepping out of home with make up (*30% vs. *49% last year) and declining interest towards cosmetic surgeries (*17% vs. *48% last year). The millennials especially have become acutely conscious of the long-term benefits of personal care regimes. What started as an obsession for sanitisers and hand-washes, has now gradually moved towards conscious choices of personal care, personal hygiene and wellness products. Brands need to be cognizant of shift in consumer choices towards personal care and grooming and cater to this growing affinity towards sustained self-care through their product solutions as well as communication of benefits.’ (*Source: NICS 2021) 9. True inclusion finding a voice among the youth Consumers are being drawn towards brands that embrace diversity and advocate causes that support social equity. The generation Z, being at the forefront of this movement, are evaluating brands with a conscientious looking glass. These globally connected consumers are constantly absorbing information and influences to make brand choices. They deeply value freedom of expression and the openness to accept different kinds of people and bluntly call out brands for stereotyping or alluding to any kind of discrimination. This generation is also taking active steps to make a change around them *36% of Indian Gen Z educated themselves on diversity and inclusion matters and *37% tried to educate and change the views of those around them. *22% of Gen Zs have boycotted a company because they didn’t agree to its views or actions. There have been examples of inclusive marketing countering stereotypes to create a vision that consumers can resonate with and embrace. There has been a shift in advertising campaigns featuring stories of real people told with a sensitivity that has found favour with consumers. Brands looking to engage this generation will need to extend their efforts beyond mere lip service. Just dressing brand communication with diverse imagery will not be enough. To stay relevant, brands need to embed diversity in their organisational culture as well as in their product development endeavours. (*Source: Deloitte 2021 Millennial and Gen Z study) 10. Collective consciousness towards sustainability The pandemic has been a wake-up call; consumers are now acutely aware of the cumulative damage caused to the environment by human carelessness and are eager to ‘make good.’ *76% pay lot of attention to environmental and societal issue in the news. Increasing awareness and heightened consciousness have paved the way for more mindful living where consumers are seeking to coexist with nature and the environment. *77% are prepared to invest time and money to support companies that do good and while shopping *64% consumers factor in sustainability atleast once in a while. Sustainable actions that people are most willing to take today like reducing food waste, saving energy are those that have been part of the Indian ethos for generations. Yet, there are gaps between intentions and actions as most shoppers buying on autopilot are focused on saving money rather than the planet. Further, they don’t often have enough information about how sustainable products are different and the impact they make on our environment. Brands can fuel these actions by increasing awareness about the use of green energy in their production process, making it easier to recycle, incentivizing consumers and making it convenient for them to buy sustainable products. (*Source: Kantar Sustainability Foundational Report 21)

10 themes that define how consumers are preparing themselves for 2022 as per Kantar

<ul><li>The number of <keyword id="14394376" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="voice-shoppers" source="Orion">voice shoppers</keyword> in India is predicted to reach a whopping 168 million by the end of this year. </li></ul><ul><li>Brands will continue to focus on conversation-first strategies to improve customer experience in the digital era. </li></ul><ul><li>Natural language understanding, conversational artificial intelligence, and neural text-to-speech (TTS) have helped make great advances in voice.</li></ul><keyword id="5475230" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="voice-technologies" source="Orion">Voice technologies</keyword> have been disrupting the way we live, transact, and interact with each other. In the last two years especially, speech recognition technologies have seen widespread adoption across all the industries – including healthcare, banking, media and retail. India has emerged as an important innovation hub and a key market for voice technologies in a short span of time. The number of voice shoppers in India is predicted to reach a whopping 168 million by the end of this year, according to <a href="https://www.watconsult.com/watinsights/voice/">WATConsult</a>, Dentsu India’s digital agency. Voice-search queries in India are growing at 270% per year, according to MMA and Isobar <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/advertising/ad-agencies/article/voice-search-queries-in-india-are-growing-at-270-per-year-mma-and-isobar-report/articleshow/82212039.cms">Report</a> published last year. Increase in use of voice searches, virtual assistants and conversational AI is compelling businesses to take a relook at the way they interact with customers. <a href="https://opusresearch.net/wordpress/2022/02/10/opus-research-report-2022-state-of-voice-technology/">About 99% of the companies view voice-enabled experiences as a critical part of their future enterprise strategy. </a>Brands are therefore focusing on ‘conversation-first’ strategies to analyse and improve customer experience in the digital-only era. Voice is thus set to become the most preferred method for customers to interact with technology as it is simple, personal and intuitive. What’s next for <keyword id="6130332" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Voice-tech" source="Orion">voice tech</keyword>? Voice technology has evolved a great deal since its introduction about 70 years ago. Advanced technologies like Natural Language Understanding (NLU), conversational artificial intelligence (AI), and neural text-to-speech (TTS) have helped push voice tech to the next level. Today, an Amazon Alexa, an Apple Siri or a Google Assistant has become integral to our lives. How does voice tech evolve from here? Here then, are some of the promising new technologies that are likely to push voice to new frontiers in the coming years. Voice cloning: Voice cloning may have sounded like science fiction a few years ago, but not anymore. Neural networks and machine learning can synthetically create voices that sound natural and human-like. This artificial simulation of a person’s voice is disrupting many industries already. Like Deepfake, or AI that digitally alters a person’s image/video, voice cloning has already run into controversy. The documentary ‘Roadrunner’, which used voice cloning software to create words that were not actually spoken by the late chef Anthony Bourdain, spurred discussions around synthetic media ethics. Nevertheless, its ethical use cases hold great potential to transform customer and audience experiences. Personalisation: Personalization is no longer just a ‘nice-to-have’ after thought for brands while offering services. With low-code/no-code solutions, machine learning, NLP and sentiment analysis, businesses will take personalization to the next level in the coming days. Voice-enabled services of the future will be equipped to understand customer intent and requests in a much better way and deliver interactions that are tailor-made for an individual’s unique needs. Democratising voice tech: In markets like India, a vast majority of new internet users prefer to interact with brands in their mother tongue. Voice is increasingly becoming an alternative to typing among these users. AI-powered vernacular voice technologies are rapidly going mainstream. Expanding voice-driven experiences to local languages will be a top priority for brands, enabling them to tap into this huge market. Voice-enabled chatbots: Voice tech-enabled chatbots are already popular and will continue to become more intelligent, human and efficient in the future. They will be widely used to enhance customer experiences, cut down costs, detect fraud etc. Better functionalities such as payment options, predictive analytics etc. will ensure that chatbots have a direct impact on a brand’s revenue. Voice tech has already turned much of science fiction into fact. These exciting new innovations in voice tech are capable of opening vast unexplored vistas of opportunities for organisations while also vastly improving the consumer experience. These are interesting times for voice tech. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/cryptocurrency/news/taiwanese-crypto-exchange-suspends-trading-in-rupees-after-tds-laws-kick-in/articleshow/92727555.cms">Taiwanese crypto exchange suspends trading in Rupees after TDS laws kick in</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/careers/news/four-day-work-week-is-here-but-few-very-few-companies-are-experimenting-with-it/slidelist/92723045.cms" style="">Four day work week is here but few, very few companies are experimenting with it</a>

Voice tech is evolving rapidly. Here are the top trends in voice tech to watch for

<ul><li>Ajay will report into <keyword id="2932117" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Amit-Wadhwa" source="Orion">Amit Wadhwa</keyword>, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), <keyword id="12016868" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Dentsu-Creative" source="Orion">dentsu Creative</keyword> India.</li><li><keyword id="1688376" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Ajay-Gahlaut" source="Orion">Ajay Gahlaut</keyword> resigned from Publicis Worldwide in July, 2020.</li></ul><keyword id="188613" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="dentsu-india" source="Orion">Dentsu India</keyword> has announced the appointment of creative veteran Ajay Gahlaut as Group Chief Creative Officer (GCCO), spearheading creative excellence across dentsu India’s award-winning creative agencies. Ajay will report into Amit Wadhwa, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), dentsu Creative India and will be responsible for accelerating dentsu India’s creative businesses under one optimised service line. Dentsu India initiated the formation of a new structure for its Creative service line in June this year. The redesign - part of the network’s global plan to transform into the most integrated group in the world by 2024, brings together its agencies under one umbrella and catapults dentsu India into its fresh journey to 2.0. The agency brands that come together under this new creative design are <keyword id="2805202" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Dentsu-Webchutney" source="Orion">Dentsu Webchutney</keyword>, Taproot Dentsu, WATConsult, Perfect Relations, Isobar, Dentsu One, Dentsu India and Dentsu Impact. A creative genius with over 27 years of experience in advertising, Ajay wrote the line ‘Do Boond Zindagi Ki’ that anchored the famous Pulse Polio Immunisation campaign with the superstar Amitabh Bachchan. He also created more than a dozen commercials for the campaign and played a significant part in eradicating polio from India. He was also behind the line ‘Make It Large’ for the whiskey brand Royal Stag that transformed its fortunes and made it the highest selling whiskey in its price range. He created the character ‘Mr. Murthy’ for Voltas Air Conditioners and catapulted Voltas to the number one position in the category. Ajay has also created work for the whiskey brand Imperial Blue with the famous ‘men will be men’ sign off. He has won multiple Cannes Lions, One Show and D&amp;AD awards in his more than a quarter century journey in this business. But what deserves a special mention here is the way he led Ogilvy Delhi to win 8 Lions at Cannes in 2013. Not only did he surprise the country but surprised himself as well. Some of the most significant brands that Ajay has worked on are Pernod Ricard, BMW, HT Mint and KFC at some of the world’s best known Creative shops. Commenting on Ajay’s appointment, Amit Wadhwa said, “Dentsu India is in the midst of an exciting transformation journey towards dentsu India 2.0 and Ajay’s joining is a critical part of the plan. Ajay is a well-respected Creative leader with years of experience across categories and the right mindset that matches with dentsu India 2.0. With the brilliant Creative minds in our business, we will be a force to be reckoned with, delivering growth for our clients while continuing our creative evolution at pace and scale.” Ajay Gahlaut said, “Dentsu’s creativity defines generations. When the opportunity came to join Amit and his team, I could not refuse. Creativity is in the spotlight, with brands looking to differentiate themselves in a disrupted marketplace – it has never been a more exciting time to work in this field rich with opportunity. I am excited to join dentsu, Amit and the Creative teams, delighting clients and creating era defining work together.”

Dentsu Creative appoints Ajay Gahlaut as Group Chief Creative Officer

<ul><li>Narayan Devanathan is now President - Strategy &amp; Integration for dentsu India &amp; Head - Strategy &amp; Consulting, APAC.</li><li>Shamsuddin Jasani &amp; Sidharth Rao also get additional roles.</li></ul>On the back of its global organisational redesign, dentsu international has created a new structure for its creative service line in India. The restructure will bring together some of India’s best agencies along with their digital &amp; PR capabilities - all from the house of dentsu - under one umbrella with an aim to provide a more collaborative and aligned offering to clients. The brands that will come together as part of this redesign as dentsu Creative include Dentsu Webchutney, Taproot Dentsu, WATConsult, Perfect Relations, Isobar, Dentsu One, Dentsu India and Dentsu Impact. With the eventual consolidation under the two strong global brands - dentsumcgarrybowen (dentsuMB) and Isobar, dentsu Creative will provide digital-native, brand-led, customer-centric, creative, and strategic solutions to clients, effortlessly. In India, the dentsu Creative service line will be led by Amit Wadhwa as its chief executive officer (CEO). Amit will be responsible for the integration, co-ordination, and implementation of the overall strategy for dentsu Creative in the market. He will lead the dentsu India creative service line leadership team, reporting into Anand Bhadkamkar and the regional dentsu Creative leadership. Sidharth Rao, in addition to his current responsibilities, will now also be in charge of the brand dentsuMB Group in India as its CEO. He will work with the leadership team on dentsuMB’s brand strategy for the market. Shamsuddin Jasani, who continues to oversee the Isobar brand in South Asia as its Managing Director (MD), will also take on an additional role at dentsu Creative. He will now work with the regional and global leadership teams to support the Isobar practice area and will work closely with the Isobar Global leadership team on the same. Speaking on the new development, Anand Bhadkamkar, CEO India said, “This global restructure is about consolidation of capabilities across our brands and businesses with an aim to bring the best of our services to our clients and provide those specialisms without any hassles. The idea is to ultimately stand true to our #OneDentsu strategy and thus, transform into a sharper and leaner business partner to brands. The changes in the India leadership team only reflects a step ahead in bolstering and scaling up our market ambitions. Amit, Sid and Shams are amongst the strongest creative leaders not just within dentsu but across industry; and with the kind of experience and knowledge backing them, I am certain that they will steer dentsu towards excellence not just in India but beyond.” The network has elevated Narayan Devanathan as President - Strategy &amp; Integration for India, in addition to his current role as CEO, dentsu Solutions. This new role is designed to support and achieve dentsu’s strategic objectives by defining, implementing, and driving growth and other vital initiatives for the market. He will continue to report into Anand Bhadkamkar for his additional responsibility as part of the India market leadership team. Meanwhile, Narayan will now also don a regional hat as APAC Head for the dentsu Creative Strategy &amp; Consulting practice. “Narayan has been instrumental in driving integration across our units and, as part of the South Asia integration initiatives, he will be supporting the Sri Lanka team in strategy and integration across the two markets. He will now be moving away from his current additional role as Chairperson, Creative Service Line for India and will take up a regional leadership role as APAC Lead - Strategy &amp; Consulting Practice in the creative service line. In this role, he will be working with the Regional and Global leadership teams within the creative service line to help develop the area of Strategy &amp; Consulting Practice in the APAC region,” Anand added.

Dentsu India consolidates eight agencies under dentsu Creative, brings digital and PR capabilities together; Amit Wadhwa to lead the new structure as CEO

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

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

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

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