Vodafone Idea has announced the launch of an all-in-one entertainment app - Vi Movies and TV, for its subscribers to consume live TV and OTT content. 

The app will include over 13 apps and 400 live TV channels, along with complementary access to multiple content libraries, reported ET. 

The subscription cost for the app will be Rs. 202 for prepaid users and Rs. 199 for postpaid users, the company stated. It further said that the app aims to be a one stop shop for viewers, simplifying viewing experiences by offering one subscription for multiple platforms. 

The app will include platforms such as Disney+ Hotstar, SonyLiv, Manorama Max, NammaFlix, Klikk, Chaupal and Playflix, among more. TV channels offered on the app include Discovery, Aaj Tak, Republic Bharat, ABP and India Today, among more. Complementary content library access for Shemaroo and Hungama will also be included. 

The app will be accessible via smartphones, smart TV’s and the web. Subscribers will be able to watch two streams simultaneously across all included OTT platforms. 



Vodafone Idea announces new all-in-one entertainment app: One subscription for multiple platforms

The app will include over 13 apps and 400 live TV channels, along with complementary access to multiple content libraries, reported ET.

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Mother's Day is a celebration honoring the influence of mothers in society, motherhood, and maternal bonds. It's a day to appreciate and thank mothers for their love, care, and sacrifices. As Mother's Day approaches, let's take a look at some heartwarming campaigns by brands that are celebrating motherhood through their advertisements.  

Brand- Prega News 

Prega News is celebrating Mother's Day 2024 by supporting a couple's choice when it comes to having a second child. Their campaign, #LetThemDecide, highlights the importance of respecting every mother's decision and wishes them a fulfilling motherhood journey. 

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Brand- Mother Dairy 

 Mother Dairy's #MaaJaisi campaign beautifully captures the essence of motherhood. It recognizes that there is a little bit of mother in everyone, whether it's a father, a friend, or even a stranger. The campaign, with lyrics by Gulzar Sahab and music by Shor Police, celebrates everything that is "like a mother."

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Brand- Teleflora 

Teleflora's "MotHER: A Teleflora Love Story" celebrates mothers for who they are beyond just being mothers. It acknowledges their ambitions, adventures, and wild spirit, emphasizing that motherhood is just one part of their identity. 

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Brand- Tiffany & Co. 

Tiffany & Co.'s Mother's Day campaign honors mothers with meaningful gifts. From 18k gold and diamond bracelets to diamond rings, Tiffany & Co. celebrates the everlasting bond shared between mothers and their children.  

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Kae4VQV-BeE?si=NpwEwzBpzrF63EUw" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Brand- Swiggy 

Swiggy's "Delighting Your Mom" campaign revolves around siblings competing to delight their mother with special treats delivered through Swiggy Food. The campaign highlights the joy of making mothers feel loved and special on Mother's Day. 

Brand- Zomato 

Zomato's Mother's Day campaign features the comedic talent of Johnny Lever, adding a humorous touch to celebrating mothers. Lever nostalgically recalls his famous dialogue, "Abhi maza aayega na bhidu," from the film Phir Hera Pheri, making Mother's Day unforgettable.  

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Prestige Group’s Akshaya Tritiya campaign aims to educate people that real estate offers stability and tangible benefits that Gold can’t match. The old age tradition of investing in gold is now related to market sentiment, uncertainties, loss, theft, etc. 

On the other hand, real estate provides enduring value through rental income, tax advantages, and potential for capital appreciation. 

Investing in real estate this Akshaya Tritiya presents an opportunity to diversify portfolios and secure long-term financial stability. Whether it's purchasing a home for personal use, investing in rental properties, or exploring commercial ventures, real estate offers a resilient and wealth-building asset class, stated the company.


<strong>Read More:</strong> <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/advertising/bandhan-life-insurance-launches-maa-ki-udaan-bandhan-se-campaign-ahead-of-mothers-day-31269.htm">Bandhan Life Insurance launches 'Maa Ki Udaan, Bandhan Se' campaign ahead of Mother's Day</a>

Prestige Group rolls out an Akshaya Tritiya campaign on the pros of real estate investment

National Technology Day is celebrated annually on May 11 to celebrate India’s achievements in the science and technology. National Technology Day is celebrated every year on May 11. This date was chosen to mark the anniversary of the successful nuclear tests conducted at Pokhran on May 11, 1998.

On this occasion, chief marketing officers, founders and other experts from diverse sectors share their views on the role technology is playing in marketing. Read on.

<strong>Mayank Kumar, Co-founder and MD, upGrad</strong>

As a marketer in 2024, you have ample tech solutions at your disposal, presenting massive opportunities. But has this abundance led to decision paralysis and overwhelmed teams?

There exist 11,000 digital tools available for driving marketing strategies, that streamline workflows, optimise campaigns, and boost overall performance. However, the abundance of choices has presented a challenge for marketers, leading to a phenomenon akin to the paradox of choice. With thousands of softwares catering to various aspects of marketing, from analytics and automation to content management and customer relationship management, marketers often find themselves grappling with the challenge of selecting the most suitable solutions for their needs.

As per reports, 22% of businesses fail due to not having a solid executive marketing strategy, highlighting a significant skill gap at managerial levels. To address this, businesses must adopt a strategic approach to leveraging tech for marketing, improving decision-making, and implementing better strategies.

Establishing clear marketing objectives and aligning investments with these goals is most crucial.

Tools such as HubSpot for CRM and automation, Google Analytics for data analytics, and Adobe Creative Suite for content creation can be particularly useful in this regard. Additionally, investing in comprehensive training and support for team members can mitigate the risks of decision paralysis, ensuring martech investments deliver maximum value. Empowering the team with necessary skills and knowledge to leverage tools effectively can drive campaign success and higher ROI. Lastly, robust data management and integration strategies are vital for gaining holistic insights from martech tools. 

Platforms like Salesforce for CRM integration and Zapier for workflow automation streamline processes and facilitate seamless communication between tools.
While the abundance of tech tools offers vast opportunities, it requires careful consideration and strategic planning. Senior executives must prioritise serious team and self upskilling while balancing tech pursuits to maximise returns on existing investments, ultimately establishing a sustainable tech-led
marketing strategy.

<strong>Surabhi Sharma, Senior Director of Marketing, Hero Vired</strong>

Technology has become the backbone of modern marketing, transforming old 'spray and pray' methods into chiselled, data-driven strategies. This shift means marketing is no longer about reaching as many people as possible but rather about reaching the right set of people. Advanced analytics tools and access to vast data allow us to dive deep into consumer behaviour, preferences, and trends. With these rich insights, we can craft campaigns that are not only targeted but also deeply resonant with specific audience segments.

Across all facets of Marketing, technology plays an integral role - aiding sharper targeting and richer analytics. In the case of social media, technology provides marketers with tools for trend research and optimization. Content marketing and creation has changed for the better due to Generative AI tools, making it easier to create, curate, and hyper-personalize content. Reach and conversion rates can be better optimized as Machine Learning algorithms continuously evaluate data to improve and optimize advertising campaigns making them impactful and economical. 

<strong>Russhabh R Thakkar, Founder and CEO, Frodoh World</strong>

We stream endless content across our smartphones, smart TVs and an array of connected devices. We order our daily essentials like groceries and meals via a tap on quick commerce apps. Our lives are increasingly tethered to these digital surfaces and real-time services that have reshaped how we work, play, shop and consume.

This metamorphosis has profound implications for marketing and advertising. If I had to sum it up, I did say tech enables us to put the consumer at the centre in amazingly personalized and contextual ways, at an unprecedented scale. In the ad-tech space specifically, the mobile marketing revolution has empowered this new era of anytime, anywhere engagement. Using AI, machine learning, and rich behavioural data, we can map intricate customer journeys and intent signals across channels.

This allows laser-focused messaging that drives far higher relevance and resonance than ever before possible.

But technology alone isn’t enough. In this ecosystem of fragmented attention and ad-saturation, we have to establish true authenticity and emotional connections with audiences, not just precisely target them. There is an art and science to integrating adtech, martech, and data assets into smooth,
full-funnel brand experiences. Perhaps most critically, we have a responsibility to consumers when it comes to data privacy,
consent, and transparency. Building and preserving trust is paramount as brands become personal data stewards. We have to clearly communicate mutually-beneficial value exchanges.

The cutting edge marries analytic effectiveness with creative ingenuity - harmonizing technology’s exponential scale with the humanistic art of storytelling to forge marketing future.

<strong>Vineet Chugh, Head of Marketing, Queue Buster </strong>

In the modern digital landscape, technology isn't merely an option; it's a fundamental necessity. This is why many marketers now refer to themselves as Mar-tech leaders. When incorporating technology into my marketing mix, I adhere to the CARE model:

<strong>Content: </strong>Tools like ChatGPT, Midjourney, Wordpress, and Canva are commonly used by marketers for content creation.

<strong>Analyse: </strong>Robust reporting tools such as Google Analytics, SEMRush, and Moz facilitate informed decision-making by providing comprehensive data insights.

<strong>Retain:</strong> Acquiring customers is one thing, but retaining them is another challenge altogether. Tools like Salesforce, Freshdesk, and WhatsApp aid in customer retention and engagement.

<strong>Entice:</strong> Attracting customers is essential in marketing. Social media platforms like Instagram, LinkedIn, and advertising platforms such as Google Ads are instrumental in enticing users.

A marketer without a technology stack is like a carpenter without their tools. While they may have the skills and knowledge to create effective marketing strategies, technology enables hyper-personalisation, automation, speed, informed decision making and highly scalable outputs. 

<strong>Abhishek Gupta, Chief Marketing Officer, Edelweiss Tokio Life Insurance</strong>

Thanks to Data analytics businesses can tap into the consumer psyche like never before. Marketers can now predict consumer behaviour to an impressive degree and offer personalized or customized solutions to them. Technology is also helping retail businesses like insurance to offer superior distributor experience. For instance, Edelweiss Tokio Life has deployed a platform called DigiTools, which allows quick and easy access to personalized communication to the distributor. This has improved their quality and speed of engagement with the customer.

Technology has also led to many risks like deep fake videos and photos, data privacy concerns and much more. While there are certainly many benefits of technology, the primary challenge for Marketers right now is navigating the challenges erupting in this digital era. 

<strong>Prajnyasis Biswal (PB), CMO, BharatBox</strong>

The adoption of blockchain technology and NFTs is a strategic choice backed by compelling data. For instance, NFT market sales volume alone stood at over $64 million in value, at the time of discussion for this topic, and the immersive experience sector is forecasted to grow exponentially. By embedding these technologies into marketing strategies, brands can capitalize on these burgeoning trends, create a hub where technology and traditional cultural elements fuse to offer a unique value proposition.

Blockchain technology helps create an ecosystem which is both dynamic and user - centric. This will allow users to not be passive consumers but be active participants who shape and engage with the cultural narrative directly. This engagement is further incentivized through blockchain, enhancing user interaction and retention—key metrics that are soon to break traditional media records.

<strong>Minhaz Fatima, marketing consultant</strong>

Using tech to solve consumer problems is something I have enjoyed doing and I’ve enjoyed watching other brands do. Cadbury’s Diwali piece supporting small businesses is one of my favourite examples. It's tech used in such a beautiful way to do more.  During my time at Fi, our team used an Instagram story hack to highlight and talk about financial abuse. All of these pieces happened because tech and human insights came together to make on something much, much bigger. I'm going to leave AI out of this because even machines need a break.

<strong>Salim Ali, CMO, Gupshup</strong>

The rise of social media and digital marketing platforms has further helped marketers broaden the reach. Advertisers can now leverage the power of platforms like Google Ads and Facebook Ads to deliver highly-targeted and cost-effective campaigns, reaching customers across multiple channels and devices. Add to that the AI powered realm of Conversational Marketing driven by chatbots and virtual assistants, has enabled businesses to have personalized, two-way dialogues with their customers, delivering prompt responses and tailored content. The impact of technology on marketing has been profound, enabling companies to reach customers more directly, efficiently, and personally than ever before.

Gupshup's Conversation Cloud, for example, is a comprehensive suite of SaaS tools designed to facilitate artificial intelligence-backed B2C conversations. It consists of three key modules including Conversation, Advertise and Communicate. The suit enables businesses to create personalized, two-way dialogues with their customers through AI-powered chatbots and virtual assistants. This not only improves customer experience but also drives sales and fosters brand loyalty. 

<strong>Nimish Agrawal, Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, Niva Bupa</strong>

Technology is helping marketers reach out to a wider audience at a fraction of the cost. Generative AI in chatbots can explain the category and product to the consumer in their local language, thus reducing the dependency on the on-ground local workforce. Similarly, with the help of various tools, we can translate and customize content in multiple regional languages for better adoption, thereby reducing time and effort. Today, technology is also enhancing the efficiency and quality of social media content, emailers, SEO and SEM. It is helping us run segmented campaigns to capture leads and use personalized marketing to keep the customer engaged and informed.

<strong>Veda Iyer, Global CMO, Head Hyperscalers & Strategic Partnerships, Head Sales-APAC, Mphasis</strong>

One significant shift brought by technology is the emphasis on personalized communication. Marketing has evolved from traditional channels like TV and print ads to digital platforms, including podcasts, webinars, and virtual events. This shift allows for more effective B2B to B2C communication. However, to truly resonate, digital marketing needs to be concise and focused, avoiding unnecessary fluff. Brands will continue using AI to create hyper-personalized experiences that are deeply meaningful to each customer, in addition to segment-based targeting. To truly customize marketing messages and experiences, it is necessary to have a detailed understanding of each person's needs, preferences, and aspirations.


<strong>Alekhya Chakrabarty, VP - Marketing, Unstop</strong>

Today, as we celebrate National Technology Day, it's a good time to reflect on how innovation fuels our skilled workforce. We know from the National Employability Report that many of our brilliant engineers need more support to reach their full potential. Let's embrace the technology that can bridge this gap, creating platforms that connect eager learners with the training they need to thrive. Imagine a future where every talented individual has the opportunity to hone their skills and contribute to India's innovative spirit. And as marketers, let's celebrate the tech tools that help us connect with our audience on a deeper, more personal level. From AI that tailors experiences to virtual worlds that spark the imagination, we're at the forefront of a marketing revolution that's changing how we engage and inspire. Together, let's embrace this exciting era of innovation and use it to empower both our workforce and our marketing strategies.


<strong>Jairaj Bhattacharya, Co-founder and Managing Director of ConveGenius</strong>

National Technology Day serves as a pivotal reminder that technology propels us forward. Introducing innovation early is like planting seeds in fertile ground—it cultivates curiosity and competence in our youth. It is essential that our educational institutions prioritize technological literacy, nurturing and expanding these young minds to build for tomorrow.


In essence, technology has not just transformed marketing, it has revolutionized it. It is no longer about one-way communication but dialogue between brands and consumers








On the occasion of Mother’s Day, Bandhan Life Insurance has launched a campaign titled ‘Maa Ki Udaan, Bandhan Se’, celebrating the powerful, unspoken bond between mothers and children. 

The digital film has been conceptualised by Havas CX India and will be distributed across various online platforms, including social media channels.

The film story follows a mother whose day is disrupted by a case of the hiccups. Despite her best efforts, nothing seems to work until her son returns home with a bruised elbow. As she kneels to care for him, her hiccups vanish – a reminder of a mother's protective nature and the unique connection she shares with her child.

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Akhil Almeida, Head of Marketing, Bandhan Life, said, “The campaign emphasises the importance of strong relationships in navigating life's uncertainties, echoing our brand's commitment to empower individuals through security and connection. The film not only celebrates the ‘first shield of protection’ mothers provide but also encourages them to trust Bandhan Life as their second shield – life insurance. It is a testament to our commitment to emotional and financial security and our mission to empower individuals to live with confidence and peace of mind.”

Ashu Mhatre, Head of Creative, Havas CX India, said, “If I were to ask you, who’s your first insurance, it’ll take you a while to wrap your head around the question, but when you do, without hesitation, you'd say your mother. This new thinking towards life insurance is what Bandhan Life is all about - a promise of a secure, safe India, and its ambitions taking flight. In its first story, we've explored the bond a mother shares with her kids. An unsaid bond, or Bandhan in this case, that can be felt even when they're miles apart. All we had to do was bring this beautiful story to life. After this, you never know, you might be the reason your mother is hiccupping today.”


Bandhan Life Insurance launches 'Maa Ki Udaan, Bandhan Se' campaign ahead of Mother's Day

DBS Bank India was announced as the exclusive banking partner for “Srikanth,” a biopic that chronicles the story of Srikanth Bolla, a visually impaired Indian industrialist. The film, starring Rajkummar Rao, Jyothika, Alaya F, Sharad Kelkar, sheds light on Bolla's determination and resilience as he overcame challenges to establish Bollant Industries, an eco-friendly company that empowers the differently abled.

DBS Bank India will leverage this partnership through strategic in-film branding, co-branded videos, and social media contests. The bank will extend the reach of this collaboration through branding across its branches and offices, fostering a deeper connection with employees and customers alike. Select customers from the bank participated in a meet-and- greet session with the lead actor. Srikanth Bolla is also scheduled to speak at the upcoming
Mumbai chapter of DBS Business Class, founded a forum that celebrates modern-day founders and innovators while fostering entrepreneurship.

Commenting on the association, Shoma Narayanan, Managing Director, and Head - Group Strategic Marketing &amp; Communications, DBS Bank India, said, “DBS Bank India is honoured to be associated with “Srikanth” and to share this remarkable story with our customers and the wider community. It is inspiring to witness the journey of Bollant Industries, an enterprise dedicated to fostering both economic growth and societal good, unfold on the big screen. The film is a powerful reminder to trust our abilities, overcome challenges, and pursue our dreams, and we are confident that it will leave a lasting impact.&quot;

A spokesperson from T-Series Films said, “We are happy to associate with DBS Bank India on this very special movie, “Srikanth”, that promotes inclusivity for all.”

DBS Bank India becomes exclusive banking partner for “Srikanth"

The domestic smartphone market grew 8 percent YoY (year-on-year) in Q1 2024 in terms of volume, with a significant shift towards the premium segment, according to the latest research from Counterpoint’s Monthly India Smartphone Tracker. For the first time premium smartphones captured a 20 percent share in terms of volume and a 51 percent share of the overall market value. The trend reflects a growing consumer preference for high-end devices (priced at Rs 30,000 and above). 

The firm noted that more than one-third of mid-tier consumers are willing to upgrade to the premium segment. Factors driving this trend include affordable financing schemes, better value for trade-ins, and bundled schemes, along with the demand for top-tier features such as AI, gaming, and imaging enhancements.

Overall, the smartphone shipments in the  quarter grew 18 percent in terms of value, in the domestic market. While the volume growth of 8 percent was primarily driven by healthy inventory levels and the low base of Q1 2023, value growth was driven by the ongoing premiumisation trend and new launches during the quarter, such as the Samsung Galaxy S24 and OnePlus 12 series.

Samsung led the chart with 25 percent volume share and 23 percent in terms of value, closely followed by iPhone maker Apple with 19 percent volume and 22 percent share in value terms. At $425, Samsung’s ASP was its highest ever, driven by its leading position in the less than Rs 20,000 segment. This can be attributed to a stronger mix of its newly launched Galaxy S24 series due to its features such as GenAI, and the newly revamped A series, along with the increasing popularity of Samsung’s financing schemes. Apple, on the other hand, also had a record quarter in India in terms of value, leading the premium segment both in value and volume terms, driven by the latest iPhone 15 series, especially in offline channels. During the quarter, vivo also captured one of the top spots by volume for the first time ever, with a 19 percent share driven by its 5G leadership and CMF (Color, Material, Finish) positioning, along with strong imaging capabilities. 

“The onset of 2024 brought a promising start for OEMs, with better inventory levels allowing them to fill channels with multiple new launches. However, sales were less than expected due to a drop in retail footfalls and a section of consumers cutting down on discretionary spending,” said Research Analyst, Shubham Singh.
Going forward, the firm expects the India’s smartphone market to grow in single digits in 2024, driven by strong premiumisation, 5G adoption and post-COVID upgrades.


India smartphone market grows 8 percent in Q1, premium segment captures 20 percent share of volume

Boldfit has unveiled its new logo. 

The new logo is more than just a change in aesthetic; it aims to inspire and empower individuals on their fitness journey.

Titled, The Flex, the new logo showcases modernity and dynamism. With a sleek and simplified design, it stands for agility and dedication, mirroring the values and aspirations of every fitness enthusiast. The new logo has bold typography and a refreshed colour palette and pays homage to the brand’s ‘yoga’ beginnings.

"We are thrilled to introduce our new logo, which encapsulates the essence of Boldfit's mission," said Pallav Bihani, founder of Boldfit. "It's not merely a visual change; it signifies our deep-rooted commitment to revolutionising the fitness industry and providing cutting-edge solutions to our customers. The Flex takes inspiration from every accomplished fitness enthusiast – showcasing to the world years of toil and sweat in full glory.  As we continue to expand our product offerings and reach new markets, our new logo serves as a reminder to dream big and play bold. It represents our dedication to reaching new heights and solidifying our position as India’s #1 fitness and sports brand."



Adobe released online shopping data for the first four months of 2024, covering the period from Jan. 1 to Apr. 30, 2024. Based on Adobe Analytics data, the report provides the most comprehensive view into U.S. e-commerce by analyzing commerce transactions online, covering over one trillion visits to U.S. retail sites, 100 million SKUs and 18 product categories. Adobe Analytics is part of Adobe Experience Cloud, relied upon by over 85 percent of the top 100 internet retailers in the U.S.* to deliver, measure and personalize shopping experiences online.

E-commerce growth remains resilient 

Consumers spent $331.6 billion online from Jan. 1 to Apr. 30, 2024, up 7 percent year-over-year (YoY). The growth has been supported by stable spend in discretionary categories including electronics and apparel, along with a continued surge in grocery shopping online. Adobe expects the first half of 2024 to drive over $500 billion in spend online, representing 6.8 percent YoY growth.

In the first four months of the year, consumers spent $61.8 billion online for electronics (up 3.1 percent YoY) and $52.5 billion for apparel (up 2.6 percent YoY). Despite the modest YoY uptick, both categories account for 34.5 percent of overall e-commerce spend and helped maintain topline growth. This was further bolstered by groceries, which drove $38.8 billion online and rose significantly at 15.7 percent YoY growth. 

Another rising category online has been cosmetics, which Adobe is profiling for the first time; the category drove $35 billion in online spend in 2023, with YoY growth at 15.6 percent. The upward trend has continued, with consumers spending $13.2 billion online for cosmetics in 2024 thus far, up 8 percent YoY. 

“In an unpredictable economic environment, the latest data from Adobe Analytics shows continued resilience in the digital economy, as consumers embrace new categories online,” said Vivek Pandya, lead analyst, Adobe Digital Insights. “Groceries is a standout, and Adobe expects that in the next three years, the category will be a dominant force in e-commerce that is on par with electronics and apparel in revenue share.”

Consumers are trading down to cheaper goods online

Months of persistent inflation has led shoppers to embrace cheaper goods across major e-commerce categories. For each category tracked by Adobe, prices were separated into four quartiles from the highest to lowest prices. Shares of units sold in the most expensive and least expensive quartiles were then tracked from January 2019 to April 2024.

Adobe found the share of the cheapest goods increased significantly across categories including personal care (up 96 percent), electronics (up 64 percent), apparel (up 47 percent), home/garden (up 42 percent), furniture/bedding (up 42 percent), and grocery (up 33 percent). On the other hand, the share of cheapest goods increased less dramatically in sporting goods (up 28 percent), appliances (up 26 percent), tools/home improvement (up 26 percent) and toys (up 25 percent)—categories bolstered by brand loyalty or a stronger desire for consumers to invest in products of the highest quality. 

Adobe also put a finer point on revenue impact: Within a category like groceries, the data showed that goods with low inflation saw revenue grow by 13.4 percent, while products with high inflation saw revenue drop by 15.6 percent. The effect was less pronounced in a category such as cosmetics (revenue up 3.06 percent for low-inflation goods, down only 0.34 percent for high-inflation goods), as consumers exhibit stronger loyalty for their favorite brands.

Buy Now Pay Later growth continues

Consumers have continued to embrace Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) for greater flexibility in managing their budgets. From January to April 2024, $25.9 billion of e-commerce spend was driven by BNPL, up a notable 11.8 percent from the same period last year. Adobe expects strong growth through the remainder of year, with BNPL set to drive between $81 billion and $84.8 billion in 2024, putting YoY growth between 8 percent and 13 percent. 

Additional Adobe Analytics Insights

Online shopping becoming mobile-first. In the 2023 holiday shopping season, revenue share from mobile surpassed desktop for the first time at 51 percent (peaking on Christmas Day at 61 percent). The trend is expected to continue in 2024; in the first four months of 2024, mobile drove $156.9 billion in online spend, up an impressive 9.8 percent YoY. In the next holiday season (Nov. - Dec. 2024), Adobe expects mobile to overtake desktop again at 52.5 percent share of revenue online. 

Retailers' marketing investments: Across major marketing channels, paid search remained the biggest driver of sales for retailers so far this year (28.2 percent of online sales attributable to that channel). Direct web visits (19.6 percent), affiliates/partners (17.1 percent), organic search (15.9 percent) and email (15.4 percent) were also major contributors. Revenue directly attributable to social media remained at less than 5 percent of total sales, but that share has grown at 5.2 percent YoY. On the other hand, organic search has declined by 5.6 percent YoY, currently driving 15.9 percent of total sales.Impact of inflation Strong consumer spending this year has been driven by net-new demand, as opposed to higher prices. The Adobe Digital Price Index, which tracks online prices across 18 product categories (complements the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Consumer Price Index, which also includes prices for offline only products and services such as gasoline and rent) shows that e-commerce prices have fallen for over a year now (down 5.6 percent YoY in April 2024). Adobe’s numbers are not adjusted for inflation, but if online inflation were factored in, there would be even higher growth in topline consumer spend.    


E-commerce spend grows to $331.6 billion, as consumers trade down to cheaper goods online: Adobe

The Indian Garage Co (TIGC) has teamed up with its brand ambassador and cricketer, Suryakumar Yadav, aka SKY, for a campaign, "Be Your Own Sky". 

The “Be Your Own Sky” campaign kicked off with Suryakumar Yadav (SKY), exclusively represented by RISE Worldwide,  narrating his inspirational journey on his Instagram page, recounting how his struggles never defined him, and how he forged his path to success on his own terms. 

The campaign is amplified by the  #NeverGivesUpChallenge and in a touching gesture, SKY nominated his wife, Devisha Shetty, as his source of inspiration, who relentlessly pushes him to be better. He further invited others to nominate or tag someone they know for the  #NeverGivesUpChallenge, to be inspired and learn from. 

Suryakumar Yadav made a debut in a rap star persona, captivating audiences as he danced to a beat, showcasing the streetwear collection by TIGC. 

Anant Tanted, Founder & CEO, of TIGC, said, "SKY’s meteoric rise in cricket despite facing numerous challenges resonates deeply with our brand ethos of resilience and empowerment. We aim to ignite that same spirit of determination within our community, encouraging them to embrace their uniqueness and never give up on their dreams.``

Suryakumar Yadav highlighted that, “Inspiration can come from anywhere, and I found mine right next to me. Through the “NeverGivesUpChallenge, I look forward to seeing the stories, which will also serve as an inspiration to everyone, including me. If my journey can inspire anyone to discover their resilience and determination, I’ll feel immensely fulfilled.”   


The Indian Garage Co launches 'Be Your Own Sky' with brand ambassador Suryakumar Yadav

Swiggy has launched a Mothers' Day campaign titled "Delighting Your Mom”. 

The campaign revolves around the theme of siblings competing to delight their mom with special treats, all delivered through Swiggy Food.
 
Set within an Indian household, the film opens in a living room, where a mother is seen scrolling through her phone. Her son then surprises her with a chocolate pastry, followed by her daughter presenting a heart-shaped cake. The siblings exchange a knowing glance, and the competition begins. From photo cakes to cupcakes forming the word 'MOM,' the film showcases the siblings' efforts to outdo each other in making their mother feel loved.
 
Ashwath Swaminathan, CGMO, Swiggy said, "'Delighting your Mom’ encapsulates the spirit of Mother's Day in a fun yet relatable manner. We have shown in a gamified way two siblings showering their mom with love and trying to outdo each other. The idea demonstrates how Swiggy plays a role in providing joy on special days like Mother’s Day by making it more convenient.”


Swiggy launches 'Delighting Your Mom' campaign ahead of Mother's Day

Trade Desk has released a report titled ‘Elevating your Digital Marketing Strategy with AI’. As per the report, media fragmentation can fuel growth for audience-centric advertising. There are many advertisers who are seeking greater agility and cross-channel measurement capabilities.


The report also highlighted that the scale of the open internet was prioritised over the convenience of walled gardens.


A transformation has been unfolding since the early 2010s. Programmatic advertising emerged and flipped the script on conventional methods by marrying data and automation.


Digital advertising has transitioned from relying on guesswork to making data-informed decisions that power the delivery of more relevant ad impressions. As per the report, programmatic has since set the tone for ad agreements, where direct deals take place between advertisers and media owners, including social platforms. 


Many advertising leaders are convinced that the audience-led programmatic approach is a significant advancement in data-driven advertising. They are urging brands to pivot. Only 15 percent of India’s advertising spend is funnelled into the open internet, indicating a significant untapped opportunity for brands looking to connect with audiences where they spend their time, stated the report.


As per Anil Pandit, EVP, Head of Programmatic, Data, and Tech Publicis Media, “If you’re looking to layer multiple attributes, the best strategy is private marketplaces and open market. Unlike PG, they provide the control needed for precise targeting. The open market also helps you maximise outcomes when you have to achieve multiple KPIs.”


According to Om Jha, head of media strategies and partnerships PepsiCo, “Given the heavily fragmented nature of India’s media ecosystem, programmatic advertising is essential to reaching audiences effectively.”


The programmatic landscape is adapting to advertiser calls for greater agility and the ability to measure ads across channels. These demands reflect the need for a more open and accountable advertising ecosystem.


Modern programmatic, an advancement from the conventional PG approach, empowers brands to assess and compare ad performance across different channels on the open internet such as news/websites, music streaming, OTT/CTV, and online gaming. In this way, advertisers can allocate budgets in a more effective manner for optimal outcomes.


Arvind B Sainath, head of marketing effectiveness and media/digital planning, Diageo, stated, “When it comes to PG, assessing ad performance is akin to students grading their own homework. I’d much prefer the objectivity of the open internet. The independence and transparency that come from external verification give credence to our success.” 


Shashidhar Sharma, head of programmatic, GroupM, said, “Programmatic advertising has changed the way brands orchestrate their presence across display, video, mobile, and social media. This multi-channel approach ensures a cohesive brand experience that reflects the diverse preferences of the Indian consumer.”


A striking 600 million consumers in India are spending their time surfing the vast expanse of the open internet. The open internet is not controlled by any individual, business, or government body. It refers to online media properties (websites, platforms, and apps) across gaming, news, blogs, music, and OTT/CTV.


Walled gardens are closed ecosystems that are controlled by a few tech giants. They own the content and media and have full control of the technology used to target, place, and measure ads. These include Google, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, etc.


Prabhvir Sahmey, Senior Director, Samsung Ads, stated, “Programmatic advertising has transformed the way we launch large-scale campaigns. It allows us to connect with a vast audience rapidly, bypassing the slower, traditional publisher-by-publisher approach.”


Brands advertising on OTT/CTV are 33 percent more likely to be perceived as premium compared to video ads on walled gardens.


Consumers are also 17 percent more likely to purchase products advertised on news/ websites compared to ads on social media.


Projections indicate that global programmatic ad spend will likely reach $919 billion by 2027, and 84 percent of this spend will be transacted programmatically. Notably, India’s programmatic ad spend share grew 72 percent in the past five years (2019 to 2023) and is expected to encompass 44 percent of all digital ad spend in the country by the end of 2024.


<strong>Read More:</strong> <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/how-it-works/godrej-reports-net-loss-of-rs-1893-crore-for-the-march-quarter-30893.htm">Godrej reports net loss of Rs 1,893 crore for the March quarter</a>

600 million Indian consumers embrace the open internet: Trade Desk

Microblogging platform X will now allow users to limit replies to verified users. Elon Musk had announced this move on May 5, in an attempt to avoid spams and bots.


Taking to X, where he replied to a post put out by DogeDesigner on the latest update, he said, “This will improve the quality of your replies.”


In the last few months, as per a media report, there was a rise in spam and porn bots which led to an increase in fake accounts.


X's decline in user engagement might be fuelling LinkedIn's rise as a platform for social discussions. Traditionally known for professional networking, LinkedIn is witnessing a surge in activity with thought leaders especially corporates across board engaging in conversations on diverse topics be it marketing, advertising, funding winter or job losses.


When Meta launched Threads, an online social media and social networking service, in July 2023, there was speculation it would dethrone X. While that discussion trended for a while, it fizzled out.


Ironically, it wasn't Threads, but LinkedIn that emerged as a surprising contender.


Research from data analytics platform SimilarWeb supports this shift. According to them, as of March 2024, LinkedIn’s web traffic grew by 10.6 percent year-over-year. On the other hand, X saw a decline of 15.2 percent suggesting a potential migration of users.


<strong>Read More:</strong> <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/brand-marketing/is-linkedin-emerging-as-a-bigger-threat-than-threads-for-x-30797.htm">Is LinkedIn emerging as a bigger threat than Threads for X?</a> 

X to limit replies to verified users only

AI in marketing is no longer an isolated case study or a gimmicky fad, it is now a full fledged job and companies are recruiting specialists for it. Not engineers specialising in AI but marketers specialising in the subject. HCLTech is in the market for an AI leader in their global marketing team. This is the first time the IT company is looking to recruit in this role. 


The job title for this new global position is 'AI Leader', reporting jointly to the Global Head of Capability Marketing with a matrix line to the Global CMO of HCLTech, reflecting the strategic importance of the company's new AI offerings.


The marketing lead will play a critical role in partnering with the company's business leads and product managers to strategically position and define go-to-market strategy and plans for various new products in the GenAI space, including HCLTech AI Force. 


Key responsibilities for the role include identifying client needs, developing AI-driven solutions, and shaping the company's AI-led business strategies globally. 


Additionally, the role requires active participation in the AI community through knowledge sharing and industry events. 


Alongside the usual communication and leadership skills and engineering and business administration degrees, the ideal candidate for this position would need extensive deep understanding of the evolving AI landscape.


“If you are passionate about driving innovation and leveraging AI to solve real-world business challenges, we encourage you to apply for this exciting opportunity,” said a social media post inviting applications for the role.
 

According to a recent KPMG report, global CEOs are making generative AI a top investment priority. The survey done by KPMG  shows that 70 percent are investing heavily in generative AI as their competitive edge for the future, with most (52 percent) expecting to see a return on their investment in three to five years. 


In fact, increased profitability was cited as the number one benefit of implementing generative AI within an organisation (22 percent). 


LinkedIn’s Global Talent Trends report from October 2023 said job posts on the platform that mention artificial intelligence or generative AI have seen 17 percent greater application growth over the past two years than job posts with no such mentions.


<strong>Read More:</strong> <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/quantum-brief/hcltech-to-drive-ai-related-conversations-at-world-economic-forum-2024-20098.htm">HCLTech to drive AI-related conversations at World Economic Forum 2024</a> 

Fad to full-time: HCLTech seeks marketing leader specialising in AI

Amazon.com, Inc. announced financial results for its first quarter ended March 31, 2024. Net sales increased 13% to $143.3 billion in the first quarter, compared with $127.4 billion in first quarter 2023. International segment sales increased 10% year-over-year to $31.9 billion, or increased 11% excluding changes in foreign exchange rates. North America segment sales increased 12% year-over-year to $86.3 billion. International segment sales increased 10% year-over-year to $31.9 billion, or increased 11% excluding changes in foreign exchange rates. AWS segment sales increased 17% year-over-year to $25.0 billion.

Operating income increased to $15.3 billion in the first quarter, compared with $4.8 billion in first quarter 2023. Net income increased to $10.4 billion in the first quarter. The company's revenue from advertising services was $11.8 billion in the first quarter, up from $9.5 billion in Q1 2023. In Q4 2024, however, the ad revenue was at $14.6 billion. 

“It was a good start to the year across the business, and you can see that in both our customer experience improvements and financial results,” said Andy Jassy, Amazon President and CEO. “The combination of companies renewing their infrastructure modernization efforts and the appeal of AWS’s AI capabilities is reaccelerating AWS’s growth rate (now at a $100 billion annual revenue run rate); our Stores business continues to expand selection, provide everyday low prices, and accelerate delivery speed (setting another record on speed for Prime customers in Q1) while lowering our cost to serve; and, our Advertising efforts continue to benefit from the growth of our Stores and Prime Video businesses." 

He added, "It’s very early days in all of our businesses and we remain excited by how much more we can make customers’ lives better and easier moving forward.”

In its highlights, Amazon listed the release of 20 films and series from Amazon MGM Studios, including the debut season of Fallout, which attracted more than 65 million viewers worldwide and has become the second most watched title ever on Prime Video through its first 16 days; Road House, which attracted more than 50 million viewers worldwide in its first two weekends streaming on Prime Video, the biggest debut ever for an Amazon MGM Studios-produced film; Hazbin Hotel, which had the most total global viewers on its opening weekend for a new animated series on Prime Video; and The Beekeeper, which ranked in the top-10 of theatrical releases by revenue globally in the first quarter.

The company also highlighted its plans to create a new series from MrBeast, the world’s most-subscribed YouTube creator. Beast Games is set to have 1,000 contestants competing for $5 million—the biggest single prize in the history of television and streaming. The series will premiere on Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories and is based on MrBeast’s popular show.

Amazon announced a global collaboration that will bring Fire TV to Panasonic’s new smart TVs. Customers will get the benefits of Fire TV’s personalized streaming and access to Alexa, combined with Panasonic’s smart TVs. Amazon also announced Matter Casting on Fire TV and Echo Show 15—an industry-first implementation of this practice. Matter Casting lets customers stream and control content on their television or streaming stick from their mobile app. Customers can begin watching a movie from Prime Video on their phone, and cast it to a compatible Fire TV or Echo Show 15 to continue watching on a bigger screen.

Amazon also highlighted its focus on AI across the company and its services. It announced the general availability of Amazon Q, the most capable generative AI-powered assistant for accelerating software development and leveraging companies’ internal data. It delivered a number of innovations in Amazon Bedrock (AWS’s generative AI service that enables customers to leverage an existing large language model, customize it with their own data, and have the easiest and best features available to deploy secure, high quality, low latency, cost-effective production generative AI apps). Tens of thousands of organizations worldwide are using Amazon Bedrock. There was also the extension of AWS and NVIDIA’s strategic collaboration to make AWS the best place to run NVIDIA GPUs, helping customers unlock new generative AI capabilities. 




Amazon Q1 Results: Revenue from advertising services hit $11.8 billion in the first quarter

The global smartwatch market has been growing rapidly for multiple years now driven by the explosion of basic smartwatches priced mostly under $100 and running proprietary or real-time operating system (RTOS)-type operating systems with basic functionality and applications. On the other hand, advanced smartwatches (those with High-Level Operating System or HLOS) have been growing steadily mostly driven by Apple and Samsung until now.

However, according to Counterpoint's latest global smartwatch tracker and forecast by region, brand and OS, the global HLOS smartwatch market is estimated to grow 15% annually in 2024 in terms of volume, after a flattish growth in 2023. The major part of this growth will come from non-Apple smartphone users adopting either a Google Wear OS-based smartwatch if outside China or a Huawei HarmonyOS-based smartwatch if in China.

For example, in the advanced smartwatch segment, Counterpoint estimates the Google Wear OS share outside China will climb to 27% in 2024. The growth will be primarily driven by the availability of more advanced smartwatches powered by Wear OS, like the latest adoption by Google Pixel and OnePlus Watch 2, along with the refreshed Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 series.

Commenting on the market performance, Senior Research Analyst Anshika Jain said, “Just as in the case of smartphones, where there is a shift toward premium devices in consumer buying patterns, we are witnessing that first-time smartwatch users or upgraders in the Android camp are now looking for a much better user experience and are willing to spend more when going for their next purchase. Due to this, we expect greater adoption of Google’s Android Wear (Wear OS) since these devices provide a robust third-party app experience, Google AI assistant, and precise health tracking, customization and battery optimization.”

Jain added, “Until now, most of the Wear OS adoption was driven by Samsung smartwatches, and there were limited mainstream options for Android smartphone users. However, starting this year, we are seeing Google and Qualcomm managing to attract their leading smartphone customers such as OnePlus, OPPO and Xiaomi to launch Wear OS-based smartwatches outside China at attractive high-tier price points. Further, Google’s own Pixel watches will also continue to contribute to the Wear OS adoption globally.

While there are emerging trends when it comes to OS and chipset strategies, smartwatch displays are becoming a key component for differentiation. Counterpoint company DSCC’s Senior Director David Naranjo said, “According to our smartwatch display panel shipments tracker, the advanced smartwatch, which mostly sports cutting-edge OLED and MicroLED displays, is bound to see an increase in orders for suppliers in the 16%-18% range in 2024 due to strong momentum after the second half of 2023 and the blended OLED panel pricing declining by 3% in addition to larger display sizes.”

Global advanced smartwatch market expected to see 15 percent annual growth in 2024

When Google announced a three-month delay in their timeline to deprecate the third-party cookies, the entire AdTech industry went on a tailspin this last week, justifiably so. Good or bad, right, or wrong, this is being seen as “crying wolf”, so more than the actual reasons for the extension, it is the subliminal “will they ever deprecate” worry that triggered this angst. 


Aqilliz is one of the affected parties, I must say, as we launched our company with a suite of solutions for the “world beyond cookies” and that world never came for more than four years! And there are many startups like ours, who are waiting for the so called “addressable market” to open up. Not just the startups, large organizations like The Trade Desk, Magnite, Pubmatic, InMobi, Affle etc., who have the Open Web as their addressable market are equally affected as well, because they too need to fine tune their solutions to be fit into the world beyond cookies. To be honest, there is no solution in sight at this moment. 


Keeping the emotions aside, if we must objectively look at why Google extended the deadline by three more months, there are two broad areas of concerns, the CMA has highlighted:


1. <strong>Proper Consent Management Platform:</strong> As late as 2019, when the first announcement to deprecation of cookies was announced, one of the key requirements from the alternative solution is in their ability to capture and carry consent across the supply chain. The CMA wants Google to make the consent interface clearer for Topics API, and make sure partners using Protected Audiences API and Attribution API get user consent. The report notes the ICO’s concern that the remarketing solution Protected Audience API will not incorporate many privacy-enhancing technologies until 2026, after the planned deprecation of third-party cookies. 


2. <strong>Neutrality and Transparency:</strong>  CMA says, we are discussing with Google what further restrictions may be applied on their use of first-party data to target and measure ads on Google’s owned and operated (O&O) inventory, which might indirectly force more of the industry into using Google’s own ad tech. It is particularly concerning that one solution to Protected Audiences API preferences is Google’s ad server and Google Ad Manager over other ad-tech tools. Google’s interest-based targeting solution Topics is fair to all publishers and is not biased toward Google. And it wants to ensure the attribution reporting API will always collect as little user data as possible. Google currently retains significant discretion over how Privacy Sandbox works,” the report says. “This creates a risk of self-preferencing.


Both the above points are absolutely spot on. If the Privacy Sandbox from Google does not meet these two requirements, it has totally failed in offering an alternative in their own ecosystem, after they have deprecated the third-party cookies. Proper consent management, neutrality and transparency are the corner stones of the data privacy regulations across all the countries. This explains, why Google has not postponed the deprecation of trackers with the Android ecosystem and stuck to the timelines, as it is easy to implement this on mobile phones vis a vis a desktop browser. 


But there is a larger question the begs an answer. Are the tech companies that are serving the OpenWeb ready to meet the same set of standards the CMA is demanding from Google? Can the alternative ID solutions that are in the marketplace offer the same standards of consent management, neutrality, and transparency? 


In my view, there are no solutions in sight that can honor the code of responsible use of consumer data, yet. Perhaps, legacy businesses, might not be able to pivot their products or solutions to meet these requirements. Everyone is trying to fit a square peg in a round hole, including but not limited to Google. 


IAB TechLab rightly called for a total rearchitecture of the digital advertising supply chain way back in 2019. We are still reading that paper only. Not done anything at all. Status quo is not affecting anybody, so why bother? 


<em><strong>Gowthaman Ragothaman is a 30-year media, advertising and marketing professional and CEO of Aqilliz, a blockchain solutions company for the marketing industry.</strong></em>


MAdtech Point: The truth behind the delay in the deprecation of cookies from Google

The UK's Financial Times has struck a strategic partnership and licensing agreement with Microsoft-backed OpenAI to enhance ChatGPT with attributed content, help improve its models’ usefulness by incorporating FT journalism, and collaborate on developing new AI products and features for FT readers, the Financial Times and OpenAI shared about the latest media tie-up.   

ChatGPT users will be able to see select attributed summaries, quotes and rich links to FT journalism in response to relevant queries, the report added. 

While the financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed, this latest expansion of media partnerships follows similar deals by OpenAI over the past few months with the Associated Press, global news publisher Axel Springer, France's Le Monde and Spain-based Prisa Media. This week, Axel Springer SE and Microsoft Corp. announced an expanded, multifaceted partnership across advertising, AI, content and cloud computing. The cooperation aims to leverage cutting-edge innovation to support independent journalism around the world, Microsoft said in a statement.

FT Group CEO John Ridding said the agreement recognises "the value of our award-winning journalism and will give us early insights into how content is surfaced through AI," adding that "this partnership will help to keep us at the forefront of developments in how people access and use information.” 

Ridding added, “Apart from the benefits to the FT, there are broader implications for the industry. It’s right, of course, that AI platforms pay publishers for the use of their material. OpenAI understands the importance of transparency, attribution, and compensation – all essential for us. At the same time, it’s clearly in the interests of users that these products contain reliable sources.” 

Brad Lightcap, COO of OpenAI, said, “Our partnership and ongoing dialogue with the FT is about finding creative and productive ways for AI to empower news organisations and journalists, and enrich the ChatGPT experience with real-time, world-class journalism for millions of people around the world.” 

"We're keen to explore the practical outcomes regarding news sources and AI through this partnership,” said Ridding. He added, "As with any transformative technology, there is potential for significant advancements and major challenges, but what’s never possible is turning back time. It’s important for us to represent quality journalism as these products take shape – with the appropriate safeguards in place to protect the FT’s content and brand." 

<a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/digital/axel-springer-and-microsoft-expand-partnership-across-advertising-ai-content-and-azure-services%e2%80%af-30248.htm">Read more: Axel Springer and Microsoft expand partnership across advertising, AI, content and Azure services</a> 

OpenAI to use Financial Times content to train AI models in latest media partnership

Axel Springer SE and Microsoft Corp. have announced an expanded, multifaceted partnership across advertising, AI, content and cloud computing. The cooperation aims to leverage cutting-edge innovation to support independent journalism around the world, Microsoft said in a statement. 

Axel Springer is a media and technology company and active in more than 40 countries. Its portfolio features diverse media brands including BILD, WELT, BUSINESS INSIDER, POLITICO and classifieds portals (The Stepstone Group and AVIV Group). The company has successfully transformed from a traditional print media company to Europe’s leading digital publisher. The company is headquartered in Berlin and employs more than 18,000 people worldwide.

The partnership with Microsoft will expand and deepen the existing cooperation. The existing adtech collaboration will be expanded to encompass POLITICO. Building on a mutual commitment to the principles and potential of responsible AI, both companies will partner to develop new AI-driven experiences for their users. In addition, Microsoft Start-MSN users will have access to more premium content from Axel Springer’s news brands, and Axel Springer will migrate its SAP solutions to Microsoft Azure.

“In this new era of AI, partnerships are critical to preserving and promoting independent journalism while ensuring a thriving media landscape,” said Mathias Döpfner, CEO of Axel Springer. “We’re optimistic about the future of journalism and the opportunities we can unlock through this expanded partnership with Microsoft.”

“This new generation of AI is transforming nearly every aspect of work and life, including how people search for and consume content online,” said Satya Nadella, chairman and CEO of Microsoft. “Our expanded partnership with Axel Springer brings together their leadership in digital publishing with the full power of the Microsoft Cloud — including our ad solutions — to build innovative AI-driven experiences and create new opportunity for advertisers and users.”

Key elements of the partnership

Extending adtech collaboration to the U.S.: Axel Springer will adopt Microsoft Advertising as its ad server solution, expanding its existing partnership from Europe to the U.S. POLITICO will integrate Microsoft Advertising technology as a comprehensive solution enhanced by Axel Springer’s adtech management and optimization layer AdLib. POLITICO will also be integrated into the Microsoft Advertising Network, allowing advertisers to reach a broader audience.

Powering new AI experiences and monetization: Axel Springer will partner with Microsoft to pilot new innovative AI-driven chat experiences to better inform and engage their users with Axel Springer’s journalistic content. The cooperation will further fuel Axel Springer’s ventures in AI, building on projects such as the AI assistant Hey_, powered among others by Azure OpenAI Service. In addition, Axel Springer will leverage Microsoft Advertising’s Chat Ads API for generative AI monetization.

Enhanced content offerings through Microsoft Start-MSN: Axel Springer is expanding its Microsoft Start-MSN partnership to provide users with access to more premium content from leading journalistic brands such as Business Insider, POLITICO, BILD and WELT, reaching millions of users across devices and markets.

Microsoft Azure expansion: In addition to extending its use of Azure AI capabilities for AI innovation, the digital publisher will also transform and migrate its SAP solutions to Microsoft Azure, the trusted and secure cloud platform, to enhance scalability, reliability and performance across its digital infrastructure.

<a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/digital/openai-to-use-financial-times-content-to-train-ai-models-in-latest-media-partnership-30255.htm">Read more: OpenAI to use Financial Times content to train AI models in latest media partnership</a>

Axel Springer and Microsoft expand partnership across advertising, AI, content and Azure services 

Social Beat has bagged the digital mandate of organic personal care brand Juicy Chemistry.

Social Beat will drive brand awareness and consideration across Juicy Chemistry’s product portfolio with creative, innovative, and relatable content. The digital creative mandate was won after a multi-agency pitch process by Juicy Chemistry. The agency will design targeted brand campaigns to boost brand recognition and scale up Juicy Chemistry’s revenue by utilizing various digital media channels including Meta, Google, and targeted campaigns with affiliates and influencers.


Vikas Chawla, Co-Founder of Social Beat, said, “We are very happy to be associated with Juicy Chemistry. They have an attractive portfolio of products available for the diverse needs of modern consumers. We look forward to providing result-driven strategies that can help them expand their market penetration and achieve desired results. With the brand’s focus on their digital native target audience, we are positive that we will be able to help them tap the right consumers through the right channels and efficiently amplify their overall reach and business growth in the long run.”
 

Pritesh and Megha Asher, Co-founders, Juicy Chemistry said, “Our partnership with Social Beat is highly collaborative as our target audience is digital savvy and Social Beat has vast expertise in understanding and efficiently managing the digital movement of consumers. I feel their experience of the digital landscape, understanding of consumers’ digital behaviour, and insight-driven approach to creative communication, will help us augment our visibility, strengthen our reach and boost our marketing efforts to achieve optimal results. We are excited to partner with Social Beat and look forward to taking our brand to the next level with their help.”
 
 


Social Beat wins Juicy Chemistry's digital creative business

Snap Inc. announced financial results for the quarter ended March 31, 2024. “The value we provide our community and advertising partners has translated into improved financial performance,” said Evan Spiegel, CEO. “Our large, growing, and hard-to-reach community, brand-safe environment, and full-funnel advertising solutions have made us an increasingly important partner for businesses of all sizes.”

<strong>Q1 2024 Financial Summary</strong>

Revenue was $1,195 million, compared to $989 million in the prior year, an increase of 21% year-over-year.
Net loss was $305 million, compared to $329 million in the prior year.
Adjusted EBITDA was $46 million, compared to $1 million in the prior year.
Operating cash flow was $88 million, compared to $151 million in the prior year.
Free Cash Flow was $38 million, compared to $103 million in the prior year.

<strong>Q1 2024 Summary & Key Highlights</strong>

Snap Inc said it grew and deepened its engagement with its community. It's DAUs were 422 million in Q1 2024, an increase of 39 million, or 10%, year-over-year. Total time spent watching Spotlight content increased more than 125% year-over-year. The growth in the Snap Star program has been an important driver of engagement in North America, with total time spent watching Stories from Snap Stars growing more than 55% year-over-year in North America. "We onboarded over 1,500 Snap Stars in Q1, which has helped generate quarter-over-quarter growth in Story posts, Spotlight posts, and Stories time spent for Snap Stars globally. We introduced new tools to help our community make more creative Snaps, including new Creative Templates, the ability to post longer videos, and access to AI-powered AR Lens creation," the company shared. 

Stating that Snap Inc is focused on accelerating and diversifying its revenue growth, the company said that Snapchat+ subscribers more than tripled year-over-year, surpassing 9 million subscribers in Q1. The number of small and medium sized advertisers on Snapchat increased 85% year-over-year. Ongoing momentum with our 7-0 Pixel Purchase optimization model led to a more than 75% increase in purchase related conversions year-over-year.

"We launched a new and improved version of Conversions API (CAPI) available to all advertisers that offers easier set up with reduced integration times. We partnered with Snowflake to enable advertisers to easily implement our CAPI solutions without needing to build a bespoke back-end integration. Our improvements to CAPI and improved collaboration with advertisers has resulted in CAPI integrations growing approximately 300% year-over-year in Q1 2024," Snap Inc stated. 

The company launched Sponsored AR Filters, its new AR ad offering that expands advertisers’ reach via the Snapchat Camera and enables Snapchatters to overlay sponsored AR content on their Snaps after a photo or video is captured. It also announced partnerships with Traackr, Lumen Research, OMD, Amplified Intelligence, and Fospha to empower advertisers with more campaign tools and insights.

Snap announced two new brand safety solutions for advertisers: a third-party measurement product in partnership with Integral Ad Science, a leading global media measurement and optimization platform, to provide advertisers with increased transparency across their Snapchat campaigns, and a first-party tool that allows advertisers greater control over where their ads appear.

Snap is also investing in its augmented reality platform. "We continue to invest in Generative AI models and automation for the creation of ML and AI Lenses, which contributed to the number of ML and AI Lenses viewed by Snapchatters increasing by more than 50% year-over-year.
We invested in relationship-centered AR Formats that drove outsized sharing among US Snapchatters including “Friend Lenses” that feature friends in Quizzes and other experiences, and “Q&A Lenses” that prompt Snapchatters to send fun text and image responses to their Friends.
We implemented an improved AR Carousel ranking model that refreshes AR lenses more frequently, making it easier to discover new Lenses, driving a more than 50% increase in the number of new Lenses seen in the carousel by Snapchatters since launch." 

Snap integrated a new AI Assistant in Lens Studio that answers developer questions based on its documentation and tutorials to guide developers and help build Lenses more easily. It also launched a new Compression tool in Lens Studio to easily reduce the size of assets and optimize Lenses in order to improve the Lens creation experience on Snapchat. Other launches include an Animation Curve Editor in Lens Studio, a new interface for developers to edit animations inside Lens Studio — the first of many foundational animation tools coming soon, Snap stated. At Super Bowl LVIII, the NFL integrated Snapchat's Camera Kit technology at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas — the first time a Super Bowl host stadium has integrated Snap Inc's technology. 

<strong>Q2 2024 Outlook</strong>

Snap Inc shared in a statement, "As we enter Q2, we anticipate continued growth of our global community, and as a result, our Q2 guidance is built on the assumption that DAU will be approximately 431 million in Q2. We are focused on executing against our roadmap to deliver improvements to our DR advertising platform to drive improved results for our advertising partners and accelerate topline growth. Our Q2 guidance range for revenue is $1,225 million to $1,255 million, implying year-over-year revenue growth of 15% to 18%. Given the revenue range above, and our investment plans for the quarter ahead, we estimate that Adjusted EBITDA will be between $15 million and $45 million in Q2." 

Vodafone Idea announces new all-in-one entertainment app: One subscription for multiple platforms

The app will include over 13 apps and 400 live TV channels, along with complementary access to multiple content libraries, reported ET.

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